A good rule to follow is that if you can hear your dog's nails clicking on the floor, they're too long. "When the dog is standing up, the nail should just barely touch the ground or doesn't touch the ground.
Get down low on the ground and look to see whether your dog's nails touch the ground. If they do, they are too long and should be trimmed. If you can hear your dog's nails clicking on your wood or tile floors when he walks, this is also a clear indicator that the nails are too long.
Generally, though, you should not hear your dog's nails touch the floor. If you do, that is a sign that they are too long. When you hear that sound, check the length of those nails. If you don't trim them you can cause a lot of discomfort to your pet.
Listen out for your dog on a hard surface: if you can hear the nails clicking, it's time to get the grinder out. Dogs that don't regularly exercise on hard surfaces, such as older dogs, will need a trim more often, as their nails don't wear down as much.
A dog's nails should be clipped often enough that they remain short enough to not click on the ground when a dog walks. Long nails that touch the ground may cause discomfort for your dog, and potentially cause problems down the road.
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.
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.
Dogs need their nails clipped on a regular basis, approximately every 3-4 weeks; however, it is common for owners to wait too long in between trimmings which can lead to a number of health issues for the animal. For cats, a routine claw trimming every 10-14 days will keep your pet healthy.
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.
Dogs could possibly cause some minor damage to hardwood floors, and in some cases, it will be more obvious than in others. For example, some people like the look of black hardwood floors, but they show scratches from dog nails more clearly than lighter floors.
Grinders may produce loud noises, which can be scary for your dog. It can also cause odor and dust, so pet owners are advised to make use of mouth mask cover and eye protection.
Remember, licking the floor can be a totally normal behavior, especially if your dog is lapping at the linoleum while you're making dinner or dishing up her kibble—but if the behavior starts suddenly, increases in frequency or intensity, or happens when there is no food around, it could be a sign something is wrong.
Experts advise you let post-pee-or-poop pawing play out naturally. And let the scratching come to a conclusion before scooping up, so you don't get showered with grass (or worse). Conclusion: When your dog paws the ground they are probably leaving a scent mark, or just making themselves feel good.
You can usually walk your dog within an hour after cutting the quick. Provided it was only a small cut, and you stopped the bleeding, there is no reason not to walk your dog.
Keeping your dog's nails trimmed consistently is very important, because a lack of regular nail trimming can cause an overgrown quick. Without regular nail care, the quick will advance inside the nail and may even advance enough to match the end of the nail's outer shell!
Diamond grinding tips for rotary grinders are more expensive than sandpaper bands, but they grind more smoothly and don't wear down quickly or need frequent replacement like sanding bands do, making them the preferred grinding tip of many professional groomers.
Pick up a paw and firmly, but gently, place your thumb on the pad of a toe and your forefinger on the top of the toe on the skin above the nail. Make sure none of your dog's fur is in the way. Push your thumb slightly up and backward on the pad, while pushing your forefinger forward.
Pain is the main reason that dogs hate nail trims. If your dog has ever been cut too close, even once, he will remember it. Nature provides pain as a protection and if something hurts, an animal must learn to avoid, and even fight it. This is a survival instinct.
Long walks can wear down your dog's nails naturally over time. In the wild, wolves and coyotes keep their nails short through digging and running after prey for hours.
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.
Use a soothing voice to keep her calm as you gently rub her paws. Then focus on the toes, giving each one a soft squeeze. Next apply gentle pressure to the nail itself. If your dog becomes scared or pulls back her paw, stop for a bit and continue only when she settles down.