Pain-Free Dog Nail Trimming: The Proven Peanut Butter Plate Method

Most dogs dislike having their nails trimmed, and most people dislike having to clip their dog’s nails! We’ve tested several methods to simplify the process, and we hit upon one that works every time.

Here’s how to clip your dog’s nails painlessly using a strategy we like to call “peanut butter plate.”

How to clip your dog’s nails (aka “Peanut Butter Plate”) from Maggie Marton on Vimeo.

For Copper – who DESPISES having his nails cut – I modify the strategy by first clipping his leash to him then looping the handle around a door knob. It’s sort of like what they do at the groomer with that slip lead, just to keep him in place. For him, because he hates having his nails cut so much, it goes more like: clip, let him lick the plate, clip, let him lick the plate, and so on… versus Emmett’s constant licking while clipping.

Have you tried anything like this before? Do you have a good suggestion for making nail clipping go even easier? Or, are you one of the lucky ones whose dog doesn’t seem to mind?