Rover's Mani-Pedi!
Cutting nails on any animal is important. They can become infected or grow too long if not cared for. When you are grooming your dog, make sure that you take the time to cut your dog's toenails. Here are some ideas and tips for cutting your dog's toenails.
Check your dog's nails at least every time that you give your dog a bath. You will most likely have to clip them, so be prepared. Just spend time on a day that works for you and give your dog a great makeover.
Use a pair of dog clippers. They may be a little more expensive, but human nail clippers don't really work very well. They only work on small dogs and puppies. Spend the little extra to buy dog clippers. You will get your money's worth because you will have to clip them often.
Start with a very small amount and clip it off. You should never cut into the pink part of the nail. If you aren't sure where that is, then just cut off a little bit so they aren't in your dog's way and don't worry about the rest. You usually will be able to see where the pink starts. Cut off a tiny bit. Remember you don't want your dog to start bleeding. Treat your dog like a baby. You don't want her to get hurt so make sure that you take your time and cut very slow and exactly where you want to be cutting.
If your dog does start to bleed, immediately apply pressure with a paper towel. Grab some corn starch and put it on the bleeding. It should help the bleeding. Continue to apply pressure until the bleeding stops. If the bleeding doesn't stop after a while, take your dog to the vet immediately. Bleeding shouldn't happen for a long time and if it does, something dangerous might have happened.
After you have clipped your dog's toenails and gotten everything else done that you need to, give him a bath. You should give your dog a bath very often, especially if your dog goes outside or is a big dog. They tend to get dirtier faster and so it's never a bad idea to give a dog a bath.
After you clip your dog's nails and give him a bath, give him a treat. Let him know that you are happy that he was so good and that he let you clip his nails and give him a bath. It encourages good behavior and makes your dog even more happy.
Even if you don't think you need to check your dog's nails every time you give your dog a bath, you really need to. Dogs can get skeletal damage from nails being too long. You don't want to walk around with a bunch of long nails and neither will your dog. You usually won't be giving your dog a bath every week, unless you live where there is a lot of pollution, so check every time you give your dog a bath. It isn't that hard and it will help your dog look great and help your dog stay healthy.
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