Whether your dog is afraid of the nail trimming process or they simply are so energetic that sitting still long enough to trim all of their nails on all of their feet is a feat, neither dog nor owner likes the process of trimming the nails. Many Bradenton Florida dog owners hate the process because a fussy dog is difficult to corral and because they are often afraid of hitting the quick in the dog’s nail, which will hurt the dog and just make it even more difficult to trim your dog’s nails in the future. Is there a way to make this process less stressful for human and dog alike?
First, consider whether or not your dog actually needs to have his nails trimmed. If your dog runs around all day on hard surfaces like concrete (as many outdoor dogs do or dogs that are walked around their Bradenton neighborhood each day), your dog might not need to have his nails trimmed, as walking naturally keeps the nails short and blunt. For all other dogs, however, nail trimming will be a necessity.
Why worry about long nails?
Are long nails really that big of a deal? If your dog does not jump on you or your furniture and is therefore unlikely to scratch you with his long nails or to damage your furniture, is there any reason to worry about his nails growing out? There are a range of reasons why you might want to worry about your dog’s very long nails.
Firstly, these nails can become painful for your dog. When the nails click against a hard surface, the surface pushes on the nails, putting pressure on the nail and the nail bed, which also then, in turn, puts pressure on the toes and the joints of the foot. All this pressure can make the toes sore and can even contribute to arthritis, especially in older dogs. Pain in your dog’s feet is also a good sign that he needs to have his nails trimmed.
Your dog’s feet are very important to his daily life. His ancient ancestors wore their nails down by running and hunting all day, every day. This would mean that his short nails would only touch the ground when he was running up a hill. A dog might begin to feel their nails touching the ground all of the time and begin to respond as if they are running up that hill all of the time, too. This ruins your dog’s posture, which can be very painful for your dog in both the long and short runs.
In general, having long nails makes it difficult for your dog to do his everyday tasks. It could even make it painful to lie down and stand up. Cutting those nails will suddenly make him a much happier dog!
How can I trim his nails without him fighting back?
Some dogs will always be great about having their nails trimmed, even if you have accidentally caught the quick a few times. Other dogs will hate this process, even if you’ve never accidentally hurt them. If your dog is in the second camp, there are ways that you can make nail trimming a better experience for both of you.
First off, understand how often your dog’s nails need to be trimmed. Every two weeks is the standard for most dogs. In general, as soon as you can hear his nails clicking against hard floors and surfaces, it is time for a trim. Here are some tips for making sure trimming your dog’s nails is a painless process for all involved:
• Use the right tool. Those guillotine clippers might make the process go faster, but they give you very little control over how much of the nail is being trimmed off and at what angle the nails are being trimmed. Clippers that are like scissors are a much better idea. They do not crush the nail, they do not prevent you from seeing where you are actually cutting, and they give you much more control.
• Use the smallest clippers you can find. This, again, may make the process take a little bit longer, but small clippers allow you to carefully and gradually clip away parts of the nail, avoiding the quick. Only gigantic dogs will need the very large clippers. Keep these clippers sharp so that they cut cleanly through the nail.
• Use an emery board to smooth out the nail after clipping. After clipping the nail, the best thing you can do is to use an emery board to gently smooth the surface of the nail, so that it does not catch on the dog’s own fur or on other fabrics around your home.
• Trim only in a well-lit room. You should be able to see the quick inside of the nail, if you are in a well-lit room or are outside in the sunshine. This will make it much easier to avoid the quick and to leave a nice protective layer around the quick so that trimming does not bother your dog.
