How Often Do You Have To Cut Your Dogs Nails?

[PuddleDuck]

I just cut my toddlers finger and toenails and both dogs nails. It took half an hour which consisted of 1 massive tantrum from the girlchild, bear growling at me while I did doof's, doof hiding behind the couch while I did bear's, a cheese sandwich and a big handful of gummi bears. I should do everyone weekly but I can't be bothered to have the argument each week!

[minimax]

I just cut my toddlers finger and toenails and both dogs nails. It took half an hour which consisted of 1 massive tantrum from the girlchild, bear growling at me while I did doof's, doof hiding behind the couch while I did bear's, a cheese sandwich and a big handful of gummi bears. I should do everyone weekly but I can't be bothered to have the argument each week!

For you or the victims :laugh:

[PuddleDuck]

I just cut my toddlers finger and toenails and both dogs nails. It took half an hour which consisted of 1 massive tantrum from the girlchild, bear growling at me while I did doof's, doof hiding behind the couch while I did bear's, a cheese sandwich and a big handful of gummi bears. I should do everyone weekly but I can't be bothered to have the argument each week!

For you or the victims :laugh:

A little bit of both

[Sydoo]

Every few months, even up to 6 months apart sometimes. Not all the nails need to be trimmed but there are a few that don't wear down enough. We got a dremel specifically for her nails and never used it...should get onto that. I usually take the lazy option and just pop into the vet.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Sydoo

[dee lee]

I do Honey's every few weeks & I worry its not enough & they are too long- I'm truly suprised at how many dogs don't seem to need that!!

Wow! I wish! I hate doing it- I keep thinking I will get the quick (yes, I know where to cut- doesn't stop me worrying! )

She is very active & spends a fair amount of time walking (& running) on concrete- but it makes absolutely no difference & doesnt wear the nails down at all. Must be a biomechanical foot thing.

[Sabbath]

My Amstaff is 2.5 years old and I've never cut them. No dew claws. Daily walks on footpath and some concrete in our yard must be enough.

[Bullbreedlover]

My Bulldog bitch will just lift each foot while I dremmel her nails. Usually every two weeks or so. They grow so quickly because she is not on concrete much.

My boy I do every two weeks or so. He is a woman's blouse and I have found that the best way is to do them before bath time.having a small bathroom is great cause he hasn't got the chance to run off and hide.

So I don't cut nails anymore. Just dremmel.

[Dogsfevr]

Weekly irrespective of how much they wear them down we ensure we either nail file the ends or basic tip trim .

The more you maintain the esier it is & the the blood vessel doesn't growm longer & longer.

As a groomer i can safely say most people have no idea what long nails are ,many think there great when there to long,the dew claws are the worst having to find a starting point .

You can tell so much about a dogs soundness & any issues by the way they wear there nails done & when to long it alters there foot shape

[Bullbreedlover]

Weekly irrespective of how much they wear them down we ensure we either nail file the ends or basic tip trim .

The more you maintain the esier it is & the the blood vessel doesn't growm longer & longer.

As a groomer i can safely say most people have no idea what long nails are ,many think there great when there to long,the dew claws are the worst having to find a starting point .

You can tell so much about a dogs soundness & any issues by the way they wear there nails done & when to long it alters there foot shape

Where is the like button?

I remember having to trim nails on a friends dog quite a few years ago. I was horrified they had been left to grow so long. It was a re homed dog but still, not nice when the dew claws had grown into the leg of the dog. Had to make sure the wound was properly looked after and it did heal well.

I have also owned a Bullmastiff which we got as a young adult and her nails were long. Very hard to keep short as the quicks had grown so much.

[GeckoTree]

About every three weeks for mine.

[halfthewords]

The Min Pins both get done fairly regularly as theirs just grow like nobody's business, but the terrier x and the Bichon usually don't need it more than once every couple of months. They are walked daily on the road/footpath as well as grass. :)

[Trisven13]

I think that those breeds who are "up on their toes" more probably wear their nails down more easily than other breeds. The Fauve standard says in relation to forequarters:

"Metacarpus (Pastern): Seen in profile, somewhat oblique"

And oblique translates as "sloping".

When I look at the pics of Dee Lee's Goldie she also seems to have sloping pasterns so I wonder if that contributes to why they don't wear down as well like my Fauves.

Early on in my dog showing days when I said that my dogs' nails needed trimming weekly despite walking on bitumen for an hour 3-4 times a week each I was told that it was because they were structurally incorrect and I'm sure for some breeds that is probably accurate. After reading and talking to heaps of people I've learnt that fast-growing nails are very typical for Fauves, and learning to understand the standard better has also given me more knowledge. Some breeds are built in such a way that their nails DON'T wear down naturally as well as other breeds do IMO.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Trisven13

[PuddleDuck]

Is there any truth to the rumor 'the more you trim them will cause the quick will shrink back'? Cos no matter how much I trim Doof's it seems to make no difference to the length of the quick?

[~Anne~]

Is there any truth to the rumor 'the more you trim them will cause the quick will shrink back'? Cos no matter how much I trim Doof's it seems to make no difference to the length of the quick?

Agree. I find the same with Boof. His nails always bleed and he hates his toes being touched.

[HazyWal]

Is there any truth to the rumor 'the more you trim them will cause the quick will shrink back'? Cos no matter how much I trim Doof's it seems to make no difference to the length of the quick?

Apparantly it does really work but after 12 months of religously doing Maddie's it's not making a difference for us

[Dogsfevr]

Is there any truth to the rumor 'the more you trim them will cause the quick will shrink back'? Cos no matter how much I trim Doof's it seems to make no difference to the length of the quick?

Ours are trimmed very short so it does work but i think it comes down to how often & how much people take off or file back too

Cutting nails after they have been in warm water makes it much easier as there softer & dogs are often more willing

[hippo]

I don't think that walking on concrete wears down nails at all, because I used to take my greyhound out jogging at least 5kms every day for a year, and her nails grew ridiculously long. Now she gets trimmed weekly. My ACD x bully mix gets trimmed twice a day. I get her to stand and then lift a foot up. She doesn't like it but doesn't fidget much. I clip my grey's claws when she's lying down because she doesn't balance too well with four legs, let alone on three.

[GeckoTree]

I think dogs would be like people, I don't see how they cant be, some peoples nails grow really fast while others don't seem to grow much at all and don't need to be clipped as often. Also the more sunshine about nails tend to grow faster, don't know why that is, probably more vitamin D being absorbed or something.

[Chequeredblackdog]

My guys get done every couple of weeks. I don't religiously do them, I check first. I do like to keep their nails as short as possible.

The Kelpie doesn't reaaallly ever need his done, I just take off the very tips of his every now and then.

The three older dogs nails seem to grow faster. The little terrier has all four dew claws, so I make sure to keep an eye on them.

Not sure why but I fing that my dogs's lighter coloured nails grow heaps more than their darker ones?