To make things easier you should handle your pet’s feet and nails frequently and from as early an age as possible. Make it a pleasant experience, offer a dog treat or cat treat and of course, lots of praise when he or she behaves well during the handling. This will let him or her become accustomed to having the toes and nails touched and allow for easier nail care. Within a few months you will be like a professional!
Invest in a good sharp set of nail trimmers. Pictured to the right is Miracle corp cushion-grip nail clippers and are a great choice.
Professional pet grooming supplies and / or higher quality trimmers will work better. Dog nails contain nerves and blood vessels, known as a quick which grows down the middle of the nail. Take care not to cut this or you will cause pain and bleeding. The pinkish colored quick is usually easy to see in light colored nails but may be very difficult to see in dark nails. Excessively long nails may have an outgrown quick. This is often seen in older pets.
If you can’t see the quick, trim very small bits at a time from the end of the nail. You may need to repeat this frequently with over grown nails.