Cut a dogs toe nails?

i have always taken my dog to the groomer to get her nails cut but money is gettin tight for me so i bought a pair of clippers so i could do it my self but i have no clue how. i have a german shepherd and every site i go to says cut till the white part is gone but her nails are all black... i know they are too long cuz they are really sharp. any help would be much appreciatedCut a dogs toe nails?
You cut only a tiny bit for the first few times til you and the dog get used to it. Have someone else with you to help you hold her and if you cut too deep, you should have stiptic pencil on hand or I think cornstarch works too but they can bleed pretty bad and then they dont' let you do it again cause they remember the pain so go real easy and only cut the tips for now.Cut a dogs toe nails?
Well, if you have a friend with a dog that has light colored nails, you can check theirs out to get an idea of how far the quick goes... it should be proportional for your dog. When in doubt, nip a little bit at a time.





(Also, if you have a Petsmart nearby, they usually do nail trimming and ear cleaning for about $12.)





Here is a website that has some pretty good pictures and guidelines for how much to cut off.
I would reccomend to go and get them cut professionally, taking the dog to the vet because of an infected nail that was cut improperly will cost a lot more than getting the nails cut to start with.
you just have to sort of get the tips off...not to much cuz if you do then you will hit the blood vein thats sort of in the nail and the dog will bleed.
Get a dremel tool and learn to grind them. Shep's need a tight short nail to prevent orthopedic problems in the future.


Go to Doberdogs.com for a tutorial on how to use a dremel on a dog.
I never go to groomers for my 10 dogs...i do it myself....but i usually do it when they are sleeping and do it little by little....
I had a black dog and had the same problem. I was told to just cut the tips off.I also used a file to smooth them out.
you need to have the right kind of clippers; dogs have blood veins in there nails..the vet will show you how to use them appropriately.
i have the same problem... i`m gonna use a file and file them down so i won't hurt my Baby.. :)