Dog nail trimming might not be a pleasant experience for dogs, but you need to clip your dog’s nails to keep them healthy. Dogs are very active animals, and they spend the whole day running here and there. Because of that, it’s hard to maintain them, and this causes overly long nails. The overly long nails can cause the risk of torn nails and injured legs.
For example, suppose your dog’s nail catches with strings in a carpet or furniture. In that case, this can cause significant injuries that require medical help.
Also, long nails put more pressure on the nail bed and make it hard for them to walk normally. Not only that, but also this can be a reason for uneven weight distribution between legs. It is causing damage to and paw joints.
Also, you may have curious about “Why are my dog’s nails too long?” It’s because their nails were naturally down when they walk and play on rough hard surfaces.
So this depends on the dog’s activity level. Often older dogs do not like to walk on harder surfaces. So this causes their nails to stay long.
How often to trim dog nails?
You have to trim your dog’s nails when they nail long enough to touch the floor. Nail growing speed can be depending on breed, age, lifestyle, and nutritional level.
To determine when to trim your dog nails, you can visually observe and hear the sound of nail tips hitting the floor. The claws of the dog should not protrude above the pad, and they should not touch the floor.
How to cut an uncooperative dog’s nail?
Nail trimming can be anxiety developing experience for many dogs. So it’s better to know How to clip dog nails when the dog is scared.
So, first of all, understand your dog’s nails. There is an area called as quick, and you can see it if your dog has clear and light-colored nails. Blood vessels and nerve ends are located on this quick area, and you can find it as light red or pink.
Professionals advised dog owners to cut 2mm away from the quick. If your dog has dark nails, be careful and try to cut by several small cuts. Also, choosing the correct implementation is important before you start to groom your dog.
How can I calm my dog to cut his nails?
So you do not have to worry about calm your dog to cut his nails. You have to follow positive reinforcement methods to calm your dog.
First of all, make the dog’s experience fun. You can give them a spoon of peanut butter to lick, and also, there are instruments specially made for dogs to lick. You even can stick them to walls, and this takes their attention away from the nail trimming.
Here is a method that professionals mentioned about training an uncooperative dog for nail cutting.
- Introduce the nail cutting implement and give them to sniff it, and reward him with a treat after every sniff.
- Touch the nail with the implement and give treats according to their reaction
- Squeeze the clipper and make them hear the sound. Don’t forget to treat them every time they support you
- Trim off the tiniest tip, and if they cooperate well, trim the tip-off of one or two nails.
- When they are fully comfortable, continue with the trimming process.
If you think you can not cut your dog’s nails, please take your dog to a professional dog groomer.
