The Importance of Trimming Dog Nails:Tips & Tricks, Do’s and Don’ts
Cutting your dog’s nails is essential for their comfort, and is something that should be done on average once a month. However, remember that your dog’s age and medical condition both have an impact on how often their nails should be trimmed. In addition, if you have an active dog, some of their nails may wear out more quickly, so you may not need to cut them as often.
Trimming dogs’ nails is very important for more reasons than just avoiding the annoying clicking on the floor. When your pup is young, overgrown nails can lead to broken nails, especially in a drier climate. With mature dogs, untrimmed nails can cause decreased traction, affect mobility, and even cause pain.
A dog’s nails should be trimmed every 2 weeks depending on your pup’s growth rate. At the very least, they should be trimmed every 4 weeks. That frequency may seem like a lot, but the more you trim them, the less you have to trim off. I find this actually decreases the risk of quicking (cutting into the quick) your pup. Bear in mind that quicks grow as nails do. As a result, leaving nails unclipped for extended periods will mean significantly longer nails (even following a clip), because you cannot cut the nails back to their previous length without hitting the quick.
You should start nail trims early, as soon as you get your new puppy, or right around 8 weeks. Just take off the tips initially to prevent quicking them so it’s not a negative experience. Make nail trims a normal thing that your puppy is used to, expects, and knows they have to behave for.
Why Dogs Need Their Nails Trimmed
When dogs spend a good deal of time outdoors, running on various hard surfaces, including concrete and blacktop, their nails are gradually worn down, and they have less of a need for formal nail-grooming sessions. But today, with many suburban and urban dogs increasingly confined indoors when their owners are at work, and running mostly on soft surfaces such as lawns when they are outdoors, this welcome friction is often absent in their daily lives.
Long, unkempt nails not only look unattractive, but over time they can do serious damage to your dog (not to mention your floors). When nails are so long that they constantly touch the ground, they exert force back into the nail bed, creating pain for the dog (imagine wearing a too-tight shoe) and pressure on the toe joint. Long term, this can actually realign the joints of the foreleg and make the foot looked flattened and splayed.
Again, this isn’t just an aesthetic problem, it’s a functional one: Compromising your dog’s weight distribution and natural alignment can leave her more susceptible to injuries, and make walking and running difficult and painful. This is especially important in older dogs, whose posture can be dramatically improved by cutting back neglected nails.
In extreme cases, overgrown nails can curve and grow into the pad of the foot. But even if they are not that out of control, long nails can get torn or split, which is very painful and, depending on severity, may need to be treated by a veterinarian.
And in the end, unattended nails create a vicious cycle: Because the extra-long nails make any contact with his paws painful for the dog, he avoids having them touched, which leads to unpleasant nail-cutting sessions, which makes both human and dog avoid them, which leads to longer intervals between trims, which leads to more pain …
The Basics of Trimming Dog Nails
So what’s the goal? What’s the “right” length? While some breeds (most notably the Doberman Pinscher) are often shown with nails so short they can barely be seen, the most commonly accepted rule of thumb is that when a dog is standing, the nails should not make contact with the ground. If you can hear your dog coming, her nails are too long.
The nails of mammals are made of a tough protein called keratin. Technically, dogs have claws, not nails, though we’ll use the latter term in its colloquial sense for this article. (The distinction is that nails are flat and do not come to a point. And if your nail is thick enough and can bear weight, it’s called a hoof.)
Dog’s nails differ from ours in that they consist of two layers. Like us, they have the unguis, a hard, outer covering in which the keratin fibers run perpendicular to the direction in which the nail grows. But unlike us, under their unguis, dogs have the subunguis, which is softer and flaky, with a grain that is parallel to the direction of growth. The faster growth of the unguis is what gives the dog’s nail its characteristic curl.
In addition to one nail at the end of each of the four toes usually found on each foot, many dogs also have a fifth nail, called a dewclaw, on the inside of the leg, below the wrist. Some dogs are born with dewclaws in the front only; others are born with dewclaws on every leg. There’s a great deal of debate about whether these should be surgically removed; some breeders do this a few days after birth because they believe that the dewclaws are vestigial, and are likely to rip or tear if they are not removed. (Many shelters also do this surgery on dogs at the same time they do spay/neuter surgery.)
Proponents of dewclaws argue that dewclaws are not vestigial, but indeed used to grip objects such as bones, and to provide important traction when a galloping dog needs to change direction. (Poke around Youtube and you can find videos of Sighthound lure coursing; they actually lay their entire forearms perpendicular to the ground when redirecting their momentum.) Even the floppy double-dewclaws of breeds like the Great Pyrenees are said to have some purpose (traction or a “snowshoe” effect in the snow).
One thing is certain: If a dog has dewclaws, they need to be trimmed – perhaps even more often than nails that routinely touch the ground. Because the dewclaws rarely touch the ground and so aren’t worn down, they tend to be pointier than the other nails. But perhaps because dewclaws are so loosely attached to the forelimb, many dogs object to trimming them much less.
The Canine Toenail Quick
There’s a reason why the phrase “cut to the quick” means to deeply wound or distress: Running through the nail is a nerve and vein called the “quick.” Nicking or cutting this sensitive band of tissue is very painful for the dog – and messy for the owner, as blood often continues oozing from the cut nail for what seems like an eternity. (Keeping a stypic-powder product, such as Kwik-Stop, on hand can help promote clotting and shorten the misery. Or, in a pinch, try flour.)
Shortening the nail without “quicking” the dog is easier said than done – unless your dog has white or light-colored nails, in which case, you’re in luck: The quick will be visible from the side, as a sort of pink-colored shadow within the nail. Avoid going near it. If you trim the nail with a clipper or scissors, trim a bit off the end of the nail, and notice the color at the end of the nail (in cross section). As soon as the center of the nail starts to appear pink, stop.
You can’t see the quick in a black or dark-colored nail. With these nails, you have to be even more conservative about how much nail you trim off. After making each cut, look at the cross-section of the nail. If you see a black spot in the center – sort of like the center of a marrow bone – stop cutting. It’s likely your next slice will hit the quick.
The longer a dog’s nails are allowed to grow, the longer the quick will become, to the point that taking even a very small bit of nail off the end “quicks” the dog. Then the goal becomes a matter of snipping or grinding the nails to get as close as possible to the quick, without actually cutting it. This is perhaps easiest to accomplish with a grinding tool (such as a Dremel), though it can be done with clippers, too, with practice. By grinding away the nail all around the quick – above it, below it, and on both sides – the quick has no support or protection, and within days it will begin to visibly recede, drawing back toward the toe.
If a dog’s feet have been neglected for months (or, horrors, years) at a time, it might take months to shorten those nails to a healthy, pain-free length. But if you keep at this regularly, it should get easier for the dog to exercise. And the more he moves, the more his nails will come into contact with the ground in a way that will help wear the nails down and help the quicks to recede.
Helpful Tools for Trimming Dog Nails
Nail clippers use blades to remove the tip of the nail. There are a couple of different styles to choose from, but no matter what type is used, their effectiveness is dependent on the blades being sharp and clean.
Guillotine trimmers have a hole at the end, through which the dog’s nail is inserted; then, as the handles of the tool are squeezed together, an internal blade lops off the end of the nail in a fashion reminiscent of the execution device for which the trimmer is named.
Some people find it easier to chop through thick nails with these clippers, but others find it difficult to thread each nail through the hole at precisely the right distance from the end of the nail, especially when the dog is wiggling or uncooperative. On the plus side, though, it’s fast and easy to replace the blade in guillotine-style clippers – in fact, most guillotine clippers are sold with replacement blades, which encourages an owner to swap out the blade as soon as the tool loses any effectiveness.
Scissor- and plier-style trimmers are arguably easier to use, but need to be sharpened from time to time – and who knows how to do this, or where this service can be obtained these days? Many people find themselves discarding and replacing these tools as needed, instead.
Grinders are relatively new to the world of canine manicures. So many owners discovered how easy it was to use that old hardware standby, the Dremel tool, that you’ll sometimes hear that brand name used as a verb, as in “I Dremel my dog’s nails.” Soon enough, pet-specific rotary grinders found their way to market – and now Dremel makes a pet-specific grinder, too.
Regardless of the type of grinder you buy, make sure it is appropriate for your dog. Some cordless models might be perfectly adequate for a Papillon, but simply may not have enough oomph for trimming the thick, hard nails of a larger breed like a German Shepherd.
Though Dremels and other grinders come with several different attachments, most owners opt for the sandpaper barrel. Change the sandpaper sleeve whenever you see it’s becoming worn.
Be sure to acclimate your dog to the sound of the grinder, and then slowly introduce the tool, so that your dog is accustomed to the grinding sensation on his nails. Don’t keep the rotary tool stationery on one area of the nail, as the heat it generates can be painful for the dog.
Be aware of dangling hair – both yours and your dog’s – and take care not to have it get entwined in the tool’s spinning drum. To protect your eyes, wear safety glasses. And because nail grinders can generate a good deal of nail dust, a disposable surgical face mask is a sensible idea as well.
Why should I clip my dog’s nails?
It’s a really good idea to learn how to clip a dog’s nails from the very beginning while they’re still puppies. You don’t want to be taking your puppy to a Vet or groomer every time you want to cut your dog’s nails, so it’s good for you to learn to do it, and for them to feel happy about you doing it.
Our modern lifestyle means our dogs’ nails are not worn down naturally, therefore it’s up to us to clip them. A dog’s claws are like our nails, they constantly grow. Prior to domestication, your dog’s claws would have been worn down with all of the hunting, scavenging and running around on different surfaces, but modern day dogs do very little if any of this.
Leave a dog’s nails to grow too long, and they begin to curl and grow into their paws. This is a serious welfare issue and is cruel, it’s such an easy fix – just teach your puppy to have their nails clipped!
How to clip my dog’s nails: Top 7 Tips
When thinking about how to cut puppy nails you’ll first want to assemble all of the right equipment, so you’re organised and ready. Choose the right nail clippers for your dog. There are a few different types to choose from, from basic guillotine nail clippers to the power-assisted electric nail grinders!
You’ll also want some super yummy treats to teach your dog that nail clipping is fun, and something non-slip or comfy for them to lie on like a piece of Vet bed!
Another thing people often use is a product to stop bleeding – these swabs look great for that! There is also a powder available too. There is a vein that runs through a dog’s nails called a quick. In a dog with white claws this is nice and easy to see but in a black nailed dog it can be much harder.
If you clip the nails too short this can cut the quick and it’s not only sore for your puppy but it also bleeds quite a bit. A product like the ones mentioned work as a blood clotter, so you might find it useful to have some on hand, just in case!
- Make sure your puppy is happy being handled
Before you go near your puppy with the nail clippers, make sure they are happy having their feet touched and handled. You might need to do this over several days, or even weeks, using food to teach them that having their feet touched is fine.
- Have your nail clippers, treats and puppy ready
Bring your puppy on to the vet bed, or other non-slip mat and just throw some treats down for them to eat. Listen to your puppy’s body language to see what they’re saying. If they walk away or step off their mat, let them go, we need to make sure that having their nails clipped is a positive experience.
- Pick up a paw and touch it with the nail clippers and give them a treat
No need to cut the nail just yet. We’re practising first by teaching your puppy that nail clippers aren’t something to worry about, but they mean treats!
- Pretend clip a couple of nails and see how your puppy reacts
Was your puppy happy having their nails ’pretend’ clipped? Great. Now give them a break. Learning how to cut puppy nails doesn’t need to be a race!
- See if you can do all four paws over the course of the day
Clipping your dog’s claws needs to be fun and a regular part of your new routine. With that in mind, we want to make sure our puppies are comfortable, so being on the mat, and having their nails pretend clipped, before we move on to actually clipping our puppy’s nails!
- The next day try and clip one of your puppy’s nails
Was your puppy happy to have their nails clipped? Great, give them a treat for being so brave, now move onto the next one. If you can do one paw in this session, then let them have a few minutes break and see if they are happy to go again.
- Try and clip the nails on the next paw
If they’re happy with you clipping their nails then carry on and do all of their paws if you can. Sometimes it’s better to get it out of the way if your puppy is obliging and enjoying the experience.
What to look out for when cutting your puppy’s nails
Check your puppy’s nails regularly. This is to check how long they are and that they haven’t cracked or split.
Sometimes if the nails are too long, they can get caught on blankets and break, just like a human nail, and this will be sore.
Oh, and if you’re wondering how long should a dog’s nails be, then you can easily tell by looking at whether the nails extend past their paw. You should be able to see your dog’s nails, it can be tricky in long haired dogs we know, but it’s worth checking. If you can hear your puppy tap tap tapping across the floor, it’s probably a sign that their nails are too long and you should clip them.
If there’s any rough edges after you’ve clipped your dog’s nails, you can always file your dog’s nails with a nail file.
When cutting your puppy’s nails, watch out for that quick we told you about. It’s a good idea to leave around 2mm from the quick. If you have a dog with dark or black nails, then be conservative, you can always trim their nails more regularly, and in time this actually makes the quick recede so you can cut them a little shorter. Alternatively, consider filing, or grinding the nails instead with a dedicated dog nail grinder or a dremel!
Tips for Trimming Dogs’ Nails
If nail trimming is distressing to your pet, there are a few things you can try for troubleshooting.
- Make sure your clippers are sharp.
- Carefully test the blade edge like you would any other edge.
- The blades may need replacing every few months.
- Try changing the way you apply the clippers.
- If you usually have the blades on the top and bottom of the nail, try placing them on the sides of the nail.
- If the clippers don’t suit, try a Dremel. The noise and vibration take a little getting used to for most dogs, but some greatly prefer it to the clippers.
- Nails soften if soaked in water.
- Try trimming nails after bathtime or let your dog stand in a few inches of water in the bathtub for about 15 minutes.
- Sedatives may help.
- Ask your vet for a prescription if needed, but it means a sedated day when your pet needs a nail trimming.
- Most groomers and vet clinics offer nail trimmings for a small fee. Sometimes you need reinforcements; don’t be afraid to ask and get on the schedule.
Before you start, it’s important to know the anatomy of your dog’s nails. The ‘quick’, which is at the centre of the nail, is a fleshy area with blood vessels and nerves inside. So, when cutting, it’s important to avoid this as it can bleed a lot, be very sensitive and painful. If you are unsure where the quick could be, it’s always best to get professional help or advice from your vet.
Try to make nail trimming an enjoyable experience through reward-based training. It’s a good idea to get your dog used to having their paws handled from an early age to make nail trimming less stressful for both of you.
- Use dog-specific nail clippers, which you can buy from a vet or pet shop. If you have a nervous dog, you might want to try using a file.
- You need to hold the paw firmly yet gently. This can be quite stressful for some dogs, so ensure you are taking great care and stop if your dog is getting upset.
- When holding the paw, flex the pads slightly to give you better visibility of the claw.
- Start with just taking the tips off, then double-check again where the ‘quick’ is before deciding if they’re short enough or if a little more needs removing. Longer nails can have longer quicks as well.
- Position the clippers over the claw, leaving a good length between the ‘quick’ and the point you’re going to trim, approximately 3-4mm, so you don’t make your dog’s nail bleed. If you do catch a nail and it’s bleeding, ring your vet and ask for advice.
- Check all your dog’s nails, including the dew claws, which are located further up their leg on the inside, they can be on both the front and the hind legs. They’re not always obvious, so they can easily be missed and may start to curl around back into the pad, which can be very painful and an infection risk.
Side Effects of Untrimmed Nails
Broken Nails
Broken nails are more than a pain to tease ladies about. When a dog’s nails break, they usually split up the nail toward the toe and can cause severe pain and be a risk for infection. If the nail fragment comes away, the exposed quick is quite painful on its own, and every time they bump anything with it, it’s even more painful. The same holds true for split nails that don’t break off, but they can be harder to detect if they are not bleeding. With a split nail that hasn’t broken away, it shifts around every time it contacts a surface, causing trauma and pain. In both cases, the exposed quick is at risk for infection, which can work up into the nail bed and the toe. This can cause abscesses needing surgical relief and even destruction of the bone in severe cases that may require amputation.
Broken nails need to be cut back above the split in the nail to prevent the crack from returning and continuing to climb up the nail. This procedure involves deliberately cutting through the quick, which is extremely painful and requires sedation (there’s a reason that pulling nails is used as torture) and coagulation. Oftentimes the nail has to be cut back to the skin, which can affect regrowth. The nail may not regrow, or it may grow back unusually. Most likely, it will just take a few weeks to grow back normally. While it regrows, it must be watched like a hawk because it will be at risk for infection during this time.
Mobility Issues
In older dogs, you can see extremely long nails — so long that they can affect your dog’s ability to walk. If the nails are too long and the first thing to touch the floor, they can inhibit traction and make it even harder for old dogs with arthritis or other orthopedic impairments. Nails can get so long that they alter how the dog’s foot sits on the ground, causing discomfort and even resulting in arthritis over time.
Ingrown Nails
Ingrown nails are also a concern. In severe cases, I have seen nails come all the way around 360 degrees and back through the top of the toe. I don’t need to mention how excruciating this is, especially in weight-bearing digits. Ingrown nails are most common in dew claws, as they don’t contact the ground or anything to abrade or wear on the nail.
Compiled & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)
Image-Courtesy-Google
Reference-On Request.
