1. Preparation

Preparation tools:

​● Dog nail clippers;

● Hemostatic powder;

● Reward snacks;

● Small towel or large towel (if you want to wrap your pet);

　● Quiet space and plenty of patience.

Before cutting toenails:

1. Make sure your dog is in a very relaxed and comfortable state. If he has never had his toenails trimmed before, you should adapt to it with him several times a day, for about a minute each time, and at the same time tap the nail clippers you are going to use on him. Respond to his voice with a gentle tone, tell him not to be afraid, and gently massage his ears to distract him and reduce his anxiety. Sit down with your dog, look at him at the same level, and talk gently to him to reduce your dog's stress.

● Also, remember that if the owner is nervous, the dog will feel it.

● Maintain a calm attitude during the entire process. No matter whether the cut is successful or not, do not bring stress or shadow to the dog.

2. In order to prevent injuries, you should prepare hemostatic powder in case you accidentally cut too close and cause bleeding.

Try your best to avoid this happening, but don’t blame yourself too much for your mistakes. Even experienced dog groomers sometimes have accidents.

(Picture from @wikiHow)

3. Understand how to solve the problem of dogs not cooperating.

If your dog keeps twitching, try the method in step 1 and slowly get used to it until you feel you can continue and then start working again. Remember, dogs need to accept and trust their owners, which will take a lot of time and effort now and in the future.

(Picture from @wikiHow)

2. Cut toenails 1. Grasp the dog's feet from the ankles firmly and gently with the palm of your hand, so that your hands are in the same direction as its paws and away from the dog.

Remember not to try to scratch its paws through the pads, as even a very cooperative dog may be itchy or uncomfortable and keep pulling away.

(Picture from @wikiHow)

2. To fix the toenail, gently place your fingers under its paw and use your thumb to fix the toenail being trimmed from above.

(Picture from @wikiHow)

3. Identify sensitive areas.

If your dog's toenails are white, clear, or light-colored, trimming will go smoothly because it will be easier to see the sensitive area inside the center of the toenail, which will look like a small pink or red dot. Blood vessel. If, unfortunately, your dog's toenails are black or dark, you need to be extra careful because the sensitive area cannot be seen.

● Sensitive areas refer to blood vessels and areas where nerve endings gather. Your dog will be very, very unhappy if you accidentally cut a sensitive part of it, so this should definitely be avoided.

(Picture from @wikiHow)

4. Start by cutting your toenails. If this is your first time trimming your dog's toenails or his toenails are unusually long, you'll need to know how to trim your dog's toenails. It's very simple, just stabilize the guide part of the toenail clipper on the surface of the toenail, and then use the blade to cut off a small piece.

● This is done because the sensitive area is very close to the tip of the toenail. It is very safe to familiarize yourself with your dog's toenails based on subsequent clippings.

● Every time you trim your toenails, the sensitive area will recede a little. This is very wise if your dog has black toenails.

(Picture from @wikiHow)

5. Cut toenails.

When you are ready, you can start cutting the toenails. First look at the shape of the dog's toenails. You will find that the bottom of the toenails is relatively straight and does not curve until the tip. Use a toenail clipper to cut off the tip of your toenail, but be sure not to injure sensitive areas.

● You want the blade to hit exactly where you want it to, but some toenail clippers may slightly obscure the blade, so be sure to pay careful attention.

● The dog will instinctively pull its toes back a little, but the owner should quickly eliminate its uneasiness and make it understand that this is what it should do. Dogs are very obedient. With your comfort, they will cooperate with trimming the next toenail as much as possible.

(Picture from @wikiHow)

6. File your toenails flat. After trimming the toenails, file them flat with a file.

3. Handling injuries

1. Control.

If you accidentally injure a sensitive area and your toenail begins to bleed, don’t let your dog run away from you.

● If this situation cannot be controlled, the dog will begin to fear having his toenails clipped. Instead, if you give it a hug to calm it down and reassure it that it is in pain and that the owner is sorry, he will continue to trust his owner.

(Picture from @wikiHow)

2. Stop bleeding.

Need to use onlyApply blood powder to the end of the toenail, and use your fingers to temporarily press on the base of the claw and the end of the toenail until the bleeding stops.

● You need to keep pressing the hemostatic powder for two to three minutes. The longer the time, the better the hemostatic effect.

● Don’t worry if your dog wants to lick the wound when the bleeding has just stopped. But be sure not to let it bounce for at least fifteen minutes.

3. Leave your dog to professionals.

If you don’t have any styptic powder on hand to stop bleeding, or you are worried about not being able to cut your toenails properly, it’s best to leave this task to your pet groomer. Especially when your dog’s toenails are darker in color, the wisest thing to do is to leave it to a pet groomer or someone who is confident that they can handle emergencies.