Trimming Your Dachshund's Nails

I hear it time and again, "I won't trim my dachshund's nails because I can't handle the possibility of hurting him." With a little knowledge and patience, it will be a much less scary process for both of you. Your dog will pick up on your emotions, so the more nervous you are, the more nervous your dog will be. So take a breath, relax, and read this article.
  One grooming step that all dogs need is to have their nails trimmed regularly. This should be started right away when they are just weeks old. That is the responsibility of the breeder to get them used to the process. Depending on when the breeder will let their puppies go home, their nails should have been trimmed at least two or three times already. If you have found a good breeder, they will be handling their puppies all of the time anyway, so they should be well socialized and not afraid of having their nails trimmed. If your dog has not been properly socialized and is skittish when you try to trim their nails, you can slowly get them used to being handled for a trim. When you are sitting or lying with your dog, touch and hold their feet, one at a time, just so they can get used to you handling their paws. This process can go on for weeks before they are comfortable. When you start trimming your dachshund's nails, just take the tips off so there is very little chance of cutting too short. 
 You will need to make some plans before you decide to trim your dachshund's nails. One of these is what kind of trimmer to use. I do not recommend the use of a guillotine type trimmer as these are trickier to use and the nails can catch if your dog decides to move their foot at the wrong time.
The trimmer I like to use is the basic bypass trimmer, not a guillotine type. There are wide varieties to choose from, so pick the one you feel most comfortable with. Nail grinders are available, but they can be loud and it takes longer this way. It does leave a nice smooth surface; however, I would only recommend this for experienced groomers. 
 You should also buy some styptic powder while you are getting your trimmer. Even professional groomers and veterinarians will sometimes get the nail trimmed too short and the nail can start to bleed. The styptic powder will act as a clotting agent and will stop the bleeding fast. To use the powder, pinch some styptic in between your pointer finger and your thumb, gently grab your dog's foot with your other hand, and push the powder onto the bleeding nail and hold it there for 15 to 30 seconds. This should successfully stop the bleeding. If it still bleeds through, put more powder on the nail until it does stop bleeding. 
 If you have someone who can help you hold your dog while you do the trimming, that would be great. Since the dachshund's legs are short and do not stretch or bend as easily as other breeds, I recommend that your partner holds your dog vertically against their chest while supporting their but. Definitely use two hands! That way their paws are out front and easier to access. 
 Start by gently but firmly holding your dog's paw. Pushing softly on the pad of each toe will set the nail out further to give you better access to the nail. If your dog has white nails, you should be able to see where the quick is and trim the nail just a bit longer than the quick. If your dog has dark nails, you will want to start out a little further and trim off small bits until you get close enough that you can just barely see a lighter color on the inside of the nail. That means you are getting close to the quick. You should also be able to see how your dog's nail starts to curve just after the quick ends. That is a good guide on where to start trimming. Most dogs will still have their dew claws on their front feet, occasionally; a dog will have them on their back feet also. Do not forget to trim these dew claws every time. These claws can easily curve around and dig into your dog's leg if they get too long. 
If you go into this with confidence and patience, you will have a much better experience and your dog will be more comfortable and easier to handle. After just a few times, you will wonder why you were so worried in the first place.