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Dog Nail Clipping An Important Part Of Pet Grooming

By Rosella Campbell


Regular grooming helps keep your dog healthy and in top condition. Along with dental care, the occasional bath, coat trimming and brushing, dog nail clipping is an important part of pet grooming. The many benefits provided include a longer life for your pet and a sense of well-being. While many top dog groomers are available in Marlton, NJ, owners who are willing to nail clip their own dogs should understand the basics and apply the correct technique.

If your dog's claws remain unclipped they will curl in. This kind of unnecessary pressure on the toes means that your dog may walk uncomfortably, while the nail can sometimes dig into the paw pad, causing pain and infection. Monthly trimming helps to avoid this and ensures the quick, or the part of the nail where nerves and blood vessels join the claw, does not grow with the nail until it can't be clipped correctly.

There are two main types of nail clippers; the guillotine type, which is easiest to use, and the standard scissors type. The scissors type is used to trim nails that have curved into a circle. It is placed at right angle to the nail and the handle squeezed to move the blade. Guillotine trimmers consist of a stationary ring through which the nail is situated. The blade moves up to cut the nail upon squeezing the handles.

Claws that are lighter in color are easier to clip than darker colored ones, because the quick is readily visible. The claw's is determined by the nearby hair and skin color. The nail should be cut no more than 2 mm away from the quick.

If the nail is dark and you can't see the quick clearly, the correct technique is to make multiple small cuts from the tip of the claw until you see an oval that is pink or gray in color, on the cut nail surface. Remember to always use clean, sharp trimmers, as this will ensure a clean and trouble free cut. You may find that the rear claws need trimming less often than the front ones as they tend to be shorter. As a finishing touch, smooth the cut surface with a file.

Make sure the blade is facing you, not your dog. This way, you are less likely to cut into the quick. If it is cut it will cause pain and bleed, but if this does happen, even without any treatment it should stop bleeding within five minutes.

Dew claws can get quite long and dig into the toe pad. They are non functional claws that can be found on the inner area of the paw, attached by loose skin. These claws can be trimmed using a guillotine style clipper as they are attached flexibly and so are easily moved to the desired position. Also trim any dew claws found on the inner surface of the paw.

Clipping your pet's nails can only increase confidence and skill the more you do it. However, if you would rather someone with more experience do this job for you, seek out a local dog groomer in the city of Marlton, NJ, and help keep your dog in great condition.




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