Keeping your Chihuahua's toenails trimmed is important to your puppy or dog's health. When a dog's toenails grow too long, it causes the Chi's foot to splay and makes it difficult and even painful for the dog to walk. Even moderately overgrown toenails can affect the dog's ability to walk properly and can exacerbate existing joint problems.

Smaller Chis are not equipped to deal with extreme cold, so it never hurts to have a sweater on hand to keep them warm.

The ability to trim a puppy or dog's nails, if you've never done this before, is an acquired skill for the owner. Fortunately, Chihuahuas do not have large thick toenails that take monster clippers to trim, but they do require a sharp eye and a gentle hand.

Depending on the coloration of your Chihuahua, she may have white or clear toenails in which you can see the pink quick, where blood flows into the nail. She may also have black toenails in which you can't see anything. Or you may find that your Chi has a combination of dark and clear toenails.

If you're trimming a clear toenail, the process is much easier. Look for the end of the pink quick, and trim the toenail a little longer than the quick. If you're trimming a dark toenail that is next to a light toenail, you can usually gauge how much to trim from the lighter nail. If your Chi has all dark nails, look at the shape of the nail. You'll be able to see the part of the nail that is starting to form a point. Underneath the nail, you'll be able to see where this point begins; it's usually smooth. Clip here.

Quick! I Quicked Her!

No matter how careful you are with your dog's toenails, you will someday misjudge the trim and quick the nail, causing your dog to bleed. For a little dog, the Chi's toenails can really bleed, too. Unless you do something, it could take up to thirty minutes or more for the toenail to stop dripping, and as soon as your Chi bumps something, the nail will start to bleed all over again. You can imagine what a mess this could cause.

Luckily for dog owners, there are ways to stop the bleeding. Canine styptic pens can be applied to the end of the bleeding nail, or the nail can be dipped into a sulfur powder mix made specifically to prevent infection and stop bleeding. Both these products can be purchased without a prescription and are recommended to have on hand whenever you are trimming nails.

Not My Paws!

In addition to learning how to trim your Chihuahua's toenails, your Chihuahua will also need to learn how to remain still and tolerate all sixteen of her toenails (eighteen if she has dew claws) to be trimmed. If you have a puppy, begin this training early. If you have an adult Chi that is not used to toenail trimming, you can use the same gradual approach that you would with a pup.

Every day, take a tiny nubbin off a single toenail. Treat and praise your Chi for sitting still. Work up to being able to trim an entire paw at a sitting, then two paws, then all paws. Praise only good behavior, ignore bad behavior, and cut her toenails anyway. If at any time you think your Chi might bite you (that qualifies as bad behavior), use a muzzle and continue working with your Chi. She'll eventually get the idea.

If all this sounds too much for you — or if you have difficulty seeing the tiny (and it is tiny) little pink quick — take your Chihuahua to a professional groomer. The toenail trimming will be quick and relatively painless for both you and your Chihuahua.