I can't trim my dogs nails without them cracking?

My dog has thick nails and the guy at the store said that these new guillotine style clippers would be better for a bigger dog and his nails shouldn't crack. Every time I try and clip off the tips they do. His nails are getting really really long because I just can not clip them without cracking. I'm scared they're going to split and get infected or something.

Why do his nails keep cracking? I'm saving up for the vets but it's going to take at least a month to get the money together. Any ideas in between then would be really nice. I'm so scared his nails will either get too long and get ingrown or his nails are going to split and get infected anyway.

Infection shouldn't be your main worry. Its bleeding you should be worried about. Try a dremel or pedipaws grinder. Usually the grinding is a little less evasive and you can get closer to the quick without harm. The Dremels run about $20 at walmart, they are better for a big dog then the pedipaws, they have a stronger battery. Cracking is usually a sign of a deficiency in the dogs diet or age (just like humans). You can try giving him a supplement like Missing link or maybe a change of food depending on what you feed him. I have Golden Pyrenees and I feed him Solid Gold now after feeding him Nutro Natural Choice Large breed for years. The Guillotine style clippers are actually more dangerous to use then the plier style clippers because they go against the grain of the nail instead of with the grain like the others do but mainly that's your preference over anything else. Try the Dremel be careful they can get the nail hot and burn your dog so use short strokes or clip then dremel

have them grinded