Introduction
to Nail Trim First Aid
One of
the ways that you can tell if nails are too long is if they
click-clack when the dog is walking on a smooth, hard surface.
A
natural way to keep nails short is to exercise the dog on hard
surfaces, like sidewalks. If a dog receives exercise on a hard
surface, the nails are worn down so that the dog walks with only the
pads touching, eliminating the click-clack of the toenails
contacting a hard surface.
Always introduce new things,
such as nail trims, when the
dog is hungry to make the
treats more desirable and
distracting. |
Begin with the end in mind...
An over-exuberant
nail trim will cut the tissue in the center core -
the sensitive
quick of the nail - and result in pain and bleeding.
Therefore, as a precaution, it is recommended to
purchase some styptic powder just in case of an
accidental short clipping.
The most common brand is called Stop-Quick®. There
are other brands that are just as useful.
If the
nail is clipped short and the dog yelps, act jolly
as if nothing bad happened so as not to make it seem
worse. Apply a little pressure on the nail to slow
the bleeding and then apply some styptic powder to
the cut surface of the nail. Do not cut any
additional nails at this time, just plan on some
"make-up" time later. Take the dog on a walk or
begin another fun and rewarding activity.
Next
time you approach cutting a nail, begin with a
make-up time, by just touching the nails and then
giving special food treats. It may take days of
doing this make-up exercise before the dog is
relaxed enough for you to return to trimming a nail.
Take you time! In the long run, the dog's
perception of the nail trim far outweighs the time
the dog goes with a nail that's longer than ideal.
When it comes to trimming nails. the goal is a
cooperative canine not a fearful, struggling pooch. Trim one nail a
day. Be careful to only snip the end to avoid causing pain. Give
your dog a treat to make nail trims worth his or her while.