Columbia Animal Clinic
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  • Nail Trimming Tips

Nail trimming tips, Techniques, guides and more!


Handy tips: 
1) Don't try and trim ALL the nails at one time. Do one toe per day! Sandwich that one toe trim with a reward before and after to keep your pet in a positive mood. 
2) Pets are often more comfortable with back feet being trimmed rather than the front feet - start there! 
3) A phone flashlight can be used to shine under the foot to reveal where the "quick" (blood vessel) is on white or dark nails (not solid black nails unfortunately). 
4) Make sure your supplies are readily available before beginning: Clippers, some sort of distraction, and something to put on the nail in case you get it too short (if you don't have styptic powder, flour or cornstarch works well!). 
Compliments of Fear Free, this 45 minute webinar teaches how to do necessary grooming/nail trimming while you're waiting to get in to your regular groomer. This includes things like safely trimming the hair around the eyes and feet, counter-conditioning for nails trims, and bathing/brushing. 

Step by step instructions on how to perform a dog nail trim. 

Step by step instructions on how to perform a cat nail trim. 

What do you do when your pet is a challenge? No one wants to wrestle a frantic canine, risking teeth and emotional trauma! 
Mikkel Becker (certified Fear Free/professional dog trainer) walks you through various methods of HOW to teach your pet appropriate nail trim behavior. 

Scratch boards are an excellent way to teach your pet to file down their own nails, using natural behaviors! This is a great option for pets who object to nail trimming, and creating your own board uses things you may have at home. 
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Tired of fighting with your dog to get their nails trimmed? Try a scratch board! This video walks you through how to train the scratching behavior and shows you what to look for to make sure the nails are getting filed appropriately. 

We know some dogs are aggressive for nail trims. Dr. Sophia Yin (DVM, Behaviorist) shows how an aggressive dog can be counter-conditioned to tolerate a nail trim in THREE MINUTES!

How to start using a clicker or command for getting your pet used to having it's paws touched. 

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Not sure if nail trimming is something you can do? This handout answers the most commonly asked questions regarding what to do for a successful nail trim experience. 

​Click HERE for a PDF handout on nail trimming.

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8 Steps to Fear Free Nail Trims For You And Your Cat
Click HERE for the blog post from Fear Free Happy Homes.



We know nail trims can feel intimidating. We believe in you! 
     Office hours
  • Monday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • Tuesday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • Wednesday 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
  • Thursday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • (some Thursdays 11:30-1:30 closed for staff training)
  • Friday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • Saturday 8:00 am to 12:00 pm
  • Sunday Closed
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Get in touch
405 North Main
PO Box 277
Brooklyn, MI 49230 
Phone: (517) 592-6924
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  • Home
  • About Us
    • Staff
  • Services
    • Preventative Care - Wellness
    • Dental Care
    • Surgery
    • Anesthesia
    • Laboratory
    • Imaging
    • Microchipping
    • Weight Management
    • Senior Care
    • Cat Friendly
  • Preventive Care Plans
  • Contact
  • Shop Online with CAC
  • Blog
  • Promotions
  • Helpful Links
  • Events
  • Nail Trimming Tips