Toenails

Nail trimming is definitely a learned skill that requires patience from the owner and the dog. Where your dog has had a negative experience with you, it is best to start over so he can regain trust. Take a few minutes each day and do some quality time paw touching and mock nail trims and then offer up lots of praise and a special treat.

When you are confident that the dog trusts you again you can try a few at a time to see if he is ok with you. If he growls at you, try again the next day. It is best to have clean toenails to clip, if there is dirt wedged in the tips, you can't see where the quick (the part that bleeds) ends. It is easiest to see where the quick is from the underside of the nail either with the dog laying on its side or standing and you can turn the foot back enough to see the nail bed. Then start by taking off the tip straight across. If they still look too long and your dog is agreeable, take off the sharp corners at an angle, a very little at a time. It is better to have to do the trim more often than to cut too much. Offer your dog a break after two paws if need be and don't forget the treats at the end! Good luck!