Try to imagine trimming the nails of your
Labrador Retriever. It seems hard isn't it? You feel like hurting
your loyal friend and forcing him to obliged to your laws.
However, just like in humans, your pet's nails grow regularly and
trimming it is necessary to keep him look neat and prevent
problems. Untrimmed nails when broken are very painful and in some
cases may curl and grown into your dog's paws.
Most dogs do not like having their nails
trimmed. It is important that nail trimming should be started in
puppies to get him used to the process. Once used with having his
nails trimmed, it wouldn't be hard for dog owners to groom him
even when he is already of age and has grown in size and weight.
Below are easy tips to trim your dog's nails safely.
- Get all the needed tools first. There are
various nail clippers available in the market. Get one that is
especially made for dog's nails. Nail clippers usually come in two
sizes- small for smaller dogs and large for larger dogs. There are
also two types- scissor-style and guillotine. Scissor-style
trimmers have two sharp blades that curve inwards. In guillotine
type, the nail is inserted into an opening and when squeezed, a
blade cuts the nail in guillotine style. Remember to cut upwards
from underneath your dog's nails. You may also want to use file or
dremel tool. This is ideal to file any jagged edges after
clipping. It is also important to have styptic pen or powder.
Application of styptic powder will stop the bleeding and alleviate
pain if you accidentally cut the quick (blood vessel that runs
down the middle of your dog's nail). It also helps to have a
non-slip mat if you intend to do the process when your dog is
standing.
- The procedure. You can either sit on the
floor with your dog or put him on a table. Find which one works
best for you and your dog. Your dog may lie on their side or may
stand lifting one leg at a time (you may want to use non-slip mat
when cutting your dog's nail in standing position). Cut your dog's
nail by just nibbling off the ends of each claws. You can examine
the quick ends easily if your dog has clear nails. But if your dog
has dark nails, trim a tiny nibble off and trim until you see a
dark oval in the center. That dark oval is the quick so you do not
have to trim any further.
While doing the process, do not forget to
soothe, praise and offer small treats to your Labrador Retriever.
Be patient because trimming can be a stressful event to your dog
especially if he has bad experience with nail trimming procedure.
