Does anyone have tips on what guide lines to follow when cutting a dogs nails,?

my dogs are black and the quick line is hard to seeDoes anyone have tips on what guide lines to follow when cutting a dogs nails,?
With white nails it's easy, you can see the quick - it looks pink. Don't cut into that or it will hurt and bleed a lot. You can trim black nails a little bit at a time. You will see the inner core is white and sort of crusty. When the core turns to more of a solid black , you are just about to hit the quick - it will bleed if you cut past that point.





You can get a product called Kwik Stop from a pet store - it's a powder that will stop the bleeding instantly if you do cut too far. It stings a bit, so don't be surprised if the dog objects!





If you don't have that, you can jam the nail into a bar of soap. Doesn't work quite as well. You can also consider using a Dremel tool with a grinding wheel - just don't hold it on too long or friction will make the nail too hot.





One easy way to cut a nasty dog's nails is to run his sturdy leash through a chain link fence (around the post) and pull him


up snug against it. You pretty much have to use a choke collar - not to choke him, but to keep him from backing out of the collar.Then, just keep clear of his teeth and trim away. Try to make it as pleasant as possible for him - give him treats, don't cut into the quick, praise him when he's not trying to bite you. We did this with the guard dogs that sometimes stayed at our kennel and no one ever go bit. I prefer not to tranquilize a dog unless absolutely necessary.Does anyone have tips on what guide lines to follow when cutting a dogs nails,?
STOP - DONT DO IT !!





If you cut too far into the nail you can cause poralasis; if you dont know what your doing, dont do it.





You're only really looking to take a tiny slice off; not a chunk.





If its dark nails, dont try it; get it done by the vet. You could really badly hurt your dog!!!!!!!!





Only costs like 拢10 to have the dogs nails done at a vet; you dont usually need an appointments as the assistant does it not the vet.





As a last resort, go to a quality pet shop / kennel and get advice.











JJ
if you have proper dog nail clippers, there is probably a small piece that can swivel out of the way of the hole where you put the nail between the pincers...is you leave that in place and put the nail in, then you will only trim a small portion of the nail and won't hit the quick. it blocks the nail from going too far into the hole, even accidentally, before you cut.
Normally you cut the white part of the nail. But since they are black....I'd say just cut short and hope you don't nick the flesh
Clipping nails can be fun with dogs....much sarcasm there...


Some dogs hate it, some will let you. But whatever you do, try to remain calm, don't raise your voice %26amp; all will work out in the end. Praise your dogs after, reward them with a cookie.





Here's a link with a diagram on how to properly clip their nails. It's easier for you to see %26amp; read it then to have me explain it to you.





http://www.planet-pets.com/clip_nails.ht鈥?/a>








Good luck.
Cut anything that is curled..or hook shaped, so that the nail underside is a straight line..Or snip off a little at a time and wait a couple of days and repeat.....the live portion (quick) shrinks back each time the tip is clipped, within a couple of days.


If you are squeamish about clipping, get the large Emory boards used for acrylic nails.( I get them 4 for a dollar at the dollar store) and file them each day for a few days....dogs don't seem to mind this.





Here is a great site%26gt;%26gt; http://dogs.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Dog_Nail鈥?/a>
Unlike cats, you cannot see the quick on a dog's nail. I only cut off the very end of the nail. However, if you have not cut them for awhile and they are starting to curl under you'll need to cut more. Just trim so the nail barely touches the ground when they are standing up.





Have some flour handy in case you cut too much off. The flour will help to stop any bleeding. Just stick claw in the flour. You can also buy some stuff at pet stores that does this.





Hold your dog under your arm and then hold the paw you are working on. You may need someone to help you. If your dog is stressed by this you may only be able to clip a few claws at a time.





Pet stores sell clippers. Ask them for advice on which are the best. I like the kind where there is a whole to put the claw through.





Go to the link for much more information.
Hold the paw in your hand and press on the pad of the foot and make the toenail extend out. Then you place the clippers even with the pad of the foot and clip. Usually it will not be very much off the end. Make sure you do not cut alot or they will bleed. Have a stiptik pencil close by incase you do nick the quick.
Clipping your dog's nails might be easier than you think. Have a groomer or your veterinarian show you how to do it. Most pet stores sell a special dog nail clipper. When the blade is dull, you can replace just the blade instead of buying a whole new clipper.





The blood supply to the dog's nail is called the ';quick';. If your dog's nails are too long and you immediately cut to the length you think they should be, you will cut into the quick and cause your dog's nail to bleed. Don't worry, you won't have mortally wounded Fido, but the nail can bleed for quite some time and be rather messy. Most people keep some styptic powder (available at pet stores) on hand to cauterize the bleeding if necessary.





The trick to trimming dog toenails is to train the quick to retreat backward. Remember, simply cutting a large chunk of the dog's nail will only cause the nail to bleed. Instead, use the following method to avoid cutting the quick.





Cut or file the dog's nails only a little bit every couple of days. This will cause the blood supply to get shorter at the same time as the nail is being shortened. When you get the nail to the length you would like to maintain, clip every few weeks or as often as necessary to maintain that length. This will prevent the quick from growing too long and prevent the nail from bleeding








that was something i got off a website. my dog has black nails I ddon't go pass the curve. some nails are different. try looking under the nail sometimes you can see the quick by holding it up to a light and looking under. if you cut the quick just dip in flour and it will stop the bleeding
If the dog's nails are black, the best thing to do is just cut off the very tip. Do this about every two weeks, and it should keep them at a pretty good length. Sometimes, if you hold a flashlight under the nail, you can see the quick, but this is hard to do unless the dog is holding very still. But if it lets you, then go for it! If you are unsure, most vets will cut nails for you, and most groomers also. It usually costs between five and fifteen dollars. If you decide to do it at home and you accidentally cut into the quick, just put some flour into the nail and it will stop the bleeding. It is very important that you do stop the bleeding, though, because many times it will not stop on its own.
take the dog to petco its not expensve and its the safest