All the Tips You Need for Cutting Dogs Nails

An in-depth guide on cutting dogs nails. All the Tips You Need for Cutting Dogs Nails thegearhunt.com

We all love our pet and do everything we can to ensure they are healthy, happy, and looking their best. This includes everything from choosing the right diet for your pup to taking them to the vet on a regular basis for checkups. It also includes spending time with them, making sure they get enough exercise and limiting those treats you give for good behavior. One of the things that are most often overlooked, however, is clipping your dog’s nails on a regular basis. There are many reasons out there that clipping a dog’s nails get overlooked, by even the most loving pet owners. Whether it’s forgetting to do the job, not having the money to take them to a groomer to do it, or simply being afraid that you will hurt your canine pal when you do, there are many reasons for not doing it. However, there are many reasons for doing it as well, and these are extremely important ones.

Not only can not cutting your dog’s nails affect their health, but it’s also not really good for your carpets, floors and household furniture either. It doesn’t help in the nail cutting process, if your dog is not cooperative, and there are very few dogs that like to have their nails trimmed. In this blog, we will go into a few of the reasons that you should trim your dog’s nails, answer a few of your questions, give you some tips on how to trim your dog’s nails without hurting them and much, much more.

Ready to learn how to clip your dog’s nails with ease? Okay, let’s go then!Dog-Paws

Benefits of Keeping Your Dog’s Nails Clipped

Many pet owners don’t realize that there is a direct correlation between clipping their dog’s nails and their health, as well as their comfort. No one wants their beloved pet to be walking around in pain and no one wants them unhealthy. That is why it’s so important to clip your dog’s nails on a regular basis. Still not convinced? Read on below for a few of the top benefits to be revealed.

Puppy

Makes it Comfortable for Them when Walking

How long your dog’s nails are will determine how comfortable they are when walking around your home or even in your yard. If you let their nails grow long, instead of trimming them, they will drag the ground when they are standing. Letting them overgrow will lead to unsightly nails, which is a cosmetic issue, but even worse, it can lead to health problems for them down the line. Your canine pal will grow uncomfortable when he tries to walk.

Since dogs tend to walk on their toes, the nails being short is super-important. As the nails get longer, they will start to curl in on the pads of your pet’s feet, making it painful for them to walk. Once this happens, they will start leaning their weight back to relieve the pain, which will put pressure on their back legs and back, causing them to have joint problems and pain anyway. It’s much better to just trim their nails and save you both pain and heartache on down the road, wouldn’t you think?

Keeps Their Claws from Damaging Your Carpets, Hardwood Floors, and Bedding

When a dog’s nails are too long, they snag them on the carpeting as they walk. This makes your carpets look horrible and eventually, they will need to be replaced, something that certainly is not cheap as we all know. The sharpened, long nails will also tear at the pup’s bedding when they are sleeping and they will yank to get their claws free. If your dog jumps up on your bed, he could get his claws stuck, tearing your sheets and blankets. Something else you will have to replace. Keeping your dog’s nails trimmed is the perfect way to save yourself some money on these items for sure.

Helps You Avoid Injury to Your Skin and Your Dog’s Skin as Well

I know anytime I leave my home and come back, my dogs are super-excited to see me, jumping on my legs to be petted and say hello. If your dog has long nails, then you run the risk of being scratched or even tearing your skin, when they are only trying to be friendly and loving, as they are glad to see you. It is possible that he could injure people who visit your home or children when they are playing as well.

It’s also highly likely that your pet could injure his own skin when scratching, which dogs are prone to do. Arm yourself with the right materials and clippers to trim your dog’s nails to prevent this from happening to you, your family, and your beloved pet.

Prevents Infection

Your pups nails, curling and growing inwards can also lead to their paws becoming infected. This is going to cost you a high vet bill and your poor pet a lot of pain, when it could have been avoided with regular nail cutting instead.

How Often Should You Clip Your Dog’s Nails?

There is really not a concrete answer to the question of how often you should clip your dog’s nails because it is determined by a few different factors. We will go into those factors below, so you have enough information to make an informed decision.

Dog- in-Blanket

The Surfaces They Walk on During the Day

The surface type that your canine pal spends most of his time walking on will have a huge impact on how often you need to clip his nails. Are they indoor pets, who rarely go outside, and walk mostly on the carpet? Do they stay outside and walk on the grass the most? Do you take them for frequent walks on concrete or asphalt surfaces? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you determine how often they need their nails clipped.

How Often Their Feet Are Actually Touching the Ground

How often do your pet’s feet actually walk around? Do they spend most of the day lying on the couch or do you carry them everywhere they go? How actively the dog’s feet touch the ground has a huge impact as well.

The Type of Health Conditions He Might Have

It is also possible for dogs to get conditions that affect how fast or how slow their nails grow. Conditions such as nail bed infections, tumors, autoimmune disorders, and more can affect how often you need to trim their nails.

Your Dog’s Diet

What your dog eats can also have an impact on how fast their nails grow and how often they need to be trimmed.

If you still have questions about how often you should trim your pooches nails, after answering these things for yourself, it’s best to make an appointment with your local vet to see what he recommends. However, a good rule of thumb to follow is to trim your dog’s nails every time you see them start to touch the ground. In this way, you are on top of your game and your pet doesn’t have to suffer at all.

Now that we know a few things about dog’s nails, it’s time to move onto the purpose of this blog, tips for cutting your dog’s nails. Many pet owners are scared that they are going to hurt their pet by clipping their nails too short. These tips will help with that fear. However, if you are still uncomfortable with clipping your dog’s claws yourself, there are many groomers out there who will do the deed for you on a regular basis and other grooming tasks as well. Okay, ready to move into the tip portion of our blog? Okay, let’s go!

Materials Needed to Clip

Before you can even think of beginning the process of clipping your dog’s nails, you need to have the right equipment. Make sure that you never use anything but dog clippers on your pet, as human clippers will not work the same way. Never, ever use dog clippers that are rusty, old, or otherwise damaged. Using these types of clippers could end with jagged, improperly cut nails, and if you quick your dog, he could end up with an infection from the rust. The first thing you need to know is the type of clipper options out there for you to choose from. They are listed below.

  • Guillotine Nail Clippers
  • Scissor Shaped Nail Clippers
  • Pliers Shaped Trimmers
  • Electric Grinders
  • Nail Files

The choice of whether to clip or grind your dog’s nails and what clipper type to use is entirely up to you and the type of dog you have.

Tips for Clipping Your Dog’s Nails Explained

Now, it’s time to move into the meat of this blog and determine what tips will help you clip your puppy’s nails safely and with ease.

Learn to Clip First

The very first thing you want to do is learn how to clip your puppy’s nails first. It is possible to clip them too short and end up hurting your pup. There are many articles and diagrams online to help you learn the process and your vet will be happy to help as well if you have to give him a call.

Wait Until Your Dog is Relaxed and Calm

If you have never tried to clip your dog’s nails before, wait until they are calm and relaxed. This is going to take quite a bit of patience and isn’t a quick job. You need to rub your puppy’s legs, speak to them softly, and let them know everything is going to be okay. Treats are a must-have during this process for good behavior.

Laying-Dog

Check for Dirt and Debris Before Beginning

Before you begin the clipping process, it’s important to make sure your pet’s paws are clean and free of debris or dirt that could hurt him in the end. Make sure to comfort your dog as you do this. One way to ensure they are calm is by letting them lay on their side as you work, talking to them the entire time.

Always Use a High-Quality Trimmer

We cannot stress enough how important it is to use a high-quality trimmer for this job. Since there are a variety of options for you to choose from, one should be easy to find.

Keep a Gentle Hold on Your Dog’s Leg

You are going to need to firmly, yet gently grasp your dog’s leg to prevent them from pulling away as you clip their nails, and then carefully check the shape of your dog’s nails, before you begin.

Begin Trimming Carefully

Make sure that you carefully trim one digit at a time, so as not to hurt your pup or forget which nail you have already trimmed. Make sure that you do this in bright light or with a bright light behind you, so you can see and not mess it up.

File the Nails

Once the nails are trimmed, taking a doggie nail file and file the nails, so they have no chance of being ragged or jagged. It’s also important to stop any bleeding you incur right away.

Reward Your Pup for a Job Well-Done

Never, ever forget to praise hug and reward your dog for a job well done after the nail trimming is over. Make sure to give your pup a huge treat and they will be better the next time you have to trim their nails as well.

This concludes our tips on what you need to know to cut your dog’s nails. From tips to help to materials needed and from why it’s important to be loving and patient, we hope this helps you to trim your dog’s nails safely and without fear in the future. Happy trimming, until next time!

Sources

  1. Best Pet Trackers: 10 Tips for Safely Clipping Your Dog’s Nails
  2. Mission Control: Surprising Benefits of Clipping Your Dog’s Nails Regularly
  3. Petsies: 5 Important Tips to Know When Clipping Fido’s Nails