First of all, if you aren’t comfortable trimming your own dogs nails, call your vet! Some vets offer free or inexpensive nail trims, and they don’t even require an appointment!
For the braver souls, I’ll give a few helpful hints. Invest in a GOOD pair of nail trimmers. The cheaper ones just don’t do as good of a job and can leave your dog’s nails splintered. Now to get down to business. If your dog has white nails, take a close look. Do you see a pink line in the center of the nail? That’s called the quick. If you cut the quick, it will bleed. So try to get the nail just above the quick. For darker nails, it maybe be helpful to look at the nail from the underside to see the quick. If that doesn’t work, maybe try having someone shine a flash light on it. If THAT doesn’t work, just trim a small amount off the tips.
Another option that can help get shorter, smoother nails is using a dremel. It’s a little pricier but may be worth it if you don’t like how sharp your pets nails are after a nail trim. Most veterinarians offer this service as well for a small fee.
Keep your pet’s nails trimmed regularly to prevent them from breaking and causing discomfort. The more often you trim the nails, the shorter the quick will become! The longer you grow the nails, the quick grows as well, so its better to be sure they get trimmed regularly.
