Many house pets can scratch up couches, floors, and other furniture so many pet owners clip the nails of their animals. Especially for puppies who do not know any better. Can fingernail clippers be used for your puppy's nails?
Human nail clippers can be used to cut a puppy's nails as they are small enough at this age to fit in fingernail clippers. As dogs age, their nails get larger and stronger and will require specific tools to cut. While a puppy is young, human nail clippers will suffice.
So, why is it that you will need different clippers as your dog ages? What changes? Read on to find out the answers!
Puppy vs Dog Nails
A puppy's nails are much different than what they will be when they are fully grown. They are weaker and can easily be cut using human fingernail clippers. Start cutting your puppy's nails at 6 months. This is when they are big enough to be cut.
Cutting your puppy's nails early will help them get used to the situation and not be scared.
A full-grown dog's nails will have more strength as well as length, so specific tools will be required in order to cut them. Make sure to pay attention to how your puppy is growing and buy the correct tools to cut his or her nails by the time their nail growth calls for it!
Dog Nail Anatomy
Dog nails are located at the end of each pad on each of your dog's feet. They are made of a protein called keratin, which is the same as human nails, and taper from the toe to the tip. However, the nail is not only made of keratin. Hidden inside the hard nail shell is a small bundle of blood vessels and nerves called a quick.
The quick is highly sensitive and bleeds if cut. Avoiding the quick is the most important part of cutting your dog's nails. Nicking this on any one of your dog's nails could lead to loud crying and protesting, and end the nail session very quickly. To stay safely away from the quick follow a few simple rules.
Allow enough time to pass between trims. If a nail is too short it's harder to tell where to cut. Allowing your dog's nails to grow out more before you clip them again will allow you to avoid the quick a lot easier and make the experience fast and painless for the both of you.
Look for the quick. The quick is usually visible when you have a dog with clear nails. However, it is much harder to spot if your dog's nails are darker and opaque. The way to tell where the quick lies in the case of a darker nail is by looking at it from the side. The nail will start to curve downward only after it grows past the quick. Knowing this will help you know where to cut.
Dog Nail Trimmers
Once your puppy has grown too big for human nail clippers, what kind of tools do you need? Here are some of your options!
Nail Clippers
Nail clippers allow for quick and quiet removal of your dog's nails. They are not painful as long as you are careful, and they will last almost forever when properly stored and cleaned. Here are some great dog nail clippers!
These clippers are perfect for a small or large dog with an owner on a budget! They are priced at a low $10 and are great for anyone just looking for a simple pair of clippers without any bells and whistles.
Shiny Pet Pet Nail Clippers for Small Animals
These nail clippers are perfect for your small dog. They are cheap and sharp and great to use on any of your small animals! They will not spring back open after you clip them, but that is not a necessity for everyone. Decide for yourself if these are the right clippers for you!
This pair of clippers come with a safety guard in order to help you safely cut your dog's nails. There is a metal plate on one side of the blades that makes sure you can only cut your dog's nails a little bit at a time. This helps you be aware of where you are cutting and makes you think before you cut more off.
It can be extremely helpful in making sure not to hurt your furry friend! One of the only downsides of these clippers is the price. Because of the safety guard, they are slightly more expensive than other similar nail clippers.
Nail Grinders
Some do not know that grinding your dog's nails is also an option. If you do not like the idea of cutting their nails, a grinder is a great option for you, though they can get pricey. A grinder will help you shave your dog's nails to the correct length with ease, and here are some of our favorites.
This nail grinder comes with a built-in light. When used to shine through your dog's nail, you can easily see where the quick is and grind away from it.
Grinders can sometimes sound scary and be too loud for your pooch, but this one promises fast and painless nail removal and the motor will be quiet. Its light makes sure you can always see where you are grinding and it is great for a cut-free nail removal job!
Dremel 7760 PawControl Pet Nail Grinding Kit
This is one of the best grinders out there. It is lightweight and cordless with long-lasting battery life and many different grinder options, as well as other caps and accessories that can help you trim your dog's nails. It has a tip that is perfectly shaped to keep you cutting at the correct angle and can help guide you.
One of the only downsides is the price. Because of the multiple tips and other tools, it costs about $58. However, it might be worth that price if you want the tip options as well as the optimized grinding.
Cindy is a prolific writer and online researcher who can't imagine life without dogs. There is scarcely a dog topic she has not researched or written about. Her love for dogs and helping dog parents is evident by the thousands of dogtemperament.com visitors who read her articles monthly. Most of all, each topic Cindy writes on helps forge a stronger bond and understanding between her and her happy Catahoula Leopard Dog Jossie.