Here is a quick post that will give you some tips on clipping your dog’s nails. Most of the important information will be found in the embedded video.
I decided to do a video on cutting nails, because I realized that too many dogs are unnecessarily traumatized during the process. Although, it is good to have styptic powder, corn starch, or another solution available to help with clotting the blood from a nail clipped too short – it should not be considered the norm to always clip the nails until they bleed.
From a dog training point of view it is nearly impossible to desensitize a dog to nail clipping if the nails are consistently cut too short and the blood vessel “nicked” every time it must be done.
It is highly recommended that you use counter conditioning with any dog that has had bad experiences with nail clipping in the past. To do this simply give a treat after each nail is clipped. Some dogs may be extra difficult and require more gradual counter conditioning – whereas they are giving a treat after you simply touch the paw. Then, work your way up to touching the nails and then maybe clipping just one nail per session.
Of course it doesn’t hurt, and i suggest, to condition your dog to enjoy having his/her nails trimmed even if there was never a bad experience to begin with. Therefore, I recommend using the same technique of treating the dog after each nail is clipped as you would if you were counter conditioning the dog from a bad experience.
If anyone has any other tips or thoughts to add, please feel free to comment.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the video below:
October 25, 2010 - 2:30 pm
This video is so good and very well thought out. For years iv’e been trying to find a video as comprehensive as this but to my dismay they lack information and demonstrations. more power to you guys. I hope I can enroll in your site as soon as I can afford it. =)
March 7, 2011 - 4:45 pm
Great video! Thanks. This was very helpful for me. I hope all dog owners will watch & learn from this. I like the way you handled Dixie and you did pretty good with Earl too. I think I’ll have to pass on your next video if it’s going to show how to cut Earls nails though. I’m not sure I’m ready for that. Keep up the good work!
July 20, 2011 - 9:07 pm
Thank you for your illustrations and help! This really made sense to me with a dog with black nails. Great job, guys!
July 29, 2011 - 4:11 pm
Thank you for such an informative video! You guys did a great job!! I feel less worried about clipping my dog’s nails now.
August 2, 2011 - 12:53 am
Thank you for the informative– and entertaining– video!! Great job, guys!
August 31, 2011 - 3:28 am
Cutting dogs nails can be very stressful for any dog and if a bleed occurs, also very stressful for the owner/groomer and this video will go a long way to educating a lot of people who jump in not knowing what they are doing. Great job guys !!!
September 8, 2011 - 10:52 pm
The racism was necessary in this video.
September 27, 2011 - 10:21 pm
Great technique to keep from cutting into the quick! Thanks for the video great job!
December 14, 2011 - 1:57 pm
Great video..well done..makes me feel very confident ..thanks..now have done the nails ..turned out great ..my dog doesn’t hate me! You’re the best.
December 26, 2011 - 4:59 pm
I LOVE you guys and your vidio….. however…My Min Pin as well as my insane Chahuahua eat me alive the instant I come at them with clippers in hand. I have tried everything, nothing works. Their nails are almost complete circles now.
They are otherwise loving sweet dogs. But THANK YOU for your wonderful vid. G
January 10, 2012 - 12:50 am
That is a brilliant video. I’m really nervous about cutting my German Shepherd’s nails, because they are all black. But you have explained it so well, that it has given me the confidence to go ahead and trim them. Love the humour!
January 11, 2012 - 7:19 am
This cracked me up and also helped me out! You gents are cute and funny! DOUBLE WHAMMIE! Lucky Dixie!
February 19, 2012 - 1:39 am
Nice video thank you! By the way that dog’s back feet are so cute! I love dog’s little tootsies.. keep up the good work guys.
February 24, 2012 - 3:05 pm
LOL Love this video!! I am currently in grooming school and always am nervous about clipping their nails! As a matter of fact, if I can get away with it, I don’t do it. I don’t feel my instructor has given me enough info but this video just gave me the confidence. Thanks guys
March 13, 2012 - 8:14 pm
Your video’s are very informative and a little funny which adds some humour. Enjoyable to watch
Thanks Dog Trainers
April 21, 2012 - 4:39 pm
Love this and all your videos, wish you were closer, taking my pit bull to a behaviorist next week, wish us luck.
May 12, 2012 - 1:13 pm
Thanks, great video and info well demostrated
June 5, 2012 - 9:27 pm
Great video, shows exactly what I needed…VERY cute dog by the way! She looks like my Jiggles!
June 19, 2012 - 4:46 pm
well it looked very good. now to try it out. i have a gs and this will be a first for both of us. thanks again for an informative video and i will let you guys know how i did.
July 19, 2012 - 2:43 am
I’ve been surfing the internet for a long time looking for something like this. VERY well demonstrated! Trips to the groomers are too stressful for my dogs (and my checkbook!), so thank you. And I totally laughed a few times during this video. You two are funny! Thanks again!
July 22, 2012 - 4:05 pm
Kudos to the two of you ! I have never come upon your site or videos before and am glad I did today.
You made a very good video that is not only informative but funny as well. I feel much more confident to do my girls nails now. Wish me luck…………………..
August 1, 2012 - 4:13 pm
I just adopted two 8 week old pups! I want to thank you for your video. It definitely helped me lower my anxiety in trimming their nails. You guys are the best!
August 8, 2012 - 11:38 am
Great video!
August 17, 2012 - 10:45 am
[...] buying supplies, proper trimming amounts, and how to handle fear in your dog. Then watch a comprehensive how-to video from the Self-Help Dog Training Blog to get the technique down .3. [...]
October 28, 2012 - 3:34 pm
I found the canoe analogy very helpful…Yet the RACIST “indian” remarks are uncalled for! Before the Spanish dumped their horses here, Native Americans relied solely on the dog, for hunting, beasts of burden, etc…they would even allow their dogs to sleep in childrens beds during cold weather… farther North, the Inuit relied on a powerful breed used for sledding as well as hunting. So I think that you should reconsider your ignorance and give the First Peoples of this land a little more respect! Especially when it come to dogs.
October 28, 2012 - 6:50 pm
What is racist about drawing an Indian in a canoe?! Is that somehow hateful? Are they not the ones who are credited with the development of the most well known versions of canoes? I’ll put an Italian eating pizza in it next time if it makes you happy and less paranoid that it was anything other than a silly, yet, helpful analogy.
November 1, 2012 - 9:32 pm
That made me laugh AND taught me something! On to the clipping!
Thanks alot – you two crack me up.
November 1, 2012 - 11:57 pm
Awesome vid! Really helped me a lot. I do have a different trimmer compared to what you have but I got the idea. On the other note, I didn’t notice any racist remarks when I first watched the vid. I guess some people are so sensitive and make a big deal out of silly stupid stuff. Maybe perhaps a Viking on a boat? Lol. Thanks guys!
November 15, 2012 - 8:26 pm
Thanks! You really nailed it with this video.
December 23, 2012 - 6:36 pm
Wow!!!!! These guys are using the word “Indian” when then PC way is Native American and what makes it worse is that they are mocking the Native Americans by making a noise with their hand and mouth. Just so you know Indian people are from India! Get it right!
December 24, 2012 - 8:56 pm
Just a hint that will calm the dogs down when cutting their nails put a muzzle on and have treats in hand. Worked great with our Rat Terrier
December 25, 2012 - 9:33 am
Thanks for this video guys, I’ve got a 9 year old Yorkie and just noticed he had an abnormally long Dew claw (only on his right paw, so I’m guessing it was missed when he last was groomed). This was the first appropriate link I found when I searched for how to clip a dog’s nails, and I’m glad I did. Wouldn’t have known about the quick otherwise, which could’ve been disastrous!
January 2, 2013 - 10:56 pm
Thanks for this video! I actually laughed out loud at the end…thanks, Dicks! But seriously, I’m preparing to trim my puppy’s nails for the first time and watching the video has given me the confidence I need! Thanks again!
January 8, 2013 - 2:14 am
Thanks so much for the video – very helpful!!
January 25, 2013 - 3:04 am
thanks guys your video was very helpful ..thanks so much..
January 26, 2013 - 6:48 am
thanks guys you help me with my dog nails
February 16, 2013 - 12:31 am
Excellent technique! No more concerns about nicking the quick ~ thanks guys.
March 7, 2013 - 10:08 pm
Thanks guys! I have a bit of anxiety on doing my guys nails as he has all dark ones but this technique puts that at ease as I know hes safer
I thought it was awesome that you used both a diagram and a demonstration on a real dog to show how to follow through with it 
March 8, 2013 - 7:09 am
Eric, I apologize for my ignorance. For now on I will only play Cowboys and “Native Americans” with my kids. I will also redo the video to show a “Native American” wearing a suit and driving a sports car toward a casino he owns. Instead of clipping the tip of the canoe, you will clip only the SPOILER off the car.