Frequently Asked Questions: Nails

Owners have a lot of questions regarding their pets nails. Such as: my dogs nails look long, were they cut? My dogs nails are so sharp, did you forget to cut them? As you can see by the photo above dogs nails have a blood line inside. Your groomer or vet can only cut to just before this blood line. When the line get's crossed the nails can bleed (which both professionals carry a styptic powder to help clot and stop the bleeding) and this can be painful to your pet. Also you can see by above that cutting creates a clean square edge. This edge is very sharp when first cut and becomes smoother over time. Ways that you can help you dog to smooth out these edges are by taking them for regular walks on hard surfaces (like pavement or concrete). You can also file them with an emery board at home. When first introducing this you can start by working on one nail at time slowly and over time you can help you dog become accustom to the filing. It can become part of your regular routine and bonding time with just a little practice.

see article on Review-Reports.com/Blog: Dog Nail Grooming/How to Trim Dog Nails 3/30/11