This is something that you can certainly do at home and if your dog has a history of problems with its glands, the vet may even instruct on how to do it at home safely to relieve your pet’s pain. With that said, while this procedure is easy to do at home, it doesn’t mean that every owner will be able to do it, especially once they learn what the first step is.As you probably already know, anal glands are two sacs that are situated on each side of the anus and produce a smelly fluid that identifies your pet. However, there are situations in which the ducts of the anal glands can get blocked or the sacs no longer contract properly. This can get very uncomfortable for the pet and needs to be handled fast.Manual expression begins by inserting the index finger into the anus of your dog. This procedure should be done carefully and gently while wearing gloves. The proper technique involves using the thumb of the same hand you’ve inserted into the anus to identify the glands which are located just under the skin that is adjacent to the anus along the lower aspect.If you picture the anus as a clock, the glands will be positioned at 4 and 8. Once you’ve identified them, you should place a gauze or piece of tissue paper on the anus and apply gentle pressure on the glands (one at a time) starting from the part that is furthest from the anus.Make sure that you stand on the side of your dog in case fluid starts to spray in unexpected directions. Be very gentle since excessive pressure can cause more issues. Once you are done, you should use the tissue paper to clean the dog’s hind end. You can also look at video tutorials online if you want to get a better idea of what you can expect.