I'm the one in the household that clips my dogs nails. My husband is too afraid too. My malamute is fairly easy because she has white nails and it's easy to see the quick. My shepard has black nails so I get nervous sometimes clipping them. Usually when I can hear them nails on my kitchen floor is when I know it's time for a clipping. Recently my malamute got lose and was running around the neighborhood when I finally caught her, I noticed that she must of got get nail cut on something because she was bleeding. It was pretty painful for her because her quick was exposed. But within 4days the quick dried up and she was back to being herself. Both my dogs are pretty good at sitting there while I clip there nails. So I think I got lucky on that one. I have seen people have to mussel their dogs, so they don't get nipped.