# How short are your dog's nails?



## cassadee7 (Nov 26, 2009)

I am trying to get an idea if I am getting Saber's nails trimmed short enough. They look good to me but still do the tikka-tikka-tikka on the hard floors. I trim off the ends but there sure seems to be a lot of nail left. If you can, would you please post a picture of how short your dog's nails are?

(I have a dremel, haven't used it yet, but am trying to get a visual of how short is appropriate).


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## e.rigby (May 28, 2011)

Depending on how long your dog's nails are right now, you may not be able to get them as short as you want. The quick in the nail is what determines how short you can cut/grind them. Any shorter and you will cause your dog to bleed.

If you are hoping to get short nails, try grinding them a little bit each week. Look at the center part of the nail (assuming your dog has black nails) if you see a moist black dot, you're getting close to the quick and you should stop grinding! 

I have wood floors, and don't like the clickclickclick of dog nails, so I keep all my dog's nails really short (that, and we go on long walks on paved roads so that also helps to keep them short)

Any shorter than what I have, and I think they'd be a bit uncomfortable for the dogs.. mine haven't show any signs of discomfort from the length I have their nails.


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

TOO LONG! Elsa has claws, I hate to admit. I really need to get a dremel--I've quicked her so many times I freak out and then just wait forever to do it, which only makes the situation worse.

Plus, her conformation is kind of weird (she has loose front feet) and her back ones grind down wonderfully which the front ones are talons.

I'm a BAD MOM!


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

I keep my dogs nails very short. Used to showing dogs , so you want them short short. I hate when they make noise walking across the floor. I dremel once a week to keep them the way I like them.


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

Good question! 

:wub: I love toe penciling (sorry that is OT)

I've never had to trim Sage's back nails. They wear down on their own. His front nails are long, they click on the hardwood. I would like them to be as short as his back nails but am afraid to quick him. I trim a little bit off about every other week but have been afraid to go any shorter. I will try to get a photo up tomorrow.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I love the looks of short nails...and tight feet~ Nice feet/nails in e.rigby's pic!

My dogs have longer nails and it bugs me, I've read that fish oil, coconut or hemp oil really makes them grow quick. 
My dogs nails _do_ grow fast! The rears are nice, but the fronts are longer than I like, hard to keep up on them....I have Karlo's done every 3 weeks as he fights it big-time. He's the only one that goes to a groomer for pedi's


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

I try to keep them short. When they get away from me, it is dremel every 4-5 days to get that quick moving back gradually.

The AKC standard calls for short nails. Can you believe the standard speaks to nails?!


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

when i hear the tikka-tikka-tikka on the wood floors
i dremel.


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## cassadee7 (Nov 26, 2009)

Wow e.rigby, you got those super short! I probably need to start dremelling but I think it will scare her and don't have time to do a proper, slow, easy dremel intro so I keep putting it off. I clip her nails every week but I've quicked her twice so I tend not to take much off. Thanks for the picture!

ETA, I think I will post a picture of her nails tomorrow for feedback.


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## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

I keep all our dogs nails short to the hair line. I push out their nail while I dremmel and when they are standing on all 4 feet all nails are barely peeking from the hair line. But obviously when you put pressure on the nail to push it forward to dremmel there is still a decent nail. I hate the clicking and I can't imagine it feels good with the concussion of every nail hitting the ground every time they move.

It takes time to get them this short. I started dremmeling every 3rd day until all nails were short now I do once or twice a week to keep up with them.


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## Tammy GSD (Dec 26, 2010)

I avoid the clicky sound, too. I don't dremmel as she HATES that thing but will sit for a standard trimming. I go really slow, bits at a time, looking for that tell-tale darker dot in the middle that tells me I'm getting close to the quick. It takes forever so, here lately, I have taken to just doing front paws, then back paws the next day.


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

I can't seem to maintain the short nails that I like. I use a corded dremel so I need to set up the peddi session. I could do a sneak session if it was portable.


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## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

I only trim off the tips. I like to do it myself because I think the vets/groomers clip them too short. I suppose with what they charge though they have to make sure the owner feels they are getting their moneys worth.


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

Molly's front nails seem to grow so fast! I clip the tips every week but they really do need to be shorter.


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## MegansGrace (Apr 27, 2011)

I avoid clicky clacky on the floors. I trim my guys once a week. He's pretty good about it, I include treats and try and make it fun. Is that possible? Do those of you that dremel prefer that to standard trimming?


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## MegansGrace (Apr 27, 2011)

Bridget said:


> I only trim off the tips. I like to do it myself because I think the vets/groomers clip them too short. I suppose with what they charge though they have to make sure the owner feels they are getting their moneys worth.


At the boarding kennel I worked at, a few of the girls had gone to grooming school. They were "taught" to OVER trim the nails, even if it meant quicking the dogs, to make sure the nails were short enough!  All the girls refused to do it though because they felt a.) it was simply wrong and terrible for the dog and b.) even the cleanest grooming places are a little too dirty to be purposefully cutting quicks. I guess the vets are good for people who simply can't cut their dogs nails on their own though.


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Hi there!

A dog's nails, if long, must be clipped a little at a time to allow the quick (the vessel of blood in each individual nail) to recede slowly. You don't want dogs to have painfully long nails with long quicks, since any fracture or break in the nail will be painful and bloody for the dog. Dogs' nails should remain long, but should not touch the ground while they walk. There is a happy medium to clipping nails, and allowing the dog to maintain natural function of their paws.

I personally prefer the nail clippers. They are very easy to clip yourself, but you need to learn how to identify the quick and the right length to maintain the nails at. Your vet will likely be happy to teach you how!


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## Cheerful1 (Sep 27, 2011)

Will be taking Joey to the vet for his first clipping. They're charging $10 (no charge for an office visit). 

They said the nails should be done every 4-6 weeks.


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

I grind the tip off of nails every week to keep them short.


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## BGSD (Mar 24, 2011)

I don't really cut my dog's nails. Besides protecting hard wood floors, is there any other reason?


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Wild Wolf said:


> A dog's nails, if long, must be clipped a little at a time to allow the quick (the vessel of blood in each individual nail) to recede slowly.


This is something I've known, but what I don't know is just _how_ slowly? If you are trying to get the quick to recede, is it feasible to cut off a little every two days? Three days? Week? How long should you wait before you can take off a little more?


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