Far too many dogs have excessively long nails. Don’t let your Bittany be one of them! Overgrown nails that hit the ground with every step force the toes out of their normal position and distort the foot. Eventually this can lead to lameness and permanent deformity.

Besides, nicely trimmed nails are less likely to scratch floors or snag carpets or upholstery. If you hear the click of nails when your dog walks on a hard surface, it’s time for a pedicure.Nail trimming doesn’t have to be an ordeal for you or your dog if you take some time to do it right. Begin by teaching your Brittany that having his feet handled is no big deal. When you’re hanging out with your dog, hold each of his feet one at a time and gently massage and flex his toes. If he objects, hold one foot gently and give him a treat while still holding his foot.

Be sure that you reward him for letting you hold his foot, not for pulling it away. Do this for a few sessions without trying to trim his nails. When he’s comfortable letting you hold his feet, try trimming one nail. If he doesn’t fight you, go ahead and trim another. If he tries to pull away, trim just the one nail.

Then give him a treat while you’re still holding his foot, and then let go and pet him. Do another nail later. Continue holding his paws at various times without trimming, too. Be patient, and soon your dog will know that you aren’t going to hurt him.

How to Trim the Nails

Now let’s talk about how to trim the nails of your Brittany. Find a comfortable place and position with plenty of light. Hold your dog’s paw gently but firmly, press lightly on the bottom of the footpad to extend the nail, and trim it below the quick (which is the living part of the nail). If your dog has light-colored nails, the quick will look pink from the blood vessels inside it. If his nails are dark, cut below where the nail narrows and curves downward.

After you trim the tip, look at the end of the nail. If you see a black dot near the center, you’re at the quick and it’s time to stop trimming. If not, shave a little more off and check again. If your dog cooperates, do all of his nails, including the dewclaws, the little toes inside his legs above his front feet. If he’s not yet used to having his nails trimmed, go back to basic nail training as described earlier. Keep your nail clippers sharp, and be sure that they are properly aligned. Dull or poorly aligned blades won’t cut cleanly, and they pinch.

Clippers often leave sharp rough edges on nails, making them prone to snagging and scratching. If you like, you can smooth your dog’s nails with a few short downward strokes of an inexpensive emery board (the kind made for acrylic nails work well) or with a sandpaper drum on a Dremel tool, which is a rotary grinder.

Although Dremels are not difficult to use, they do get hot, and long hair can easily get caught and wrapped tight about the rotating drum, so it’s a good idea to have someone with experience show you how to use the tool safely and effectively.

If you prefer not to trim your dog’s nails yourself, you can have your groomer or vet do it for you. Just be sure that you take your Brittany in regularly, which is every three to four weeks for most dogs.