Keep in mind that although the natural outdoor nail filing system does work, sometimes it is still just not enough. A dogs nails can grow quicker than expected and make walking an uncomfortable experience. Dogs nails are quite hard as well as thick, and unfortunately as much as they try, small breeds are just not heavy enough to file them down while playing or going for a walk outside. Overgrown nails are horrible on dog’s paws and make walking VERY difficult as well as painful. Any dog no matter what size they are can have their nails snag on carpets and upholstery, which can then break them in half, chip them or even pull the entire nail out. Every dog has what is called a “quick” in their nail which is, blood vessels and nerves that are located at the base of the nail and can grow to be the length of the nail if not kept under control. Another thing of importance to remember, If your dogs nails are left untouched and the nails continue to grow, they can penetrate into the pad causing infections and a very large hole. Can you imagine how this would feel? Would you like to walk around like this?
Pedicure maintenance
How do you know what a good length for your dogs nails are? Well, if your dog is standing still, his nails should be just barely touching the ground, or better yet fairly short with a good distance between the nail and the floor. On average, you should have your dogs nails trimmed every 4 weeks. With this being said, Keep in mind that just like people, every dog is different. Some dogs have a faster growing rate than others, so please always keep an eye on your dog’s nails to see their growth status.
All dogs should be prepared as puppies to have their paws and nails touched and clipped. If you have not had your dog as a puppy and he has a problem with people touching his paws, that can slowly be worked on and fixed. The more often your dog’s nails are clipped, the more likely your dog can be taught to behave. Like everything else in the learning stages, to avoid any future problems is to start having your pets nails trimmed as soon as possible. Puppies can start having this done even at just a few weeks old, remember the earlier the better. This way they become accustomed to this life long procedure and it is not traumatizing or a hassle for them or the Owner / Groomer / Veterinarian when being preformed.
I can’t repeat this enough, Handle your pet's feet at all times, laying on the bed, watching tv, playing with him on the floor, everywhere, so he learns not to pull away or have a panic attack. When a pet has issues about his feet being touched, nail clipping can look like a circus act…a very bad circus act. You should absolutely try to clip your own dogs nails, but if you find it too difficult or are not too sure of where you should cut, then bring your dog in to a professional, after all… that’s what we are here for. You should make sure you show your nail clippers to your dog, let them sniff it and look at it and sniff it again. Keep a treat handy and try to associate nail clipping with a good experience.
Avoiding the "Quick"
Every dog has a 'quick' in their nails. A “quick” is a nerve and blood vessel that starts at the base of the nail and can grow to be the entire length of the nail. Cutting the quick will cause bleeding, and depending on how far back you have clipped the “quick”, quite a bit of pain too. In dogs with clear or pink nails, the quick is easier to identify, but it is almost impossible to see in dogs with dark nails. A professional Groomer that does this on a daily basis will have more experience on where to cut, but please understand that even though they are professionals does not mean that the quick does not get cut. It is nothing to be angry or alarmed about, your dog will be perfectly fine. If a Groomer or a Vet “quicks” the nail more than likely it was only the tip and did not cause much pain at all.
Keeping your pets nails trimmed regularly will prevent the "quick" inside your pet’s nails from growing and will keep it comfortably short. If your pet's nails haven't been trimmed in a long time, the quick may have grown further down the nail, so getting them to the correct length without bleeding is impossible. Fortunately, the quick tends to recede as nails are kept shorter. But please keep in mind that this is not a quick process. If your pets nails have come to this point and you are making an effort to shorten both the quick and the nail, a routine tiny nail clip every 2 weeks or sooner will do the trick; you should start to see results in length with in a couple months.
If the quick is accidentally cut, it may bleed, in which case styptic powder can be applied. If you do not have septic powder on hand then go into your kitchen and find your Flour or corn starch then just press some onto the bleeding nail. Once the nails have been cut, you can smooth rough edges with an emery board or grinder.
If you would like to try and clip your dogs nails at home, here are a few tips
- Teach your dog to stand still or lay on his side while his nails are being clipped.
- Ask your groomer about the proper size of nail clippers to use on your dog.
- Bathing your dog first then clipping his nails will help, the nails will be soft and easier to cut as well as not as easy to split while clipping.
- Look closely at the nails to see if you can spot the “quick”
- Cut on a slight angle from top to bottom small bits at a time, this way you can see if more can be cut off and will help to prevent the "quick"
- Keep nail powder, flour or corn starch handy
