Grinding your Pug's Nails

If your pug’s nails grow too long, it can hurt them when they walk. Additionally, if you have wood or other scratchable floors, long pug nails will scratch your floors. Or your legs when they inevitably walk across your. You need to cut your pug’s nails once a week.

You can cut your pug’s nails using inexpensive trimming scissors, but the sharp blade can mean sharp edges on your pug’s nails, and if you cut the nails down too far, or if your dog jerks, you can cause your pug to bleed. Instead, use a Dremel or dog nail grinder to shorten their nails.

NOTE: This nail grinder, available for $13 on Amazon, is ideal for trimming your pug’s nails.

To grind your pug’s nails:

1. Establish a habit – To make your pug more comfortable, find a nice spot where you can lean back with your legs up, such as a recliner or a rocking chair with a footstool. Do the same thing at around the same time every week. For example, you could trim your pug’s nails every Sunday evening after dinner.

2. Lay your pug on its back – Get your pug comfortable and relaxed on its back. Give him or her belly rubs until they relax

3. Gently hold your pug’s paw – Make sure that your pug is still comfortable and relaxed. Gently grasp a paw and wait for your pug to relax again. Then turn on the Dremel or nail grinder device. Hold the paw until your pug relaxes again.

4. Grind one nail at a time – Gently touch the grinder to the bottom of the nail tip, and slowly grind up and around to the top of the nail tip. This could take some patience until your pug gets used to the process. Then gently grind back down to your starting point again. Complete the process until the sharp tip of your pug’s nail is gone, but don’t grind so much that you damage the nail bed and cause it to bleed.

5. Finish all of the nails – Carefully grind all of the nails, taking your time to keep your pug relaxed.

6. Reward your pug – This is not a pleasant experience for your pug. Give your pug praise and a treat after you finish. Teach them to associate the process with something good.

IMPORTANT – If you cut your pug’s nail bed, it can be difficult to stop the bleeding. Get a small bowl or dish of corn starch and dip the bleeding paw into it until the nail is covered in corn starch. You might need to reapply it again until your pug stops bleeding.