In no time at all you can become a nail clipping pro if you use a lot of patience and love throughout the process. Many dogs don't take the process well, so follow these steps to ensure they're not anxious when it comes time to trim their nails.

The Two Keys to Nail Trimming Success

No matter what age, size, sex or breed of dog you have, you can make nail trimming a pleasant part of your dog’s life if you keep two main ideas in mind:

• Teach your dog to associate nail trimming with things he loves.
• Take it slow and easy.

Associate Nail Trimming with Good Things

Many dogs find nail trimming unpleasant—and who can blame them? Trimming can also cause discomfort when the clippers squeeze or slightly twist the nail. It can even cause pain and bleeding if you accidentally cut the nail too short and hit the sensitive quick.

Luckily, you can help your dog learn to tolerate, and maybe even enjoy, nail trimming. If he learns that it reliably leads to wonderful things—like special treats, brand-new chew toys, the start of a favorite game, a walk in the park or dinnertime—he can learn to love it.

Take It Slow and Easy

If your dog isn’t used to getting his nails trimmed, the last thing you want to do is frighten and overwhelm him by rushing the process. Take a little extra time to slowly introduce the nail clippers, as well as the sensations involved in trimming. The first time you use the clippers, don’t plan on giving your dog a full pedicure. Instead, just clip one or two nails, and remember to give your dog treats or play a game right after trimming.

How to Trim Your Dog’s Nails

Preparing Your Dog

If you’ve never trimmed your dog’s nails before, spend a few days getting him used to having his feet handled first.

• Pick up one of your dog’s paws and gently touch his toes and nails for a few seconds.
• Release his paw and immediately give him something delicious, like a small piece of cheese or chicken.
• Repeat steps one and two for a couple of minutes.
After a day or two of practicing steps 1 to 3, if your dog seems comfortable with you touching his paws and nails, get out the nail clippers and move on to step four:
• Pick up your dog’s paw and touch the clippers to one of his nails. (Don’t actually trim the nail yet.)
• Immediately feed your dog a treat.
• Repeat steps four and five for several minutes.

Getting Started

After another day or two of practicing steps 4 to 6, as long as your dog still seems relaxed when you handle his paws, try trimming a nail or two. Start your nail-trimming session when your dog is sleepy or well-exercised.

Where to Trim

Knowing where to trim a nail takes some skill. If your dog has clear nails, you can see the live quick, which looks pink. Cut the nail no closer than about two millimeters from the quick.

The light from behind the nail allows you to clearly see the pink quick.

Don’t forget to trim your dog’s dewclaws as well.

Finishing the Job
As long as your dog doesn’t seem upset when you trim a nail or two, you can continue to trim nails over the next few days until you’ve trimmed them all. Trim two or three at a time, always delivering a treat after trimming each nail.

Tips and Troubleshooting

If Your Dog Seems Upset

Some dogs show fearful or aggressive behavior when their pet parents attempt to trim their nails. Watch carefully for signs of distress, such as panting, drooling, trembling, jerking his paw away, trying to escape or hide, whining, freezing, crouching or cowering, tucking the tail, growling, snarling, showing teeth, snapping or biting. If your dog is aggressive, you’ll need help from a qualified professional, such as a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) or a veterinary behaviorist (Dip ACVB).

What NOT to Do

• Do not physically punish or yell at your dog if he resists nail trimming. Doing this will only make him feel worse about the activity, and it will probably worsen his behavior.
• Do not force your dog to submit to nail trimming if he’s obviously frightened

The last thing you want to do is traumatize your poor pup, so if they are struggling when you are trying to trim their nails stop and go back to square one. In time hopefully with ASPCA nail trimming techniques listed above, your pooch will get used to it and may even enjoy the behavior thanks to your tasty rewards and play time shortly after!