How to trim dog nails?

Why do you have to cut the dog nails?

Cutting the dog’s claws is not primarily used for the appearance, but is especially important for the dog’s health. Too long claws hinder the dog in its natural gait function and can cause additional pain for the four-legged friend. In order to avoid the pain and relieve the joints, the dog intuitively changes the load and posture. This can lead to misalignment of the joints and affect the entire musculoskeletal system. In the long term, the misalignment leads to postural and gait damage, which in turn causes hindrances when walking, lameness and injuries.

If the dogs’ nails are not trimmed in time, the claws and life will continue to grow. Some claws can even grow into the pads of the paws without being shortened, which can be particularly painful for your dog. Life in the claw can gradually regress in the dog. Cutting nails promotes regression.

When are the dog nails too long?

The best way to tell when your dog’s claws are too long is whether he makes clicking noises when walking over laminate, tiles, etc. In addition, you can place your dog in front of you so that his paws are on the ground. When the dog’s nails hit the ground, it’s time to trim them. If, on the other hand, the claws float just above the floor and a sheet of paper fits between the floor and the nails, then your four-legged friend has the optimal length.

Since cutting a dog’s claws does not always go smoothly and the four-legged friend can defend itself, you should get your young dog used to this procedure early on. You can regularly touch the paws of your favorite, examine them and inspect the individual paw pads. In this way, your four-legged friend gets used to the fact that you touch his paws, cut the fur, and build trust in this situation. With a lot of sensitivity and our step-by-step instructions, you will soon be able to cut your dog’s nails without him fighting back.

Instructions for cutting nails in dogs

You need the following accessories for proper paw care:

1. Claw scissors or pliers, claw file
2. Rounded scissors to remove the fur from between the pads of the paws
3. A (cell phone) flashlight
4. Paw balm.

Cutting claws dog – simple and straightforward

• Your dog should sit or lie relaxed, if he is defending himself too strongly and is restless, you can ask another person to help.
• Take a close look at your dog’s paw, if there is dirt between the pads of the paws, the dog’s paws must be cleaned before the claws are trimmed.
• If your dog has excess fur on the pads of its paws, you should shorten it with rounded scissors. (see video)
• Now enclose the paw with your hand so that you can hold it tightly. Make sure not to apply too much pressure and not to hurt your four-legged friend. Now take a look at the claws: If your dog has light-colored claws, you can easily see where life in the claw extends. You can cut black claws in dogs with the help of a flashlight (a cell phone flashlight is perfectly adequate). Simply illuminate the claw and mark with a pen where life ends.
• Now hold the claw cutter as shown in the picture and clip the claw at a distance of 1-2 mm from your marking.
  File the dog’s claws: If life has grown too far into the claw, you should first file the claw with a special dog file. This can be a bit tedious and take time for life in the claw to recede.
• Don’t forget to reward your darling afterward. Then he combines the annoying procedure with something positive and is at least as relaxed the next time.
  You can also apply a paw balm for dogs to your favorite’s paws. Then they stay nice and supple and cracked paws prevents.

Caution of trim dog nails:

Be careful not to cut into life, this can lead to bleeding and cause your dog pain. It can also reduce the dog’s confidence and the next time he is no longer open to having his claws cut. If something went wrong, you can press your dog’s claw against a piece of curd soap to stop the bleeding. If it bleeds very heavily and you cannot interrupt the blood flow, you should consult a veterinarian.

Understandably, many are initially inhibit when it comes to cutting a dog’s nails. Practice makes perfect – follow the step-by-step instructions and nothing can go wrong. Cutting black claws on dogs will also soon become routine. Regular grooming of the dog therefore also includes clipping its claws. Dogs don’t always like this, so trim dog nails is easier when someone can hold your dog.

How often do you have to trim your dog nails?

How often dogs have to cut their claws is very individual. In some dogs, the claws grow faster; in others, the length does not change over months. Weight, size, and, of course, the nature of the soil also play an important role. If your dog often walks on asphalt, the claws grind off automatically. This is of course much more relaxed for you and your dog. We, therefore, recommend walking over asphalt from time to time.

Conclusion

The paw care and the clipping of the dog’s nails are part of the regular care of your dog. If the dog’s claws are not short if they are too long, this can lead to poor posture and consequential damage. With our step-by-step instructions, you can cut your dog’s nails without pain.

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