The Importance of Nail Trimming

Does my dog really need routine nail trimming?

Yes! Just like us, our dog’s nails are constantly growing and require proper trimming. In the wild, a dog would naturally wear down his nails by traveling and hunting over different terrain. However this is not the case for our pets as we’ve greatly changed their environments. Since our dog's nails are not worn down enough naturally to keep up with their growth, we need to inspect and trim their nails for them.

Long, unkept nails make it difficult for your dog to walk comfortably. When nails are so long that they touch the ground, they exert force back into the nail bed creating pain for the dog and pressure on the toe joint. Long term, this can actually realign the joints of the foreleg and not only change their gait (their pattern of walking) but also could make the foot looked splayed and flattened.

Again, this isn’t just an aesthetic problem, it’s a functional one: Compromising your dog’s weight distribution and natural alignment can leave them more susceptible to injuries and make walking and running difficult and painful. This is especially important in senior dogs, whose posture can be dramatically improved by cutting back neglected nails.

In extreme cases, overgrown nails can curve and grow into the pad of the foot. Long nails can get torn or split, which is very painful and, depending on severity, may need to be treated by a veterinarian.

In the end, unattended nails create a vicious cycle: the extra-long nails make any contact with his paws painful for the dog so he avoids having them touched, which leads to unpleasant nail trimming sessions, which makes both human and dog avoid them, which leads to longer intervals between trims, which leads to more pain...

What is the "right" length for my dog's nails?

The most common rule of thumb is that when a dog is standing, the nails should not make contact with the ground. If you can hear your dog coming then their nails are too long.

How often should my dog's nails be trimmed?

If you have a dog with long nails, you need to commit to frequent trimming to restore his foot health and comfort.

Once a week is ideal if you want to gradually shorten your dog’s nails and encourage the quicks (the nail's blood supply) to recede.

Depending on the rate at which your dog’s nails grow (and what sort of surface he exercises on) once or twice a month is a reasonable goal to maintain nails that are at a healthy length.