You should always remember that in addition to food, walks and hair trimming, every pet needs nail care.
The pet’s health also depends on timeliness and quality - overgrown claws can grow into the paw pads, which in turn can lead to inflammation and suppuration. The dog may lose its springy, light gait, because the main emphasis when moving is on the claws, and not on the base of the paws.
If necessary?
The answer to the question of whether dogs need to have their nails trimmed is definitely positive. And Spitz are no exception. These cute, fluffy and miniature dogs always delight others with their appearance. But it’s not just wool that requires attention.
Spitz dogs need to have their nails trimmed periodically. They simply do not have time to wear down, despite the dog’s frequent walks and activity. If the claws grow, they lead to discomfort: it becomes uncomfortable and painful for the dog to walk, lameness may appear and, as a result, problems with the joints.
Cost of the procedure
In the cabin
Naturally, the best option would be to take your pet to a salon where experienced specialists will quickly and painlessly perform the procedure. At the same time, cutting nails in Moscow is not very expensive. Prices range from 150 to 350 rubles.
In the cabin
At home
If for some reason you cannot bring your dog to the salon, call a specialist to your home. This will allow you to get a lot of advantages:
Find out what colors of Spitz there are.
- saving travel time;
- a familiar environment for the dog and a minimum of discomfort;
- lack of encounters with other animals;
- opportunity to observe the progress of the procedure;
- affordable prices.
The cost of the procedure at home is slightly higher than in the salon, and can reach up to 500 rubles.
Proper execution at home
Trimming a Spitz's nails yourself is a fairly simple process if you prepare for it correctly. First, you need to prepare all the necessary tools:
- a guillotine-type nail clipper with rubberized metal handles so that it does not slip in your hands;
- a regular nail file with a large coating;
- cotton pads;
- antiseptic (alcohol, chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide);
- hemostatic agents: talc or potassium permanganate powder (preferably in a bottle for ease of use).
Secondly, the work place should be well lit. The Spitz can be placed on a table, the floor, or simply placed on your lap.
Thirdly, you need to trim the long hair on the pads and between the toes. This will make further work much easier.
When all the necessary tools are ready, you can proceed directly to the haircut. Press on the pad to make the claw easier to see. In the light, determine where the horny part ends (it will be lighter than the living part). Cut the tip about 1 millimeter at an angle of 45 towards the inside of the foot.
Once the process is complete, polish the claw with a nail file.
What is needed for the procedure
If you decide to trim the nails of a puppy or an adult dog at home, prepare the necessary tools in advance so that during the trimming process you do not have to waste time searching and thereby irritate the dog, otherwise it may begin to resist.
Find out what you need to keep, care for and train a dog.
To carry out the procedure you need to prepare:
- nail clipper;
- nail file;
- cotton pads;
- antiseptic;
- hemostatic agent.
Do not use regular scissors or nail clippers from a manicure set. They do not cut, but shred, which is why the claw begins to crumble, peel, and burrs appear.
If your hand trembled?
Even an experienced groomer can touch living tissue and damage a blood vessel, let alone the owner of the Spitz. There's nothing wrong with that. The wound must be immediately treated with any antiseptic. Then you need to hold it for a few seconds with a cotton swab containing potassium permanganate. If the bleeding cannot be stopped, the dog is immediately sent to a veterinary clinic for qualified assistance.
Stages of processing Spitz claws
The process itself looks like this:
- Place the dog on a well-lit table.
- Take the paw and gently press down on the pad to expose the claws.
- Determine where the pulp ends - the living part of the nail, rich in nerve endings and blood vessels. It is darker than the rest of the claw.
- With confident movements, cut off a small part of the horny tip, being careful not to touch the pulp. Particular attention is paid to the claws on the lateral toes - they hardly wear down and can grow into the skin, causing infection. The claw cannot be cut close to the pulp - a distance of approximately 2 mm should remain.
- If the claw bleeds, it means the blood vessels are damaged. Carefully treat the wound with hydrogen peroxide or iodine, then apply powder or potassium permanganate to a cotton swab and press onto the damaged area for a few seconds. The paw should not be wet for some time.
- File your nails with a regular nail file to make them smooth.
- The haircut ends with the application of hairspray, if, of course, you have such a desire.
How often is it needed?
Experts advise trimming Spitz's nails once every three weeks. You can cut less nails and do it more often. In any case, once every two weeks you should check the condition of your pet’s paws to see if there are any splits or breaks.
From how many months?
It is important to remember that you need to accustom your Spitz to a haircut from a young age, then the older one will not have problems. Some breeders begin grooming even on the tenth day of a pet's life.
So, what should you do to train your puppy:
- Classes must be carried out daily in a playful and friendly manner so that the puppy trusts you. If something goes wrong or does not work out, you need to interrupt the lesson for a while.
- The dog should be accustomed to the sight of the nail clipper and its sound - so it will understand that there is no danger for it. Start by simply cutting something in her presence.
- The next stage is cutting the fur on the paw. If your Spitz behaves calmly and well, reinforce this with a treat. If he doesn’t like something, then release the puppy and forget about the procedure for a while.
- When the hair trimming is successful, you can move on to trimming the claws. Trim the very tip of one claw and be sure to give him a treat. It is important to remember that you should not try to trim all the claws at once - this may simply scare or anger the baby.
By and large, the entire learning process can be reduced to five small rules: training from childhood, careful actions in the process, close emotional contact, frequent haircuts and encouragement.
Possible problems and solutions
You may encounter resistance from the dog, because this procedure is quite unpleasant for him. Calm your baby to prevent him from getting injured.
- Spitz dogs have dark claws, which makes it difficult to see the beginning of the pulp and correctly measure the distance to it. Therefore, unexpected situations may arise.
- If your Pomeranian jerks excessively and does not allow his nails to be trimmed, wrap him in a swaddle and secure him on your lap.
- When you are confident that you are doing everything correctly, but the animal begins to whine (even when you did not touch the nail bed), most likely he is highly sensitive. Use Lidocaine solution as a pre-treatment before the procedure.
- If the claws are very hard and the nail clipper cannot do the job, cut off the entire length with a regular nail file.
This is interesting! Types of Spitz and their character.
Before performing the procedure yourself, go to an appointment with a veterinarian and see what actions the specialist does and in what sequence.
What if it's broken?
If you suddenly notice that your pet has begun to limp, refuses to run and constantly licks its paw, most likely it has broken a claw. What to do in this case?
On the edge
First of all, it is important to determine the extent of damage to the claw. If only the cornea is broken, then there is nothing to worry about. Just trim the bumps and file the nail.
At the base
If the pulp is damaged and bleeding comes from the wound, then you need to take immediate action - stop the bleeding with hydrogen peroxide and a cotton pad.
Then you need to lubricate the damaged area with iodine or brilliant green and bandage it (put on a sock), and put a bag on top to avoid infection. It is not recommended to trim the claw in this situation!
If the bleeding cannot be stopped for more than 10 minutes or the Spitz simply does not allow it to be done (bites, breaks out or does not give its paw), you must take the pet to the veterinarian. He will be able to assess the extent of damage and prescribe the correct treatment.
Necessary tools
Before trimming your dog’s nails, you need to stock up on an entire arsenal of useful tools that will be needed during the procedure. You will need:
- scissors;
- grinder or sharpener;
- scratching post;
- cotton pads or tampons.
- antiseptic;
A hair clipper can be purchased at any pet store or veterinary clinic. It is recommended to choose a small rock clamp with a stop. This will help you trim the antlers correctly.
A steel nail clipper is best suited: it does not dull, does not bend, and therefore will not cause discomfort to the animal when cutting.
Scissors are needed for cutting hair between the toes and on the pads of the toes.
A sander is an electric sharpener that must be used to sand down sharp edges after finishing. On sale you can find devices from such brands as Pedi Paws, Master Grooming, Pet Nail Trimmer Grinder.
Electrical scratches can replace the trimming procedure. However, your dog will need to get pedicures more often.
You can replace the grinder with a special sharpener for animals. However, such a tool is less efficient and requires more time for polishing.
As an antiseptic and hemostatic agent for damaged capillaries, use hydrogen peroxide, brilliant green or dry potassium permanganate.
The product is used to cauterize the bleeding area. After the bleeding has stopped, it is recommended to wash off the potassium permanganate so that the animal cannot lick it off.
You can purchase specialized hemostatic agents at the pet store. Bio-Groom Sure Clot Powder has been proven effective among groomers.
Once again about the pulp
The most difficult thing in the process of trimming a Spitz's nails is determining the boundary of the pulp. In light-colored dogs it is clearly visible, but in pets with dark hair it is much worse.
To find out where the living part of the claw ends, it is better to examine it from the underside (to do this you will have to turn the Spitz on its back).
Sometimes, after cutting off a small section, you can see a dark circle on the remaining surface of the claw. This means that the blood vessels are very close and there is no need to cut off any more. Over time, if you trim the nails regularly, the pulp will move and the nail trimming procedure will become easier.
Preparing for nail trimming
The breeder can take care of the pets' paws independently. The procedure is carried out once every two weeks or a month. Most likely, in winter you will have to trim your claws more often, since they are difficult to grind down at this time. The same thing is observed in puppies that are constantly indoors.
Before cutting your Pomeranian's nails, prepare:
- nail clipper (sold in pet stores and veterinary pharmacies);
- hydrogen peroxide, iodine, potassium permanganate, baby powder to stop possible bleeding;
- cotton buds;
- varnish if you want to give your dog a manicure;
- a treat for a pet that has patiently undergone the procedure.
