Equipment Do not use scissors or human nail clippers on your dog. They are not designed for the task and can crush the nail causing your dog some pain. Your vet or local pet store carries several types of clippers designed for the dog nail. Make sure you have the right size for your size dog and keep the blade sharp. The guillotine type has a replaceable blade that can be discarded when it is no longer up to snuff and are the easiest to use for most dog owners.
Some owners like to use a small grinding-tool to keep the nails short.
These work well, but the dog must be used to them as the sound of the motor can be frightening. In case of bleeding, have on hand a styptic pencil or Kwik-Stop powder. These will immediately stop the bleeding when applied to the nail. A nail file designed for dog nails will put on the finishing touch. If left to grow too long, the dog's nail will cause the toe to turn up and the dog will not walk on the foot properly.