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Try to imagine trimming the nails of your Labrador Retriever. It seems hard isn't it? You feel like hurting your loyal friend and forcing him to obliged to your laws. However, just like in humans, your pet's nails grow regularly and trimming it is necessary to keep him look neat and prevent problems. Untrimmed nails when broken are very painful and in some cases may curl and grown into your dog's paws.
Most dogs do not like having their nails trimmed. It is important that nail trimming should be started in puppies to get him used to the process. Once used with having his nails trimmed, it wouldn't be hard for dog owners to groom him even when he is already of age and has grown in size and weight. Below are easy tips to trim your dog's nails safely.
- Get all the needed tools first. There are various nail clippers available in the market. Get one that is especially made for dog's nails. Nail clippers usually come in two sizes- small for smaller dogs and large for larger dogs. There are also two types- scissor-style and guillotine. Scissor-style trimmers have two sharp blades that curve inwards. In guillotine type, the nail is inserted into an opening and when squeezed, a blade cuts the nail in guillotine style. Remember to cut upwards from underneath your dog's nails. You may also want to use file or dremel tool. This is ideal to file any jagged edges after clipping. It is also important to have styptic pen or powder. Application of styptic powder will stop the bleeding and alleviate pain if you accidentally cut the quick (blood vessel that runs down the middle of your dog's nail). It also helps to have a non-slip mat if you intend to do the process when your dog is standing.
- The procedure. You can either sit on the floor with your dog or put him on a table. Find which one works best for you and your dog. Your dog may lie on their side or may stand lifting one leg at a time (you may want to use non-slip mat when cutting your dog's nail in standing position). Cut your dog's nail by just nibbling off the ends of each claws. You can examine the quick ends easily if your dog has clear nails. But if your dog has dark nails, trim a tiny nibble off and trim until you see a dark oval in the center. That dark oval is the quick so you do not have to trim any further.
While doing the process, do not forget to soothe, praise and offer small treats to your Labrador Retriever. Be patient because trimming can be a stressful event to your dog especially if he has bad experience with nail trimming procedure.
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