cutting nails on dogs

[happy_face]

I own a gorgeous Staff and as we mainly walk in parks his nails doesn't really get worn down. In all my life I have always cut the nails on our dogs with a proper dog nail clipper and it was never a problem. But with the Staff it's a flippin nightmare. He growls whenever I get near and have resorted to doing it when he's lying asleep on the sofa next to me. Which means I can get a few done until next time he's asleep.

But I was wondering if anyone had any good tips as to how you do it. I don't want to take him to the vet and have him knocked out just to have his nails cut as that's not healthy.

Any answers would be greatly appreciated

[lozzzz]

my dog wont let me near him with the nail clippers,so our  mobile dog wash lady does them when she comes(cos he also hates me bathing him)she says hes as good as gold,maybe you should let someone else have a go or make it a game over a period of time."this paw that paw etc for each foot,then while your holding his foot fiddle with his claws and eventually do it just with the clippers next to u,then paws and clippers in each hand etc until u can do it.you will need the patience of a saint...hence the reason i dont bother. good luck

[cre]

It's always easier after a bath as the nails are softer, but if he's really that afraid of having his nails clipped, then you might need someone to distract him with food rewards while you do it. Otherwise, like Iozzzz said before, pay someone else to do it - Good luck!

[dmsjps]

My old dog started snapping when she had her nails cut after the vet once cut a few too short and she bled! She had black nails so it was hard to see how far to go, although you'd figure a vet would be able to hazard a decent guess, but anyway ...

 

So we ended up doing them ourselves and we had to put a muzzle on her to do it. If you don't have a proper one, use a bandage. Afterwards we would give her lots of praise and a treat. It's not ideal, but if the nails need clipping and that's the only way, it's worth it because you're only doing it for the dog's comfort at the end of the day - whether they realise it or not!

[dmsjps]

And with your dog being a Staffie, you'll probably need someone to help you hold him as well, if he's going to struggle! Poor old dogs, they get some funny ideas in their heads sometimes.

[butter1]

happy_face, can I ask a question?  How do you know how short to cut their nails?  As my dogs nails are also long and I'm always scared of hurting her as I've heard that dogs have a vein running through their nails.

[happy_face]

as his nails are white it's quite easy to see where to cut. When we used to take an old dog to the vet the vet always cut them too short and they would bleed but he said that was nothing to worry about. I thought it looked quite barbaric and felt sorry for the poor dog who was whimpering.

With black nails I tend to look under the nail to see if the tissue is out to the tip if not then I snip a little bit off at a time.
I cut so I do leave a bit of nail on there but they need to be trimmed or he'll risk ripping them and injurying himself instead.

[woofgang]

I am disgusted with that vet who made the dog's nails bleed. Their claws and quicks are as sensitive as our, that's just barbaric.

If the dog doesn't like the clippers, an option is to file the nails. Its a long process and takes ages when you start it but once they are short, you just need to give them a regular rub over

[butter1]

Thanks happyface.

Don't think I'll take my dog to the vets to have them trimmed...I think that's awful!  Has put me off.  Poor doggy.  I think I will go with what woofgang has suggested.. I'll probaby be doing it all night but its worth it.