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June 29th
Nail trimming is often a dog owner’s least favorite part of the grooming process. But a proper nail trim is important for keeping your Maltipoo healthy. It can prevent excess scratching and bleeding, and also keep nails from curling and growing into the paw, causing pain while walking.
Although your Maltipoo may never love nail trimming, there are some easy steps you can take to make it tolerable.
Before you start trimming, make sure you have all of the proper gear. You won’t need much, but you should invest in some quality materials to make the process easier.
It’s worth spending a bit of money on a pair of high quality dog trimmers. Just make sure you pick out a pair that fits the size of your Maltipoo’s nails.
This will help you stop bleeds in case you clip a blood vessel while trimming. You can get powder, as well as pads that will disinfect and stop bleeding.
Don’t forget to bring the treats. This will help you keep your Maltipoo calm throughout the nail trimming.
Now that you’re set up, you should find a suitable location for nail trimming. Make sure that you have plenty of light as you work. Outside can work, but try to choose an area where your dog won’t get distracted.
With Maltipoos, it may be easiest to put them on a table or other flat surface for trimming. You can also hold them in your lap, or have another person hold them in place.
Take your dog’s paw and pull back the pad to get to the nail. Try to locate the quick, which is the area of the nail where the blood supply ends. It may not be visible if your dog has dark nails.
When you start trimming, begin with small clips, removing tiny amounts of nail. Try to maintain the shape of the nail by cutting at a 45 degree angle. Even if they have long nails, avoid taking off large portions at once, as you’ll increase the changes of a bleed.
If you see a black dot in the middle of the nail, stop clipping right away. This is the quick, and if you keep trimming, you’ll likely cause a bleed.
When you trim your Maltipoo’s nails for the first time, the quick will be closer to the end of the nail. As you trim more and more, the quick will retreat deeper into the nail, making it easier to cut closer to the base.
If your Maltipoo has rough or cracked nails, use a file to smooth the surface. Start at the base of the nail and work your way to the tip with a gentle motion. You may need to repeat a few times to fully smooth the nail.
Nail trimming can cause your Maltipoo a lot of anxiety, especially when they first start getting used to the process. Take your time while trimming, carefully clipping each nail.
You may need to take a few breaks to give your dog time to recover. Some people stop between paws and let their dog run around a bit and blow off steam. With extremely anxious, you may even have to take a break after just a few nails.
Remember, you’re trying to make your dog as comfortable as possible so that nail trimming is easier in the future. Rushing now may save some time, but it’ll make it even harder to clip their nails down the road.
As you trim your dog’s nails, try to keep them busy with treats and plenty of praise. Tell them how good they’re being, and try to keep them as comfortable as possible. This is easier if you have a second person helping you.
Even if you are as careful as possible, you’ll still likely cause a bleed or two while trimming your Maltipoo’s nails. There’s no need to worry- most of these bleeds are minor, and will heal quickly on your own.
If you clip a blood vessel, stop the bleeding with styptic powder. If the cut is minor, you may be able to continue trimming, although you may want to give your dog a bit of a break.
Trim Frequently
The best way to make nail trimming easy is to trim frequently, taking off small amounts each time. This might seem like a hassle, but you’ll prevent bleeding and make your dog less anxious.
If your dog gets anxious while trimming, start as slowly as possible. You can simply grab their paw and hold it without trimming, letting them get used to you near their nails. When you do start trimming, start with a nail or two, and then work your way up to doing a paw at a time.
Pick The Right Clippers
Many dog owners will use their own clippers for Maltipoo nail trimming. Keep your clippers to yourself and invest in a pair designed for dogs. Also make sure that they are the right size for your Maltipoo.
Call A Pro
If you’ve had issues with trimming your dog’s nails, you should consider reaching out to a professional groomer. They can help trim your dog’s nails without causing any bleeding.
If you still haven’t found the perfect maltipoo, head to our puppy finder page. At Uptown Puppies, we connect you to some of the best breeders and companies around.
All of the Maltipoo breeders and companies we work with follow the strictest ethical and breeding standards. That means their dogs never come from puppy mills or backyard breeders.
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