How to trim your dog's toenails

Step 5 File those things!

To reduce the sharp edges, file the nails from the topside of the nail down and around to the end of the nail tip. This will help avoid splitting, which freshly trimmed nails are prone to. Filing the nails will also help save your furniture and floors but is not absolutely necessary if your dog is being squirmy at this point. Better to end on a positive note rather than both of you getting frustrated.