Once your dog or puppy has become used to the routine of clipping nails, it needs to be done fairly often. Nails that are allowed to grow too long can cause your dog to drop down on his pasterns because he is in pain from walking on the long nails. For an adult dog who is getting plenty of exercise, be sure to check the nails every two weeks for length, but you may only need to trim them once a month. Hold your dog's paw securely in one hand and the clippers in the other. Remove only the tips of the nails so as not to cut into the quick.
Saints have light colored nails and it is easy to see the pink of the quick.
Cutting back too far on the dog's nails will cause them to bleed. Figure 1 illustrates what the cut nail looks like when you are close to the blood vessel inside the quick of the nail. It will look like a dark dot. Any farther and you will likely cause the nail to bleed and it will be painful for your dog. Also, be sure you trim the nails of any dew claws at the same time you do your dog's other nails.