In order to save your skin and the skin of your Chihuahua, as well as your furniture and floors, you will want to trim your Chihuahuas nails at least once a month. Trimming the Chihuahua’s nails is also important because long nails will quickly become uncomfortable for him.
Trimming a dogs nails isn’t really hard, but some people simply don’t want to do it. If this is the case, you can take your Chihuahua to a groomer or to your veterinarian and pay to have his nails trimmed. Trimming is needed every four to six weeks.
If you are up for trimming the dog’s nails yourself, you will need a pair of dog nail clippers. There are essentially two types: Scissors and guillotine clippers. Most people find that the guillotine style of clipper is easier to use, but you might want to try both to find the style that is easiest for you and your Chihuahua.
Start trimming his nails when he is very young, so that he can become accustomed to this. Otherwise, it will always be a fight, and this is something that you will want to avoid. You may also want someone to help you – at least the first few times that you trim his nails. One of you can trim, while the other holds the dog still.
Look at the nails carefully before you start cutting. With most dogs, you can see where the quick of the nail starts. You never want to cut into this quick, as it is full of blood vessels, and this will be painful for the dog. It will also bleed a lot. Mistakes do happen, however, so you should have a bottle of Kwik Stop on hand to quickly stop the bleeding in the event that you do cut into the quick of the nail.
The easiest time to clip the Chihuahua’s nails is right after a bath, when the nail is quite soft. If you are doing this alone, wrap the Chihuahua in a towel – which he will greatly appreciate if he is still wet. Expose one paw at a time and hold the dog firmly under your arm so that he doesn’t jump or wiggle while you are trying to clip the nails.
Your Chihuahua may not enjoy getting his nails trimmed at first. In fact, he may never enjoy it. Again, start doing this early in his life so that he can become accustomed to it at the very least. If you are nervous about clipping his nails, ask your groomer or veterinarian to show you how it is done.
