How to properly trim a Yorkie's nails

How many claws does a dog have? Why does a dog bite its nails?

Every owner of a four-legged friend has a serious problem with proper care for him. The main responsible activity is nail trimming. A dog's claws have a structure that is not typical for humans.

Dog claws have their own specifics: the hind paws have four claws and four toes, just like the front paws. Sometimes there is a fifth finger, but it is weaker than the others and its claw is not large. If a fifth claw appears on the hind legs, most dog lovers recommend removing it during childhood.

Dog's claws

When a dog spends a lot of time outdoors, walking along the street, the claws wear down on their own. But in winter, the hard ground is covered with snow and grinding is impossible, and some dogs do not walk outside for long, so trimming their nails is a mandatory procedure for dogs.

If this is not done in time, then they can get caught in them, get hurt, and the claw can rot. Among many dog breeders, dogs have a tendency to bite their claws. However, many do not pay attention to this. A clear deviation should be considered if the animal gnaws itself until it bleeds.

Bloody tracks in dogs

Why do dogs bite their claws: reasons

The deplorable condition of the claws. If they are very long, they interfere with the dog's walking. The pet's fingers begin to hurt, and she naturally bites them to get rid of the pain.
One of the reasons for biting claws is itching between the fingers. It is observed in the absence of proper hygiene, if the dog does not have enough frequent washing of its paws. You should always wash your pet's fur and paws after a walk.
Significant damage to the skin on the paw pads. The cause of itching is caused by the paws of a sensitive dog touching hot asphalt in the summer, or chemicals that are used to cover the road in the winter.
There may be a fungus or subcutaneous mite in the dog.
The lack of necessary vitamins in a dog’s body is a separate reason for chewing paws. Poor dog nutrition, excess protein. All this leads the dog to neurosis and other consequences.

If you notice this behavior in your dog, you should definitely contact your veterinarian. He will take a scraping to check for the presence of parasites in the dog’s body. The clinic will help you remove unwanted hair and trim your dog’s nails correctly.

Trimming dog's nails

Can a dog's nails be trimmed?

If a long nail is not trimmed promptly, it can cut into the skin and cause an infection. Improperly growing nails can cause lameness and problems with the pet's skeleton. Therefore, cutting a dog’s nails is not only possible, but also necessary for full-fledged life.

The structure of a dog's claw

Grooming procedures must be carried out in a veterinary clinic, but if your dog freely allows you to perform such a procedure on himself, then you can carry out the haircut at home. Before such a procedure, you should prepare the cutting tools and place. If you are performing this procedure on a puppy for the first time, be very careful about it. The puppy's subsequent fear will depend on your actions.

White claw on a dog

Before trimming, carefully inspect each claw. Only in white claws is the pulp clearly visible. If the nails are dark, trim them very carefully. After trimming, file the ends of your nails. Remove uneven cuts so they don't start to flake. And be sure to show tenderness to the dog, not aggression. Stroke his fur and prepare his favorite treat.

How are claws arranged?

A dog's claw is conventionally divided into two parts - the outer (horny) and the inner (living). In the inner part of the claw there is a pulp (a collection of blood vessels and nerve endings).

If you trim the claw incorrectly, you can hurt the pulp . If this happens, the dog will bleed and the pet will feel pain. It is for this reason that haircuts must be done very carefully.

If the dog's claws are light, then the pulp is clearly visible. In this case, you need to trim it at a distance of 1-2 mm from the living part of the claw.

If the claw is dark, then you will not see the pulp; in this case, try to trim only the very tip.

Dog nail scissors - nail clippers

To trim your dog's nails, you need to prepare the following tools: Specialized scissors - a nail clipper. They have two varieties: scissors with sickle blades and guillotine.

The first type is suitable for cutting thick and strong nails in large dogs, and has a stopper to secure the claw. Guillotines are used to trim the nails of small and medium breed dogs.

nail clipper

Nail trimming scissors should only be purchased at a veterinary store. The material of the nail clipper is ideally stainless steel.

The size of the tool itself is also important. The best option would be to have rubber gaskets in the scissors. Which prevent your hand from slipping. Thus, eliminating irregularities and abruptness of movements. Never try to cut nails with regular scissors. They are not suitable for such a procedure.

Stock up on hemostatic agents. If you suddenly touch a claw or vessel, treat it immediately.

How often should you trim your dog's nails? Where do dogs' nails get cut?

The frequency of nail trimming in dogs depends on:

The dog’s lifestyle: how often is it outside, walking on hard surfaces and grinding its claws.
Dog breeds: decorative dogs have a very short walking period, and their nails grow very quickly. Therefore, the frequency of pruning should be carried out once a week. In long-haired breeds, the claws are hidden under the hair and their growth may not be noticed in time. Therefore, a haircut should be carried out as soon as you hear the scratching sound of your pet’s claws on the floor.
In other cases, claw trimming is carried out once every two months.

Nail trimming is carried out as a pet care procedure and to maintain health. It should be carried out by a qualified veterinarian. But if your dog is supportive and can patiently withstand your care, then circumcision can be easily done at home.

How to trim a Spitz's nails at home

The owner must purchase in advance everything necessary for trimming and study information on how to trim a Spitz’s claws at home. The dog must be healthy and in a good mood. It needs to be placed on a well-lit, flat surface and a nail clipper, iodine, and cotton wool should be placed nearby and you can begin:

Carefully expose the claw plate by pressing on the inner surface of the paw.
Consider where the claw pulp is (the part of the claw with the nerves and circulatory system, it is darker in color). If its border is poorly defined, you can look at the claw from below by placing the dog on its back. Or trim little by little until a black dot appears in the center of the nail plate, indicating that it is approaching the vessels. If you trim your Spitz's claws frequently enough, the pulp will gradually go deeper into the claw, and the likelihood of a cut will become minimal.
Trim part of the tip of the claw, starting from the edge, at an angle of 45 degrees, leaving 2 mm to the pulp. If the pulp is still affected, then treat the wound with iodine and apply a cotton pad moistened with a solution of potassium permanganate, and do not wet it with water. Hitting the pulp causes severe pain in the dog, and nail trimming may remain in his memory as something negative.
The claws on the lateral toes should be especially well trimmed, as they grind down very poorly and grow in, causing inflammation and pain.
File the claws with a nail file, making the surface smooth.
You can cover your Spitz's claws with decorative varnish, which will not only give a beautiful aesthetic appearance, but also nourish them with vitamins and protect them from dirt and water while walking. And, of course, we must not forget about a balanced diet for strong dog nails.
After trimming the nails, you need to remove excess hair from around the paw pads.

The dog won’t let you cut its nails: what to do?

Getting your dog into the habit of trimming its nails is not an easy task.

The dog will not allow you to cut your nails if you have ever been injured while trimming your nails. It is easier to accustom a small puppy to a haircut.

This procedure must be performed carefully, without violence. If you beat the dog and cause pain, grooming will turn into a hellish procedure every time.

Dog nail trimming by breed

To ensure that the nail trimming process goes perfectly, follow the following steps:

Gently train your dog to use the nail clipper. To do this, show your pet the scissors for three to four days. If your dog behaves calmly, reward him for his diligent behavior with treats. Try clicking the scissors and checking the dog's calmness.
The next step is to place a treat in a plate in front of your dog. Take the pet in your hands and click the nail clipper near its paws. Thank you for your calm behavior. If, nevertheless, the dog is afraid of something, turn its attention to its favorite game. After a week, return to this stage again.
If your dog reacted calmly to the scissors during two stages, then it’s time to move on to the third. Place a plate of treats in front of your pet. Take the animal in your hands and, praising it, carefully begin to cut off the nails. Only the ends should be trimmed. After the procedure, release the dog to the saucer with treats.

Practice by trimming several nails every day. If the process is correct and painless, after two weeks you can remove the plate of treats.

At what age can you start?

If the breeder has never trimmed the puppy’s nails, then try to accustom the baby to cutting his nails literally from the first days of his stay in your home.

If you have acquired a 2-month-old baby, then it is quite possible to accustom him to this procedure . After all, the sooner you start, the easier it will be for you in the future, since the pet will not be afraid and nervous.

Expert opinion

Kozhevin Semyon Kirillovich

Expert dog handler.

“Experienced breeders try to start trimming puppies’ nails as early as possible, from about 1.5 to 2 weeks of age. This is necessary so that the baby does not scratch the mother’s mammary glands and she does not refuse to feed. Sometimes, such a haircut is a matter of survival of the whole litter. And since puppies’ nails grow quickly, they are trimmed at least once every 2 weeks. For an adult dachshund, one haircut per month will be enough.”

How to trim the nails of a pug, spitz, toy terrier, Yorkshire terrier, Pekingese, chihuahua?

If a pug under ideal and normal living conditions, the claws wear down on their own during walks. But some pugs do not like long walks, so trimming their nails is mandatory. Haircuts are often carried out with sedatives. Observe the pug, if he starts breathing heavily, stop grooming for a while and let him catch his breath.
The behavior of the Spitz is also peculiar. But no matter how much he grinds his claws down during a walk, they still remain in place, as they are very strong. Carry out the procedure for trimming your Spitz's claws very carefully, cutting off only one millimeter.

Spitz

If you delay and skip trimming your little pet's nails, this will lead to an ingrown nail.

Cutting the nails of a toy terrier is a very specific procedure. Start it at two weeks of age. The first time it is carried out in order not to injure the mother when feeding with weak and sharp claws. Toy terrier puppies have their nails trimmed every twenty days. As dogs grow, their nails are trimmed once a month. The toy terrier's nails should be trimmed in a timely manner to avoid drying out the nail plate.
The York Terrier undergoes nail trimming twice a month.
The Pekingese belongs to small-bred dogs and does not spend a long time on walks, so you should trim its nails regularly. Pekingese nails do not wear off on the asphalt; you should carefully monitor them to avoid ingrown or excessively rounded nails. Pekingese nails can be trimmed with a cat nail clipper.

Chihuahua nail trimming

The Chihuahua is a very problematic breed of dog. Her care and hygiene are very specific and require a professional approach from a veterinarian. Professional and timely trimming of your pet's nails depends on multiple health problems. The procedure for trimming Chihuahua's claws is carried out once a month. For puppies once every two weeks. If such an animal's claws are not trimmed for a long time, they will grow along with the cornea. And this will lead to surgery.

Make sure that the dog does not begin to get rid of the claw itself, otherwise it may crack and break, and an inflammatory process will begin to develop in the resulting wound.

Why prune?

In the wild, representatives of the cat family cope on their own - their claws are worn down naturally on the soil, tree bark, during hunting and under other circumstances. Pets do not have this opportunity, since instead of hard ground, stones and tree trunks, they have laminate or carpets under their paws. Their claws grow in the same way as their wild relatives. The animal begins to cling to the surface of objects and textile upholstery. This causes inconvenience to the pet itself, and also spoils things.

The owner must monitor the length of the regrown edge. A cat nail clipper is useful for this. It is worth carrying out these manipulations in the correct way, without causing pain or injury to your furry one. To prevent this from happening, you need to know how long the claws need to be shortened.

It is better to focus on the growth rate of the nail plate. Some require trimming several times a month, while others make do with a simple scratching post. In this matter, much depends on individual physiological characteristics, whether the cat’s claws need to be trimmed and how often it needs to be done. How often to trim your cat's nails depends on the rate of regrowth, which can vary from cat to cat. Typically this should be done on average once every two or three weeks.

Interesting read: everything about American Bobtails.

It is worth taking into account the structure of the paws, remembering the presence of a fifth toe, which is a rudiment and is not used in life. It is located on the inside of the paw and is not capable of causing harm or pain until it begins to curl inward, scratching and injuring the delicate skin of the paw pads.

If you do not trim, during play the pet will cling to the soft upholstery of the furniture, thereby risking injury not only to the regrown tip, but also to the phalanx of the finger. In advanced cases, the sharp edge grows into the skin of the paws, causing severe pain and inflammation. In this case, you will have to seek the help of a veterinarian who can eliminate this problem, but surgically.

Veterinarians and cat breeding specialists recommend accustoming a kitten to this procedure from a very young age. This will allow the pet to endure such manipulation in the future without fear.

How to trim the nails of a French bulldog, dachshund, or poodle?

The French Bulldog's nails are hard. They are light in color, so the living part of the claw is clearly visible and has a pink color. Veterinarians recommend trimming the tip of the nail. Pruning should be done every ten days. If the claws are jagged, they can be easily filed. Puppies have their nails trimmed three weeks after birth.
The most important procedure in caring for a dachshund is trimming its nails. This ensures the prevention of infectious diseases. When you hear your dachshund start tapping his claws on the floor, it’s time for a haircut. A dachshund's first nail trimming should take place at an early age. During summer walks, the dachshund wears down its nails, but in winter this is impossible, so nail trimming should be done every two weeks.
The poodle has very sensitive nails. They should be trimmed regularly. The cut should be no more than 2 mm.

How to trim a cat's claws yourself?

For cutting, you cannot use ordinary scissors or a manicure set (except for a nail file). You can buy special devices at any pet store.

Handy tools

Before the procedure you need to prepare in advance:

nail clipper;
sanding file;
cotton swabs or sticks;
hydrogen peroxide, iodine;
baby powder;

It is not always possible to trim claws carefully; you can accidentally cut off excess and cause bleeding (especially if the animal resists). Therefore, it is important to prepare iodine and other antiseptics.

To reduce the risk of damage in cats of fluffy breeds (hair grows on their paws in tufts, their claws are almost invisible), you need to use a hair clipper. If the animal is afraid of its noise, you can remove excess hair with ordinary scissors.

The procedure must be taken seriously and responsibly: the correct approach will help to avoid undesirable consequences and not cause infection. All instruments must be disinfected.

Blisters and nail clippers

Blisters are special tools for trimming cat claws. Externally similar to manicure scissors. However, their blade is sharpened and adjusted to the curve of the claw, which simplifies the procedure.

Nail clippers help you perform the action quickly and painlessly. Visually they look like pliers or tweezers. There are 2 varieties: sickle-shaped and guillotine (each owner chooses the most convenient one).

Recommendations

Before the procedure, you need to determine which part of the nail can be cut off. In the light you can see that this organ has a heterogeneous shade: at the base it becomes pinkish. This area is prohibited from being touched; there are blood vessels located there.

You can only trim the arched part of the claw, since there are no blood vessels there. If this is not taken into account, the cat will begin to bleed. This will cause your pet severe pain, and he may begin to limp. Therefore, only 1-2 mm is cut off.

The procedure is performed in the daytime, in front of the window. The pet is picked up and needs to be spoken to and stroked gently.

In order for the animal to release its claws, you need to gently press on the pads.

You can trim both the front and hind limbs. After trimming, the claws should be treated with a sanding file. It is also important not to forget to praise and reward the cat for its patience, and treat it with a treat.

What to do if you cut your dog's nails until they bleed?

When trimming your dog's nails, your dog began to bleed - don't be upset. Next time, don't cut them so short. For such cases, the first aid kit of the home dog breeder and veterinarian should have basic hemostatic agents. If you see blood on your paw, immediately treat the wound with peroxide or iodine. If your dog starts whining, calm him down. After a painful procedure, please her with a treat. Try not to make such mistakes again, otherwise the dog will flatly refuse to trim his nails.

How to use a nail clipper correctly?

Stages of nail trimming:

Take care of the lighting. The room where you perform the procedure should be well lit.
Reassure the animal as much as possible; it should be in a calm and peaceful state.
Since the dachshund is a small breed, it is better to place it on a table or sit it on your lap.
If your dog is nervous, ask someone in your household to help you.
Start trimming from the hind legs as they are less sensitive.
When carrying out the procedure, try to hold the paw as carefully as possible and do not squeeze the dog’s fingers.
Hold your pet's finger, gently press on it and begin trimming. Hold your paw firmly, but not rigidly.
Grip the tip of the nail in the nail clipper and trim in one motion. Accuracy, dexterity and sharpness of the tool are important here. If the dog is calm, continue cutting; if not, try to calm the pet down, and only then return to the procedure. You may even have to put off cutting your hair for a while. Don't let this scare you, even if you cut one nail a day, nothing bad will happen. But the dog will get used to it and you will be able to do it faster over time.
If you have no experience and are afraid of injuring your dog, trim the nail in sections. First, cut the very tip, then again and again, until a gray or pink “live” area appears. Do not try to cut off as much of the claw as possible right away.
Another way to determine the length of the claw to be trimmed is to take a small flashlight, shine a light through the claw and you will definitely see a blood vessel.
After all the nails are trimmed, take a nail file and file away all the nicks and sharp corners so that the dog does not get injured or experience discomfort.
If everything went smoothly, give your pet a treat, praise it, and pay more attention. This way, the haircut procedure will be etched in her memory as a positive event and this will make your task easier in the future.

Just because your dog's nails are overgrown doesn't mean you can cut off most of them . After all, the pulp extends along with the claw. Be careful not to injure the dog!

My dog broke a nail at the root, what should I do? How to stop a dog's nail from bleeding?

If a dog breaks a claw under unfavorable conditions and begins to limp, immediately check the integrity of the claws.

Follow the procedure step by step:

Gently hold your pet's paw. Examine it and hold the dog close to you so that it feels your support.
If bleeding occurs, wrap the paw with a bandage or towel to provide pressure.
If the bleeding does not stop for more than ten minutes, then use a special pencil.
Next, remove the broken claw using scissors. Cutting is painful, but will result in rapid growth of a new nail.
The root should be treated with an antibiotic to avoid infection and minimize bleeding.

Pikinese

How to file and grind a dog's nails? What to do about an ingrown claw in a dog?

Activities for the care of dog claws consist not only of trimming, but also filing, grinding, and trimming the hair around the nail. A nail file is used for this procedure. If the dog is large, you can use a block of sandpaper to sharpen the nails. Some inventors use an acrylic file to file a dog's nails. For such pets, grinders are produced - electric grinding machines. If a dog's nail is ingrown, it should be removed immediately without damage or bleeding. Ingrown claws lead to injury to the dog and the development of purulent inflammation.

Do I need to trim my nails?

The answer is clear - yes . And above all, this is necessary for the health of the dog. After all, too long claws can lead to serious injury.

For example, a dog can pull out a claw by accidentally getting caught on something, injure its owner or injure itself. Also, long claws interfere with walking, harden, bend, grow into soft tissues and create many other problems.

In addition, if a dachshund’s claws are never trimmed, then it may develop incorrect paw placement, which leads to dislocations and deformities..

Nail fungus in dogs: treatment

Detection and treatment of fungus in dogs should be timely.
One of the popular methods of treating fungus is vaccinations.
But the main factor in treating fungus is the breed of the dog.
The use of antifungal drugs is popular.
To reduce the likelihood of fungus developing in your dog, you should provide it with proper care and nutrition.
Strictly observe the necessary hygiene rules.
If you still observe the first signs of fungus in your dog, immediately contact a specialist.