Trimming your dog's nails

While all dogs have nails, whether or not they need to be trimmed depends on a variety of factors. This guide will help pet owners to understand whether their dog requires regular nail trimming, how to do this safely without causing any pain and minimising stress, and when to seek veterinary assistance.

For some dogs, nail trimming is important for both their health and comfort. Sometimes, long nails can cause the foot pad to be elevated, or the pressure can push the nail upwards into the nail bed. This abnormal pressure can cause tenderness, swelling and may contribute to joint stress.

In severe cases, if nails are left to grow too long, they can even curl inwards, and back up into the paw itself. This causes immense pain.

This depends on:

• Their breed or type
• Their weight
• The amount of exercise they do
• The type of ground they regularly exercise on (e.g. concrete vs. grass or sand)
• Whether or not they have dew claws.

In some instances, daily exercising on solid surfaces such as footpaths can be enough to naturally wear down a dog’s nails.

Dew claws are the claws just beside the wrist/ankle, and not all dogs have these. Dew claws do not touch the ground when walking, so are not being naturally worn down through exercise.

Hearing nails clicking on hard floors can sometimes indicate that nails are becoming too long, although this should not be used as the only measure. Nail length should be assessed alongside the dog’s posture, comfort, gait, and individual anatomy. In the first instance, we recommend that dog owners talk to their vet to get advice in relation to their specific dog’s nail-trimming needs.

Nail length varies between dogs, and there is no single ‘ideal’ length that applies to every dog. A veterinarian can help assess whether nail length may be affecting your dog’s comfort, posture or movement.

Once you’ve spoken to your vet, and determined that their claws need trimming, it’s time to learn the anatomy of your dog’s nails.

Incorrectly trimming a dog’s nail can be painful for them. It is crucial to understand the anatomy of the nail to ensure that you keep your dog safe and comfortable while trimming.

The pink ‘quick’ is the nerve and blood supply that runs through the nail. On top of the quick is the inner shell, and then there is the tough outer shell layer.

Ensuring that you’re only cutting the tip of the outer shell, while staying well away from the quick, is of the utmost importance. Nicking or cutting the quick will cause bleeding and pain.

In some cases, you can see the pink quick through the light coloured shell – but bear in mind that the quick tapers to a very narrow point, so you won’t be able to see the tip of it. Always leave extra space if you’re not sure.

Some dogs have black nails, which give you no visibility of the quick. Black nails can make it much harder to judge where the quick ends. If you are unsure or lack confidence, ask your veterinarian or a qualified groomer for assistance.

While we strongly recommend getting a vet or professional dog groomer to take on this task when needed, there are some instances where it is safe to do this at home – if a confident dog owner has a relaxed dog, and their nail quicks are easily visible, then this may be an easier task.

Keeping sessions short and positive helps build confidence over time. Watch closely for signs of stress such as lip licking, turning away, pulling the paw back, panting, trembling, whining or growling. If your dog shows any signs of stress, stop the session immediately. This is a sign you need to do more work to make your dog comfortable with their nails being trimmed. Forcing your dog to continue will likely make future handling more difficult and increase fear or defensive behaviour.

Some owners choose to teach cooperative care behaviours, where the dog voluntarily offers a paw and can pause the session if uncomfortable.

We recommend using reward-based training and breaking the task down into smaller steps.

• Get your dog used to having their paws touched and held. If possible, start inspecting your dog’s nails while they’re still young – getting them used to being touched on their paws while they’re puppies can make the process less scary for them as they grow up. If they are older, it’s still important to get them comfortable with this contact. Teaching them to ‘shake hands’, while using positive reinforcement and treats is a great way to start.
• Invest in a high-quality nail clipper. Many veterinarians recommend scissor or plier-style nail clippers over the ‘guillotine’ style – this is because the latter can sometimes crush a nail rather than provide a clean cut, if it’s not sharp enough.
• Familiarise your dog with the clipper. Reward your dog for sniffing the clippers.
• Introduce the sound of the clipper. Some people clip dry spaghetti next to their dog to mimic the noise of nails being clipped. Pair this noise with treats.
• Tap the clippers to each nail without clipping. These gentle touches, with treats each time, will help them get used to this contact.
• See which paws your dog tolerates being handled. Some dogs tolerate handling of the back paws better than the front, while others prefer the opposite. Start with whichever paw your dog is most comfortable being handled.
• Inspect the nail. In good lighting, look closely at the nail to get an idea of where the quick ends within the nail.
• Make the first cut. Start with just a small amount. Gently support and stabilise the paw, carefully cut the very end off the nail – avoiding the quick – at a 45-degree angle. Some clippers have a built-in guide, which only let you trim a small amount in one go.
• Check the length. If you think you might have clipped too much, check the nail – for white nails, if you can see a small black dot in the centre, surrounded by white, you have cut enough. Do not cut any further. For black nails, only remove the very tips to be safe.
• Do not attempt to clip all their nails in one sitting. It may take multiple sessions to complete all nails, though you should look for signs of stress throughout as mentioned above. Finish before your dog becomes uncomfortable.
  

Accidents can happen, even with experienced handlers. If the quick is nicked, the nail may bleed and be painful. Styptic powder can help stop bleeding. If bleeding does not stop, or your dog appears very distressed, contact your veterinarian.

It can take dogs a lot of time to become used to getting their nails trimmed, and some may take longer than others. Dogs with severe fear or anxiety may require support, including behaviour advice from an accredited trainer or veterinary medication, to make nail care safer and less stressful. Don't struggle alone. If you need help with trouble shooting, we recommend you reach out to a CANZ accredited professional.

For dogs that have already had negative experiences with nail trims, it might be better to explore alternatives to nail trims.

Another way to control the length of your dog’s nails is with the use of dremels or scratching boards.

Some owners and professionals prefer dremels (also known as rotary nail grinders), which gradually file the nail down rather than clipping it. Dogs should be slowly introduced to the sound and vibration using treats.

A scratch board is a wooden or plastic board, covered in medium or coarse sandpaper. You can purchase (or make your own) large, heavy-duty abrasive boards, designed for dogs to naturally file their own nails through scratching, without anyone touching their paws.

The boards are usually made of wood, with a course sandpaper surface. The scratch board is more effective for front paws than back paws, although it is possible to also teach dogs to use their back feet. Back paw nails, however, are usually shorter in general, so you may not need to worry about them.

Some of these scratching pads contain treat compartments or slots, to encourage your dog to scratch at the boards. You can also train your dog to scratch by placing the board over a treat and rewarding any nosing or pawing at the board. Gradually switch to rewarding only pawing at the board. Once they are doing this reliably, you can begin to tilt the board by propping it against your leg, gradually raising it to a 45° angle. Keep sessions short and fun.

A scratching board or dremel could be a great alternative for dogs that are afraid of having their nails trimmed, or for those with black nails.

We recommend reaching out to your vet to confirm the best option for your dog.