Whilst I am sat here waiting to go to the vets, can anyone just tell me which way to clip my pups nails.  Won't be doing it for a few more days yet, I'm a bit nervous about doing it in the first place I have normal nail clippers do I clip a straight snip across or would this make it sharp at the edges still.

I simply put my dog on his back and clip one by one. He usually stays very still, but I guess that's because I was doing it since the day he came to my house...... if the dog resists, calm him down and for every clipped nail give him a treat.

p.s.: Billbo is my dog's pedigree name ;).

I found this website to be really helpful when I went through this.  http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/dog_nails.asp
I'm sure some more experienced people can give more personal advice but I found the pictures useful.

Great website Lori - I've forwarded it to my puppy owners :)

Thank you, I have added it to my favourites.

To make you feel more confident, ask your Vet to show you ;)

I was shown many years ago, by my then Vet and I found that this was the best way to learn. Especially with totally black nails, because you can't see the quick :)

hi , i think you are asking about your newborn puppies nails ? i use ordinary nail clippers & just take off the hook ends . :)

PS a really good website Lori :) very useful, & pics are great , thankyou ! :)

I Still think, even though they are newborns, if one is not confident, to be shown by somebody that is confident & experienced :)

I've cut newborn puppies claws before and even being experienced, I've still needed guidance.

I'm got some experience clipping nails, though I loathe doing it, specially on black nails, but I shall be very nervous doing it on puppies if / when I ever have them!

ps Bilbo is also my girl's father's name! :-)

When I clip newborn puppies' nails, I use a nail-clipper ment for cats. It's smaller, and easier to handle around ickle puppie nails :-p  Just clip off the hooked end of each nail, better to do it more often, if worried of clipping too much. By the way, when the pups get older, I make their owners clip their nails, under my supervision, when they come to visit their pup. This is a good way of making the proceedure less of a drama when they have to do it on their own.
Read your thread about eclampsia. Well done for spotting something was seriously wrong with your girl! Hope she's feeling better, and good luck with your pups!
Karen

I use a pair of fine lightweight wiresnips (which sadly ive never found another pair of, i can only find ones with very chunky blades).

I do it a totally different way and it will only work if you ahve a dog who wil lie still:

Imagine the nail is an upside down V -  the quick is in the middle of that V and when the nail is too long the quick is covered by the excess nail. Using my snips, i take off each side of the V and then the tip, repeating until i can see where the quick is (colour changes inside the v).

Doing it this way i have NEVER cut the quick even on dogs with black nails and i find dogs object less because im never crushing teh nail with clippers as can happen when cutting the whole nail in one.

Em

What a good website, wish the Vet Tech, who did my Lab's nails first time as a puppy, had seen it.  She hit the quick and frightened Jet who now still hates to have her nails cut.  I stand over her, facing backwards, clamp my legs around her and pick up her feet as I would with a horse.  It's the only way I can keep her head out of the way.  Hate maybe is too strong, as she hides under the dining room table till she is sure the first bribe treat is ready and then comes to me without even being called.  Then it's one treat per foot. 

If they're baby pups I find ordinary people's-clippers of this sort of design the easiest so you can see what you're doing - just clip off the hooky ends.