Clip Puppy Toenails

Get your puppy used to being handled. Run a grooming brush gently over her coat. Check her teeth. Hold her gently on her back and rub her tummy. Hold and handle her feet. Quietly praise her for submitting to this. You are laying a good foundation so she will accept being handled by you, your vet and your groomer.

Praise her with treats--if you are using those for training--for being relaxed when having her feet handled. Don't force the issue or manhandle her if she gets twitchy about her feet. That will just make her resist more in the long run. Praise her for every success no matter how short-lived.

Start with doing just one little toenail if you want. Make it no big deal, just a quick snip and praise her. Regular dog nail clippers are best, but if she is a very small breed you can use people toenail clippers.

Are you nervous about clipping the quick? Most people are! Just clip the little pointy end that hooks over. If you do that fairly frequently the quick will stay back and her nails will remain short enough. Plenty of walks--especially on pavement--will help keep her nails short, too.

What if you accidentally nick the quick? It will hurt and startle your puppy, no doubt. But don't make a big deal of it. Praise her for being brave (even if she is screeching like a drama queen), slip her a treat and quickly and carefully do another nail. Or continue to handle her feet in some way. You don't want to teach her that a little "ouchie" and a lot of drama will make you stop doing what you are doing. Lip balm, styptic powder or flour all work well to quickly stop bleeding.