Even if you are one of the best dog owners, trimming your dog’s nails is one of those things that you can easily fall behind on. Since most dogs have nails that tend to grow fast like weeds, you will need to clip your dog’s nails regularly to keep up with the pace at which his nails are growing.

Many people tend to think that they don’t need to do anything if their dog’s nails aren’t curling around. You don’t have to wait for your dog’s nails to scratch your skin while he jumps on you to know that they need to be trimmed. Although it might seem like both you and your dog don’t want to deal with a nail trim, for the sake of your dog, clip those nails regularly to keep them short.

You may think that you can’t trim your dog’s nails due to a of lack of experience or the fear of over-cutting the nails. Well, that is something to be concerned about because you don’t want to hurt your dog’s nails to the point that they start bleeding. In the unfortunate event that your dog’s nails start bleeding while you are trimming them, you should learn how to stop your dog’s nails from bleeding to prevent excessive blood loss.

Doing so will save your dog’s life. The rule of thumb is: if you can’t trim your dog’s nails at home, it is good to seek professional assistance so that you don’t get the whole process wrong. Seeking professional help will also minimize the chances of doing the trial and error method on your dog’s precious nails.

How Often Should You Clip Your Dog’s Nails?

You might ask yourself, “How often is often enough?” There are some important factors that will affect how often your dog’s nails should get trimmed. These factors include: the type of surface that your dog walks on most of the time, your dog’s breed, and their diet.

Is your dog mostly indoors and just walking on your soft carpet? Does he only go outdoors within your compound to walk on the soft grass and dirt? Do you walk him in the streets on concrete surfaces? If your dog is always active and walks on hard surfaces, then he will need less frequent nail clipping sessions. This is because the hard surfaces will be grinding down on his nails. His nails won’t grow as fast or be very long. However, if your dog is mostly indoors or if he spends most of his time walking on soft surfaces like grass and dirt, he will most likely require more trims.

Your dog’s breed will also determine how frequently you will be trimming his nails. Some dog breeds have nails that will grow at very fast rates as compared to other dog breeds.

Your dog’s diet also affects the rate at which his nails will be growing. If you feed him a well-balanced diet that is full of minerals and vitamins, his nails will grow very fast. Keep in mind that this should never be an excuse for not feeding your dog on a well-balanced meal.

When it comes to how often you should trim your dog’s nails, you should be able to clip your pooch’s nails as often as possible so that his nails do not touch the ground when he is standing. If you clip your dog’s nails more often, there will be great benefits for both you and the dog. The more you will do it, the more your dog will become accustomed to having his nails clipped. If your dog becomes used to having his nails trimmed, you or the person that will be doing the clipping will have an easier time doing the nails.

Benefits of Clipping Your Dog’s Nails

Do you know that there is a relation between your dog’s nails and his health and comfort? There are several benefits of clipping your dog’s nails regularly and they include:

Comfort While Walking

The length of your dog’s nails determines how comfortable they will be while they are walking. If your dog’s nails are too long, they will touch the ground while your dog is standing. If you let your dog’s nails overgrow, you will not only have to deal with a cosmetic issue, you will also have to deal with a potentially serious health issue.

Dogs usually walk on their toes. This is called digitigrade walking. When their nails grow to be very long, the nails will curve and dig painfully into the pads of their paws. They will, therefore, have difficulty in walking on their toes because of the pain. Your dog will then rest his weight further back on his paw to compensate for this difficulty in walking.

The result of this change will cause an awkward posture while walking. This awkward gait will put a lot of pressure and strain on the joints and muscles of your dog. Your dog will develop joint pain and discomfort while he is walking due to this posture. He will also be less steady on his feet.

No Damage to Your Carpets and Bedding

If your dog’s nails are overgrown, you can expect him to claw your carpets, either on purpose or accidentally. This is because his long nails can get caught in the carpet. He will, therefore, rip or fray your carpet as he attempts to free his stuck claws.

When your dog is sleeping, his claws can also rip his bedding. If he jumps on your bed, you might need to consider replacing your bedding because his long claws can leave holes in your sheets and comforter.

No Injuries to Your Dog’s Skin or Your Skin

When you come back from work, your dog is probably very excited to see you and, as a result, he will jump on you. If your dog has long nails, this can be quite unpleasant. His sharp nails might break your skin when he jumps up. He can also cause injuries to other people that come to your house, or accidentally hurt other pets while playing.

Your dog can also cause injuries to his own skin when he scratches himself. He can easily scratch himself bloody if his nails are too long. Armed with the best dog nail clippers, clipping your dog’s nails will protect his skin, and your skin, too!

Training Your Dog to Accept Getting His Nails Clipped       

Most dogs don’t like the idea of getting their nails clipped. If you have such a dog, you will probably have a hard time trying to make your dog sit still so that you can clip his nails. You will first have to get him used to nail clipping sessions. How can you achieve this?

Don’t dig in your heels if your pooch is anxious and is not tolerating you clipping his nails. You can take a break and maybe play with him for a while before you can resume your clipping session. With time, he will get used to it.

You can click here to watch this helpful video to help you train your dog to enjoy having his nails clipped.

A Word of Caution

Care must be taken when clipping your dog’s nails. This is to avoid causing injuries on your dog’s toes. You will, therefore, need the best tips on how to clip dog nails so that the whole procedure is safe and smooth for your dog.

If you hurt your dog while clipping his nails, he is likely going to be fearful of having his nails clipped. He may not cooperate the next time you need to clip his nails. If you are not willing to clip your dog’s nails at home, you can take your dog to a veterinarian or a groomer. Your Pet Space now offers nail trims and bathing, so don’t hesitate to ask!

Cutting it Short

Getting your fur baby groomed on a regular basis is very important since it is beneficial to your dog’s health. One of the ways that you can groom your dog is by trimming his nails. Apart from aesthetic benefits, clipping your dog’s nails will ensure that your dog walks comfortably, and there will be no more click-click clicking when your dog is walking on hard surfaces!

Your carpet, bedding, and furniture will also be safe from damages, not forgetting that it will help protect your dog’s skin, and your skin too. You should, therefore, have a nail clipper nearby to clip your dog’s nails whenever they grow long. Good luck in clipping your dog’s nails!

Do you have something you wish to add on the benefits of clipping your dog’s nails? Do you have any questions? Let us know in the comment section below.

Joy Henderson: Hello everyone! I’m Joy and I really love dogs and would like to share all my knowledge fellow dog lovers like me. Please feel free to share your story with me at www.mypupmyhero.com.