Friday, May 14, 2010

How far down do i clip my dogs toe nails?

I have a dashund and her toenails are black. her nails are really long and someone told me you have to be careful how far you clip themHow far down do i clip my dogs toe nails?
i just go to a vet or groomers because you might not know diffrent ';soft'; places on your dog and you might hurt her! that happemed to a person i knowHow far down do i clip my dogs toe nails?
I have been grooming for 15 years. On black toenails it can be hard to judge even with experience. One trick I learned early on is 1st clip a little at a time of course but also when you are getting close to the ';quick'; the middle of the nail where you cut gets lighter or gray and is softer. If you do get to close and it bleeds you can use flour and put it on the end in a pinch but you should go to a pet store and purchase ';Kwik-Stop'; really, it works faster. If you are really uncomforatble it isn't that costly to get your vet or groomer to do it for you and they are usually willing to show you how. Good luck
don't cut too short but enough so there will be no discomfort.
Yes you do have to be careful. You can usually see the blood under the nail. You want to cut no more then 1 to 2 inches above that blood line. Not only will it bleed if you cut to deep but /he or she will give you a hard time the next time you try. If her nails are too black for you to see the blood line, you may want to take her to the groomers the 1st time and ask him if you can watch the 1st time so that you will know for her future manicure.
You do need to be careful how far you clip them. Dogs have blood running to their nails, its called the quick. On most dogs you can see it easily but most dachshunds have black nails. If you cut only the nail that curves down you are pretty safe.
Just be safe and let the vet clip them! It's 13 $ but well worth the clipping..If you clip them and hurt her, you'll never be able to get her trust again. Please don't clip her nails..let the vet!
if you're afraid of how far to clip them bring your dog to the vet - they'll gladly clip the nails for you, and maybe even teach you at what point you should clip them. you could also file them down. my mom has done that before and my dog doesn't mind a bit.
Whether the nails are black or white, you still have to be careful. There is a vein inside the nail called a quick. Start cutting a nail a little at a time. Eventually you will get to a spot where the nail is white with a black dot. STOP!! That is the start of the quick. Before you cut the nails though, it is best to have some flour, chap stick or a bar of soap nearby to stop the bleeding if you do hit it. I am a groomer and I cut nails about 20-30 times a day.. I still make some bleed- not meaning to, but it does happen.. You will get the hang of it..
when you pierce the heart!!!!
clip about a quarter of the way from the end unless you haven't had them cut ever. if that is the case then start at just the tip and trim a little at a time. if you cut them too short they will bleed because there is a vain in them. if you go to a pet store they should have a powder that stops the bleeding pick it up before hand just in case. If you don't open it you can take it back if its un needed. If it is then you have it on hand.

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