Nail, Ear & Sanitary Care: the full procedure
Trim nails without hitting the quick, clean the outer ear only, do the sanitary/paw trim, and finish for presentation.
- Applies to: Groomer.
- Frequency: Every groom.
- Scope: Covers nails, ears, sanitary, and finishing. Anything beyond a minor quick, ear infection signs, or anal-sac issues are referred to a veterinarian.
What you need
- Nail clippers / grinder
- Styptic powder
- Ear cleaner + cotton
The procedure, step by step
- Trim nails, avoid the quick — Clip the tip straight across, taking small amounts to avoid the quick (judge by the chalky ring on dark nails); include dewclaws. Keep styptic powder ready; if bleeding won’t stop, refer to a vet.
- Clean the outer ear only — Clean the visible outer ear with cleaner and cotton — never probe the canal. Pluck only if appropriate for the breed/your policy. Redness, discharge, or odor → refer to a vet, don’t treat.
- Sanitary and paw trim — Trim the sanitary area and the pads/feet for cleanliness and traction.
- Final brush and balance — Do a final brush/fluff and balance check over the whole dog.
- Finish for presentation — Add a bow/bandana as appropriate, and confirm the dog is clean, even, and presentable for pickup.
Quality check before you finish
- Nails trimmed tip-only, quick avoided; dewclaws done; styptic ready.
- Outer ear cleaned only; infection signs referred to vet.
- Sanitary + paw trim done.
- Final brush + balance check.
- Finished/presentable for pickup.
This is a free, source-anchored standard operating procedure (SOP) you can print and hand to staff. It documents the work sequence for a Dog Grooming business — not safety or regulatory rulings, which defer to the cited authorities, the applicable code, and your own health-and-safety plan. Open the tool above to print it, toggle ink-saver, or (with a free ToolFluency Business account) edit it to match your own workflow.
Sources
- AKC — How to Trim Dog Nails Safely (akc.org)
- AKC — How to Groom a Dog (ears) (akc.org)
- PetGroomer.com — Finishing (petgroomer.com)
About Free Dog Nail & Ear SOP
Free printable dog nail/ear/sanitary SOP: trim nails avoiding the quick, clean ears, do the sanitary and paw trim, and finish the dog for presentation.
How to use
- Read the full procedure top to bottom before the work — the SOP runs in order and each step builds on the last.
- Toggle Ink-saver (black & white) for a cheaper mono print for the binder; leave it off for the full-color version.
- Click Print SOP to print or save as PDF. Print one per crew, laminate it for the binder, or attach it to the job in your scheduling system.
- Train new hires on it and have staff sign off. Found something out of date? Use the feedback link — flagged SOPs are re-researched against the source list.
Frequently asked questions
How do you trim dog nails without hurting the dog?
Trim small amounts at a time, avoiding the quick (the blood vessel inside the nail) — easier to see on light nails, judged carefully on dark ones. Keep styptic powder on hand for accidental quicking, and refer anything beyond a minor quick to a vet. Steady, calm restraint makes it safer.
What is included in finishing?
After the cut: nail trim, ear cleaning/plucking as appropriate for the breed, the sanitary and paw-pad trim, a final brush/fluff and balance check, and often a bow/bandana — sending the dog out clean, even, and presentable.
Part of ToolFluency’s library of free online tools for Printables. No account needed, no data leaves your device.