In the wild, wolves and coyotes keep their nails short through digging and running after prey for hours. Since your dog is likely not running around in the wilderness all day, you may need to walk them on concrete to help keep their nails at a reasonable length.
Many dogs naturally wear their nails down by walking and play, especially if the walk involves hard surfaces.
Just like our nails, dogs, cats and birds have nails that grow. Wolves, bobcats and wild birds keep their nails trimmed naturally through daily use.
Taking your dog for regular walks, including on hard surfaces such as pavements, will help to shorten their claws, but may not be enough to keep them as short as they should be.
The growth pattern of a dog's nails forms a curved shape. If left untrimmed, the claws will eventually curve under the dog's paws and dig into the skin, creating pain when they walk. Anyone who has ever experienced an ingrown toenail can attest to the amount of pain this will cause.
One of the simplest methods to keep your dog's nails short is to regularly walk them on rough, hard surfaces such as concrete or asphalt. These surfaces can naturally wear down your dog's nails, preventing them from becoming too long.
At the center of every dog nail is a bundle of nerves and blood vessels called a quick. Cutting this quick, or even applying pressure to the area around it, can cause your dog immense pain. Some breeds, such as Shiba Inus, pugs, shepherds, labs, and bully breeds, seem to have exceptionally sensitive quicks.
When you go for walks together, hard surfaces such as the pavement will naturally wear your dog's nails down, which leaves you with very little work to do. However, if your dog's nails aren't looking after themselves, their untrimmed nails can break, bleed or even grow into their feet, causing them a lot of discomfort.
Nail Care for Dogs. If your dog spends a lot of time outside on hard, rough surfaces, they will naturally have their nails 'filed down' for them by the ground. However, for the most part, you'll have to trim your dog's nails from time to time.
While it's likely that you'll have to trim your dog's nails fairly regularly, taking your dog on walks outdoors can help cut down on the number of trimmings a dog needs. This is because hard surfaces like concrete and pavement can wear down a dog's nails naturally.
Clipping and grinding are equally efficient and safe ways to trim your pup's nails. Clippers are cheaper and less noisy, while dremels are louder and more expensive but more precise and efficient. Whichever you choose, nail maintenance is still an inconvenient and challenging task for dog parents.
Benadryl: This mild antihistamine sedative helps calm your pet when it is nervous about clipping its nails. Melatonin supplements: Help regulate body rhythm and help calm down your dog. Natural sedation methods: Herbs like California poppy, chamomile, rosemary, or valerian are natural relaxants.
Desensitization to Nail Clipping
Keep the nail clippers in your dog's sight and work your way up to petting your dog while holding the clippers and then gently touching the clippers on your dog. This will help them learn that the clippers pose no threat.
Trazodone can both sedate a dog and relieve anxiety. This is a good dog sedative for grooming, veterinary visits, thunderstorms/fireworks, and other short-term stressful events. Side effects include low blood pressure, so trazodone may be used cautiously or avoided in patients with certain health conditions.
The cutting blade should be closest to you, not the dog. Be sure not to cut too short, as the nail will bleed. Nails should be cut from underneath at a 45-degree angle.
Aim to cut at 45 and 90 degree angles. The 45 degree cut takes length off; the 90 degree cut helps the quicks recede. You can use clippers to take length off. I recommend a nail grinder or nail file for the vertical 90 degree cut to get as close to the quick as possible to encourage it to recede.
Most dogs need to have their nails trimmed approximately once monthly. Dogs that are frequently walked on pavement or concrete may be able to go a bit longer between nail trims, because walking on a hard, rough surface can help file the nail.
The amount of time between nail trims depends on how quickly your dog's nails grow and how quickly they are worn down. The average dog should have his nails clipped every three to four weeks, but it should be done as often as needed to keep the nail from touching the ground when your dog is standing.
Nails scratch a typical hardwood finish.
Over just a few months, your wood floor will begin to look dull and worn just because of all the scratches on the finish from dog nails. Unlike cats, dogs do not fully retract their nails, so they are always clicking on the floor when they walk.
One of the most common foot issues in domestic dogs is long toenails. Ideally, the nails should not touch the ground when standing on a firm level surface, but are long enough to provide traction when climbing a hill or digging.
Being barefoot isn't that tough when a dog is running on grass or other natural ground surfaces, but running on concrete, asphalt, gravel or other hard surfaces can put a lot of stress on your dog's body and can put them at risk of injury to their legs, paws or paw pads.