Your dog’s paws are very sensitive and need to be handled gently when it comes to trimming. Most dogs will react by pulling back or suddenly jerking when they feel that you are pulling the leg in an uncomfortable position. This is why it is important to encourage the dog to rest his paw in your hand. This gives him time to readjust his weight and balance and feel stable by relying on the support of his other legs. Once the dog is relaxed, start with a gentle massage‑like motion to inspect and then lead the paw into the correct position needed to trim the paws.

Basic Paw Trim

Dogs with medium or long hair tend to grow an excessive amount of hair between the pads. Keeping the pads free of this hair will make it harder for debris and foreign objects to get stuck between the dog’s paws, which could make it uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous for the dog.

The use of small round-tip scissors is a safe way to trim the extra hair between the pads. Don’t go too deep, as the skin between the pads is very thin and sensitive. Clipping the hair flush with the pads will keep the area clean. If you prefer to use clippers, you should not dig in between the pads in order to avoid scratching the delicate skin.

Dogs with Medium Coats

On dogs with a medium-length coat, the best way to trim the extra hair on top of the paw between the toes is by using a slicker brush and thinning shears.

Start by holding the paw in the palm of your hand. Lift the hair between the toes with a slicker brush and then trim all the hair that stands up with the thinning shears. Avoid getting too close to the top of the toes to achieve a natural look. Follow by brushing the hair down and then up again and with the help of your fingers, be sure no long hairs are curled in between the toes. Go over the area one more time with the thinning shears before putting the dog’s paw down. While trimming the hair with thinning shears, always be careful not to scratch your dog’s skinny knuckles.

Once the dog is standing in his natural position, use curved scissors to go around the paw trim-min, all the hair that touches the floor. With the help of a comb, move the hair, around in different directions and trim the excess hair to get a clean finished look. This is the best way to trim Golden Retrievers, longhaired Chihuahuas, Pomeranians,and so on.

Dogs with Long Coats

After trimming the hair between the pads, while the dog is standing in a natural position with the hair brushed down neatly, gently wrap your hand around his leg right above the paw and then move your hand down until you reach 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the floor. Carefully lift the paw and bend it backward following the natural movement of the leg. At this point you should have a clear view of the already clean pads. With curved scissors, trim the hair following the shape of the pads.

Keep the scissors at a slight angle to achieve a beveled shape. With the dog standing in his natural position, trim around the paws, keeping the scissors at a 45-degree angle to neaten up the paws. Slightly lifting the paw, trim the edges to blend the top of the feet. Be careful not to go too short on top of the paw because you will have to blend it later with the rest of the leg.

You can always take more hair off later, but you can’t add hair that is already gone. Finish by going over the whole paw with thinning shears to erase any scissors marks and smooth out the edges.

Clean (or Shaved) Feet

This style is mostly used on poodles, but it has become popular on long-haired dogs that live in the city as a way to keep their feet clean. Some dogs have very sensitive skin and clipping the feet short could trigger them to start licking and irritating the area. Applying a small quantity of an aloe vera-based lotion after trimming the feet short may help relieve the irritation.

Start by gently leading your dog to position his paw in the palm of your hand and then slowly proceed to slide your hand down until you have a firm grip of the dog’s paw. While the dog’s paw is resting on the palm of your hand, move the hair from the bottom of the leg up to have a clear visual of the feet to avoid cutting leg hair.

With a small trimmer or your clippers using the #15 or #30 blade, begin by trimming the hair on the bottom of the paws. Pay extra attention because the skin between the toes is thin and very sensitive. Carefully clip the hair between the dog’s toes. Use small strokes and lift the hair between the toes by sliding your fingers against the direction of the hair growth.

Small trimmers are great for this job because they are very quiet and do not vibrate as much, making it easy to work around very sensitive areas.