Learning to cut your Border Collie’s nails is an important part of its regular care. Many Border Collies wear their nails down naturally walking on hard surfaces, others break their nails, which are painful and can cause infections.
Your Border Collie’s nails grow just like our fingernails. Keep your Border Collie’s nails in good condition so you do not get scratched. Long nails can also lead to other problems that cause it to rock backwards on it paws, and put more strain on its leg structure....
While your Border Collie puppy is young, get into the habit of handling all parts of your Border Collie puppy’s body so it gets used to it. Handle its feet every day and teach Border Collie puppy to sit still.
Do not leave clipping your Border Collie puppy’s nails until your Border Collie grows up as it will be much harder. Many older Border Collies do not like having their paws handled.
Do not use ordinary scissors or human nail clippers to cut your Border Collie’s nails. There are two types of nail clippers, one is the guillotine and the other is the scissor type made especially for Border Collie’s nails.
Tips for cutting your Border Collie Puppy’s Nails
Here are some tips for cutting your Borders Collie puppy’s nails:
cut your Border Collie puppy’s nails after a bath when the nails are soft
slip an old piece of pantyhose over your Border Collie’s paw so the nails poke through to keep the hair from getting caught in the clippers
use a little vitamin E to rub gently into the pads of the paw
If you are not confident clipping your Border Collie’s nails, or are not sure what to do, get your vet to show you.
Take your Border Collie’s paw firmly in one hand and cut the tip off. The tip is dead tissue but you must be careful not to cut the quick, which is very painful and will bleed a lot of if you do.
What you want to do is trim the nail as close to the quick as possible without nicking it. The quick looks like a dark line in your Border Collie puppy’s nails.
It is more difficult to judge where the quick is if your Border Collie has dark nails. If your Border Collie’s nails are dark, start at the curved tip working backwards a small bit at a time. Wherever the nail thickens is usually where the quick is and the thinner part of the nail is the new growth.
At some time or another it is inevitable that you may cut the quick in your Border Collie’s nails, but do not panic.
Tips to stop the bleeding:
wipe away the blood and use a pinch of styptic powder on the affected area
put a pinch of flour or cornstarch onto the affected area
push the bleeding nail into a mild soap bar
It really is useful, and it makes it so much easier, if you get your Border Collie used to having its nails cut. Once you are used to cutting the nails, it becomes very easy.