Hey Dog Lovers,
Today we talk all thing dog nails.
Common Questions:
- How often should you clip?
- What tools should you pick up?
- How do you clip your dog’s nails without hurting them or making them bleed?
What affects Nail Growth and Timing Frequency:
- Type of surface
- Indoor- carpets
- Outdoors- grass/dirt or concrete/asphalt
- Amount of time feet are on the ground
- In your arms or on the couch
- What they eat
- Nutrition in minerals and vitamins can have an impact on the health and growth rate of their nails
- Certain health conditions
- Nail bed infections, autoimmune disorders and tumors
Rule of Thumb
Trim your dog’s nails, or have them trimmed as often as it takes to prevent their nails from touching the ground when they are standing. The more often you do it the more they will get use to it. Aim to take enough off of each nail to keep it short but not so you hit the quick or the nerve endings. Go slow and give them praise and rewards for good behavior.
Consider a Dremel/Nail Grinder
- Be easier for dogs and people, take it slow, which reduces the chance of cutting the nerve or blood vessels
- Get one who is relatively quite
- Trim the fur on their paws to avoid them catching in the dremel
Acceptance of Nail Trimmings
- Clicker training is a good option.
- If they get too stressed and resist the procedure, take a break and play with them and try again later
- Start with doing one nail or one paw, at each session.
Why you should not let your dogs nails get too long?
- Be painful to dogs when they strike the pavement or floor with each step
- Allow for a bad grip as they walk on slippery floor
- More likely to get caught and ripped off of things
- Untrimmed nails can curl in and grow into the dogs pads resulting in pain and an infection
- Damage to floors, furniture and skin
Cutting Nails too Short:
- Stop the bleeding ASAP- Kwik-Stop, Clotlt, or cornstarch and hold on to nail for a few seconds to stop nail bleeding
- With patience, care and well acclimated dog you are less likely to need either
Stop them from Squirming:
- Put peanut butter on a plate to occupy them as you and doing their nails
- Of cut out an old shopping bag in half and hang from door frame with proper adhesive
How to give your dog more traction:
- Doggie socks
- Toe grips
- Nail trimming
Make sure to check back weekly for: Training Tuesdays and Thursday Thoughts!
