Toy terriers are very small in size, and because of this, their nails do not wear down as well as those of large dog breeds.
Meanwhile, overgrown or, especially, claws bent inward can cause serious discomfort to the pet and even spoil its appearance.
Also, excessively long nails can cause injury caused by the animal slipping.
In order to avoid these and many other problems, the toy terrier’s claws need to be shortened in a timely manner.
Is nail trimming necessary?
If you do not shorten your pet's claws in time, this can lead to the most unpleasant consequences, including serious injury or damaged bones. Therefore, trimming the nails of these dogs is no less important part of care than choosing the right diet or training.
The main reasons why toy terriers need timely nail trimming:
- If the claws grow so long that they bend inward, they will grow into the pads of the fingers, which is why the animal experiences severe pain, constantly cries and behaves restlessly. In severe cases, it is even necessary to resort to surgery if the claw breaks off and part of it remains inside the pad;
- an overgrown claw often cracks and can break anywhere. Sometimes it breaks near the very base, causing damage to the pulp. This also causes severe pain and causes heavy bleeding. If dirt gets into the wound, it can fester;
- Due to overgrown claws and the inability to place the paw straight, the toy terrier’s toes may begin to turn out and the joints may become deformed. Ligaments are also damaged;
- long claws can cause the animal to slip and cause serious injury resulting from a fall;
- with sharp long claws, the pet can seriously injure the owner during play, as well as tear his clothes or, for example, furniture upholstery;
- strongly overgrown claws are strictly penalized at shows, since most experts regard them as neglect of the dog on the part of the owner and consider them a sign of unkemptness.
This is why it is necessary to trim a dog’s claws, and this is done from an early age.
Toy terrier puppies for the first time when they are 10 days old. This is done to prevent babies from scratching their mother while feeding.
Once the puppy is in its new home, it will most likely need to have its nails trimmed about two weeks after purchase, since most breeders themselves tidy up their paws before selling their puppies.
Expert opinion
Tolkachev Andrey Mikhailovich
veterinarian
The claws of toy terriers grow quite quickly, but they wear down very poorly even when you and your pet walk a lot on the asphalt. That is why it is necessary to shorten them from time to time, since overgrown nails can cause many problems with the health and appearance of the dog. Typically, the nails of adult animals are trimmed once a month. But puppies need to have them shortened about once every two weeks, since their claws grow even faster and are sharper than those of adult toys.
Choosing a nail clipper
Despite the extensive range of products, there are only 3 main types of “scissors”: sickle, guillotine and nail files.
1. Sickle-shaped nail clippers are the most familiar and convenient for us. The curved blade allows you to quickly and painlessly remove excess parts.
3. There are 2 types of nail files: automatic and regular. Using a grinder is a real pleasure, but it is not cheap. In addition, some dogs are afraid of vibration and noise. An ordinary rough file for artificial nails will help if the pet categorically does not accept nail clippers. Animals usually agree to a compromise.
How are claws arranged?
The claw consists of a living part, which is also called pulp, and a keratinized part, insensitive to mechanical stress.
The pulp consists of nerve tissue and blood vessels, and therefore, if it is accidentally damaged, the dog feels severe pain, and bleeding can also be very serious.
IMPORTANT!
The pulp tends to lengthen and, if the toy's claws are rarely trimmed, it can grow very strongly into the non-living part, which is why the risk of injury during this procedure greatly increases.
What is required for nail trimming?
In order to shorten the claws of a toy terrier, you cannot use scissors, and it is also better not to use human nail clippers for manicure.
Human nails and dog claws have different structures, and this determines the difference in the design of devices for trimming them. If you try to trim your pet's claws with tools not intended for this purpose, they may begin to peel off during the cut, or even break off during the procedure.
The most suitable tool for trimming Toy Terriers' nails is a guillotine-type nail clipper designed for small dog breeds.
Dog nail scissors - nail clippers
To trim your dog's nails, you need to prepare the following tools: Specialized scissors - a nail clipper. They have two varieties: scissors with sickle blades and guillotine.
The first type is suitable for cutting thick and strong nails in large dogs, and has a stopper to secure the claw. Guillotines are used to trim the nails of small and medium breed dogs.
nail clipper
Nail trimming scissors should only be purchased at a veterinary store. The material of the nail clipper is ideally stainless steel.
The size of the tool itself is also important. The best option would be to have rubber gaskets in the scissors. Which prevent your hand from slipping. Thus, eliminating irregularities and abruptness of movements. Never try to cut nails with regular scissors. They are not suitable for such a procedure.
Basic Rules
A puppy must be taught to have a “manicure” from an early age. If you carry out this procedure regularly, trying not to cause discomfort or pain to the dog during it, then the pet will quickly understand that there is nothing wrong with trimming its claws, and will not break free and run away, or even hide, as soon as it sees The owner has a claw clipper in his hands.
Before you begin to shorten the nails of a long-haired toy terrier , you need to trim the hair between the dog's toes so that it does not interfere with the procedure.
It is very important to carefully examine the paw pads of any pet of this breed. If cuts, cracks or other damage are found, they must be treated with an antiseptic. If splinters are found, they are removed and the wounds are also treated with a disinfectant.
If necessary, before the “manicure”, burrs, plant seeds and blades of grass stuck between the pet’s fingers are removed.
NOTE!
Before trimming the claws, you need to wash the animal’s paws and only wait until they are completely dry before you can begin the procedure.
The most convenient way to trim a toy terrier's nails is by sitting him on your lap or laying him down. It is not recommended to place the dog on a table or other high surface, from where it could jump or fall and be injured.
You should not shout at the animal or talk to it during the procedure in a threatening or irritated tone. The toy terrier should not feel fear or discomfort, otherwise next time he may become stubborn and refuse to trim his nails.
In order to facilitate the process, it is advisable to call one of your relatives for help - the assistant’s responsibilities will include holding the pet and diverting its attention.
If you cannot find helpers, then you can wrap the toy terrier in a thick towel or small blanket, leaving only his nose and one paw outside, which, after trimming the claws, should be hidden inside the “cocoon” and instead of it, another one, not yet treated, should be pulled out.
What to do if you cut your dog's nails until they bleed?
When trimming your dog's nails, your dog began to bleed - don't be upset. Next time, don't cut them so short. For such cases, the first aid kit of the home dog breeder and veterinarian should have basic hemostatic agents. If you see blood on your paw, immediately treat the wound with peroxide or iodine. If your dog starts whining, calm him down. After a painful procedure, please her with a treat. Try not to make such mistakes again, otherwise the dog will flatly refuse to trim his nails.
Step-by-step instruction
To properly trim your toy terrier’s nails at home, you need to follow these steps:
- the nail clipper and the owner’s hands are treated with alcohol or other suitable antiseptic;
- the animal is seated or placed on the lap;
- take one of its paws and gently press on the finger, due to which the claw will become almost completely visible;
- Using a guillotine nail cutter, the animal's claw is shortened by 3-4 mm. In this case, only the curved part of the claw can be cut off, otherwise the pulp may be damaged;
- it is not difficult to understand where the keratinized part ends if the animal’s claws are light. In this case, shortening them is quite simple and safe;
- if the claws are dark or have not been trimmed for a long time and there is a risk of touching the living part, then you need to act especially carefully - cut off no more than 2 mm and inspect the place of each cut. If a grayish dot appears on it, then the next cut will touch the pulp and it’s time to move on to another claw;
- after completing the procedure, the cut site must be cleaned with a nail file to smooth out any unevenness;
- If during the procedure the claw was cut too much and bleeding began, it can be stopped by dripping hydrogen peroxide onto the wound or sprinkling it with potassium permanganate powder.
IMPORTANT!
You should not show the dog uncertainty or nervousness, even if the owner is afraid to cut its claws themselves.
You need to act calmly and decisively, talk to your pet kindly, and after the claws are trimmed, be sure to praise him for his patience and treat him with a treat.
Trim the claws correctly
Four-legged animals have their own character and temperament. The toy terrier is capable of treating manipulation calmly or zealously resisting, squealing and barking. A reaction is possible if the toy terrier has previously suffered pain during the procedure.
You will need to sit the pet on your lap, stroke it, talk gently, then, without stopping talking to the dog, take the paw in your hand, lightly press on the pads so that the claws appear and carefully trim off each tip of the nail - about 3 millimeters. At the end of the procedure on the paws, praise your pet and give a treat as a reward. If your toy terrier is struggling or squealing, wrap the dog in a towel, leaving only the paw, and try to trim the nails.
It is important not to succumb to the whims of the four-legged one, to bring the work started to a result, otherwise later the tailed one will begin to resist more strongly. The owner's persistence will lead to the toy terrier getting used to cutting his nails and becoming calm.
If you can’t give your dog a “manicure” due to fear of harming the toy terrier or you can’t cope with the dog, contact a professional. A one-time nail trimming procedure is not too expensive - it ranges around 400-800 rubles. The amount spent per year on the services of a professional is not affordable for everyone; it is more economical to do a “manicure” for your pet yourself.
