Cutting nails on a dog: Do you have to? How?
Your dog normally wears out its constantly growing claws by walking on hard ground. If the ground is too soft or your dog can't move enough due to an illness, you will need to trim your dog's nails. Proper claw care is an important part of your dog's health care.
Why is nail trimming important for your dog?
- Nails that are too long cause problems when your dog walks.
- Long nails can grow in and cause painful sores.
- Too long nails cause arthritis to form in the joints of the toes.
Wolves covered many miles in their territory every day in their hunt for prey. In the process, their claws were worn down by stones and roots. Today, most dogs spend most of their time in homes with soft flooring. During the short walks the claws hardly wear out. Only dogs that walk on hard asphalt for a long time or dig regularly have their claws worn down normally. The other four-legged friends suffer from too long claws. These bend upwards and also change the position of the toes. The joints are more stressed. Signs of wear and tear, arthrosis, occur at a young age. If your dog's claws are too long, walking is painful for him. He spares the paws. Postural deformities develop. If the claws bend inwards, they can grow into the pads of the paws. Your dog will no longer put his inflamed, aching paws on the ground. With claws that are too long, your dog can get stuck on obstacles. The claw will be torn out.
What is the proper way to trim nails on a dog? Claw trimming reasons
Most dogs pay close attention to their paws. They will react nervously and uneasily if you get too close to the dog with the nail clippers. That's why it's important to get your dog used to clipping his nails when he's still a puppy.
To trim your dog's nails, you will need a sharp pair of claw scissors. A claw guillotine, where the nail is pushed through a round opening and fixed in place, should only be used when your dog is relaxed about having his nails clipped.
- The nail scissors for your dog should have a round cutting surface.
- When cutting, the pressure on the claw must be even so that the nail does not break.
- The claw must not be squeezed when cutting with nail scissors for the dog.
So you can shorten your dog's nails / claws:
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Your dog should lie quietly on its side.
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The paw is firmly fixed with the hand.
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With a bright lamp, the length of the blood vessels and nerves can be easily made visible.
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In the case of dark claws, the lower third at the most may be shortened.
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Nail trimming in dogs is done in several stages. The claws are always shortened by a small piece.
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As soon as a dark spot becomes visible in the middle of the cut, the claw must not be shortened any further.
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To check the correct length of the nails, place the paw on the flat of your hand. The nails should not be longer than the pads of the same toe.
You can also try to shorten your dog's claws in this funny way. See video.
