Nail Depot

Welcome to the Nail Depot, where we are continuously compiling information to help you with Pet Nail Clipping and Pet Nail Grinding!

Ready to trim your dog’s nails? Start Here!

Most dogs need regular attention given to their nails (or claws, we can get into the semantics later!). Now, some dogs maintain their nails somewhat naturally, through grinding them during walks and activities, but even these dogs can typically have dew claws on their front paws (if not also on the back paws), and without regular trimming, these nails can curl back into the nail bed and cause pain and problems.

Afraid to cut dog nails yourself?

You are not alone! Most pet owners (and new groomers, and new vet techs) are scared to trim dog nails -and for good reason! If you cut too short, you can accidentally cut the “quick” that is inside the nail, and that can cause pain and bleeding. Yikes! And to make things worse, most groomers, vet techs, and veterinarians will state that a proper nail trim is to “get as close to the quick as possible”. Which is technically true for pet professionals! But we are going to ease your mind right now, and change that perspective for all you home groomers out there, and proclaim this boldly:

It is better to trim or grind off a little bit of a nail (claw), than not trim anything at all!

So relax! Get prepared with our guidelines below, and start trimming your pet’s nails, little by little, and start growing your confidence! Your pet will recognize your confidence and will become relaxed with the process! This may take some time, and a lot of patience, but a healthy pup with a healthy paw is worth it!

What You Will Need to Trim Your Dog’s Nails

There are four basic things that you need to trim dog nails:

Dog Nail Clipper in the right size for your pet
Styptic Powder, always, just in case
Nail Grinder, highly recommended
Knowledge: of a dog’s nails anatomy, and proper and safe techniques

Dog Nail Clippers

One of the key elements to safe and effective nail trimming is to have a high-quality pet nail clipper that is sharp! Pay attention to the size as well, since a small clipper is not going to do well on a large, thick nail, and vice versa. Here are some of our favorites in a variety of sizes so you can choose the perfect tool for your pet’s nails!

The Doggy Man! Tried and true, this is a quality Medium size nail clipper.

Millers Forge Doggy Man Stainless Steel Professional Large Dog Nail Clipper, Plier Style, 7-Inch

The Nail Clipper made by one of the most respected brands in shears and scissors. Highly rated, this is a wonderful choice for medium to large dogs.

Fiskars Pet Large Nail Clippers, Cat and Dog Nail Trimmers for Grooming, Pet Supplies with Semi-Circular Blade & SoftGrip Handle with Safety Lock, 5.75”, Orange/Black

This teensy nail trimmer is perfect for your tiny dogs and is tested and true in our professional salon. Also great to have to work in tight spaces, like a tricky dewclaw!

Cat Nail Clipper by H&H Pets – Professional Sharp Stainless Steel Claw Clipper Trimmer with Sturdy Non Slip Handles – For Small Animal & Cats Nail Cutter

Styptic Powder – A Must Have!

Before you do any nail trimming or grinding, you must have styptic powder ready and available. This is even if you are trimming just a little bit! Accidents can happen, and we need to be prepared!

Nail Grinding

Grinding down your dog’s nails is a fantastic way to keep the nails nice and smooth (so they don’t scratch you or themselves!), and it also helps remove dead nail to keep the nails shorter and more comfortable. A few important notes of caution before you begin your grinding journey:

Grinding alone may not be enough

Some dogs with very long nails will need to have the excess nail mass trimmed with a clipper before nail grinding. If your dog’s nails are so long that they are curling and causing discomfort, and you are unable to clip them yourself, you’ll need to seek assistance from a veterinary or grooming facility.

Fur can be caught in a nail grinder very easily!

Nail grinders are in essence a rotary sanding tool that spins very, very fast! This can catch the hair of pets with fur (and also your own hair!), which is painful, so you must take steps to keep the fur away from the grinder at all times. We’ll link videos down below that demonstrate how to grind safely, but we find that if you mist the foot with clean water and pull back the fur, this helps keep the fur from getting too close to the grinder.

Avoid grinding dew claws on furry dogs

Grinding the dew claw (that little side claw on the inside of the foot) on dogs with any substantial fur is not advised as the fur can easily be caught in the spinning grinder head and pull out the fur fast and painfully! And your pup will remember! So, keep the dew claw grinding restricted to our very short-haired pups, and use a manual nail file (metal works great) if you need to smooth down any dew claw edges.

Featured Nail Grinders

Now that you have the tools, here’s the Knowledge part!

Dog Nail (Claw) Anatomy

Knowing what’s inside your dog’s nail before you start trimming or grinding is essential! And remember, unless your pet has extremely long nails that need to be handled by a pro and get you back to where you can manage the nails, cutting or grinding off a little is better than not cutting anything at all! Let’s take a look deeper into what makes up a nail, and keep a keen eye on the “quick” and how to avoid “quicking” a dog!