As a loving and caring owner of a beautiful pet dog, you want to do your very utmost to care for your best friend.
There are many things you have to consider when properly caring for a dog (or dogs).
Especially if you are a first-time dog owner, the list can seem a bit overwhelming at first:
- Nutrition for dogs.
- Exercise and play.
- Dog training and obedience.
- Coat grooming and care.
- Doggy healthy conditions and veterinary care
- Dog nail clipping, grinding, cutting, and trimming.
There is a lot to think about!
But please don’t worry. This post will stay very focused on just the one topic of trimming dog nails and how often it should be done.
QUICK NOTE – Before we get into the details of this post. We think by far, the best way of trimming or cutting dog nails is by using a nail grinder.
You can find out what is the best dog nail grinder on this post.
So, how often should you trim dog nails so that they aren’t sharp enough to damage furniture, hurt anyone, or be unhealthy and painful for the dog?
But also while not cutting the nails too often. Not cutting the quick (the inner part of the claw) and hurting the dog or even making the dog’s nails bleed.
(BTW – You might also find this post about how to trim dog nails with a Dremel tool interesting).
How Often Should You Trim Your Dog’s Nails – In Brief
The very short answer is that it varies from dog to dog. It varies on the dog’s lifestyle, how much exercise the dog gets.
How much of that exercise is walking on roads (dog nails get worn down with road walking).
How old the dog is, what type of breed your pet pupster is. All of these factors come into play.
So you shouldn’t focus on cutting the nails regularly every set amount of days or weeks but go by feel and sight.
When your dog’s nails seem sharp or look long, then it is time to cut them down.
A good way of telling this is that if your dog is standing on a hard flat surface and its nails touch the floor, it is probably time to trim them down.
It is that simple. In a nutshell, you need to keep a close eye on the dog’s claws and make the judgment when it seems right. (Sometimes one nail might need a quick nail trimming, you can just quickly go over than one without doing all the rest).
How Often Should You Cut Dog’s Nails – In More Depth
So as we just mentioned, every dog is different, and the most effective way to know when to trim the nails is by keeping a close eye on them.
The very simple test of seeing if their nails touch the floor on a hard flat surface is really effective.
Another way of testing is to listen and hear if the nails click and make a noise when the dog walks on a hard surface such as a hardwood floor or concrete.
You can also examine each dog’s nail every few days, and then, over time, you will get a really good idea of when they might need their nails trimmed.
As a very rough guide, depending on the factors we mentioned above, including how much road walking your dog does.
We would expect your pup to need its long nails trimmings once or twice per month under normal circumstances.
A Useful Video on How to Cut Your Dog’s Nails
Check out this really short video for some more great tips and advice on how to trim long nails with minimum distress for you and your pet:
It might seem scary at first. There is nothing worse than thinking you might hurt your pet puppy.
But with the right advice, you get the claws shorter without too much stress. It just takes a bit of practice for you and your dog.
Thanks for taking some time out of your busy day to stop by and read this post from our website, and good luck with caring for your four legged friend.
Our canine companions really are amazing. We do not deserve them!