# Trim nails or no?



## zxrooster (Sep 20, 2017)

Wondering how many trim your dogs nails? This is our third dog and we have never trimmed the nails on any of our dogs. My wife says trim, I so no. I don?t see any benefit to keeping nails trimmed. She likes to dig and use paws to eat raw food. She doesn?t scratch at door or furniture... yet. Our couches are leather and she is allowed on them when invited and under supervision so I don?t envision her doing any damage as our other dogs never have.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

I trim my dogs nails as I know it would be a lot easier for me to trim their nails and save the dogs some stress then say a vet trimming their nails. I try to keep them short. Taking a little off this way on a regular routine basis. I try once a week but usually is like two times a week. Often they wear naturally on the concrete. Sometimes nails grow and are neglected causing issues with nails cracking, splitting or getting snagged on a carpet and pulled off.


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

It really depends a lot on the surfaces your dog is walking on. My pup spends a fair amount of time on city sidewalks, so I haven't needed to trim her nails yet. But you should definitely get your dog used to having its feet handled, so if the need arises it won't be a struggle!


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## Bramble (Oct 23, 2011)

I at least check the length every couple of weeks. If nails are touching the ground when the dog is standing squarely they need to be trimmer. Overgrown nails can cause sore feet as well as long term damage to the structure of the foot. 

https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/19_4/features/Nail-Clipping_21430-1.html


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

Depends on the dog. I rarely have to trim the nails on my older GSD. However, my younger girl has the fastest growing nails of any animal I've owned! So, I find I'm trimming her nails about once a month or every 6 weeks, depending on her activity level.

With previous dogs I've owned, I've sometimes never had to worry about their nails until they became elderly, and weren't very active. Then it had to be done every so often.

It is a very good idea for a dog owner to get their dog used to having their feet handled and their nails trimmed at a young age. Then the job becomes much easier, and you don't have to wrestle with them! Two of my dogs which I acquired as adults were TERRIBLE about having their nails done! One needed to be muzzled, and the other needed a second person to hold her, as she would always jerk her paw back just as I was about to snip the nail!


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## btfloyd (Oct 11, 2017)

I'm always afraid of trimming the nails myself. I've clipped into the quick on dogs I had when I was younger once or twice, and it made me not want to do it anymore. That said, I take her in to the vet about once a month and they do it for like $3. Not only has it helped with her comfort with her paws being handled, it has helped to reduce any stigma with being at the vet office (some dogs hate it). 

I also get to put her on the scale and see how she is progressing. Right now, she's almost 9 months old and weighs 53#.


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## islanddog (Jun 27, 2016)

I trim my current dog, a lot.

I trimmed my previous dogs, very little. All my dogs get walked on pavement daily, and the other dogs (gsd's) wore their nails down on walks. They also had downward facing toes (cat feet), so their nails where self-trimming. So I'm saying it depends.

However, my current dog came to me with hare feet (nail & toes pointing forward, flat footed) and did not get worn on walks.

I finally took trimming seriously (I use a dremel) and do his nails several times per week. I'm still working on getting them shorter (this is a process of many months) and now he is standing with his toes pointed downward, more cat-footed than hare footed. Obviously his over long toe nails were a problem for him. Now he's walking differently and starting to self trim. I also play a little frisbee in a ball court, that also helps with nails.

I found Nail Maintenance for Dogs (facebook group) very useful for advice on how to do all this.


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## Stangbait (Sep 21, 2017)

It really does depend on the dog. We have never trimmed our adult GSD's nails in the 7 months that we've had her, they are always perfectly short. Our friend has to constantly trim his Jindo's nails with a dremel though. We both walk and run our dogs on concrete and asphalt, so that doesn't seem to be the factor. I am not sure if it has to do with the hardness/softness of the nail or the rate of growth, but it does seem to depend on the dog's genetics.


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## Armistice (Oct 12, 2017)

My family's yellow lab we used to have never had to have them trimmed because in the backyard, she could run from one side of the house to the other to bark at people and there was enough concrete that it kept her nails worn down

My GSD might need them trimmed, but we'll see once we can get out an walking. Sidewalks might keep them down

First time I tried to trim them, I did it the same as my cats. Nope! Cut the first nail too short and she bled, so I stopped  I know that if I do trim, it'll only be a little off the ends


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## melissa282 (Nov 8, 2017)

I trim them as I can't stand the clicking noise on the floor. I have issues with noises, lol.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

I have to dremel her nails every two weeks at least. Her main exercise is on forest soil/trails


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## Apex1 (May 19, 2017)

wolfy dog said:


> I have to dremel her nails every two weeks at least. Her main exercise is on forest soil/trails


I am rarely on pavement as well and do have dremel. I am constantly triming nails and they are sharp after. Do you prefer the dremel and how long does it take every 2x weeks? Thanks ~


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## GandalfTheShepherd (May 1, 2017)

We have a dremel and nail clippers he doesn't mind at all and usually falls asleep if we get bored and decide to use them... We walk a lot on the side walk though and I don't ever hear his nails clacking on the floor so we don't usually bother. The dremel and clippers both seem to just make them sharper and scratch up my old wood floors.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Apex1 said:


> I am rarely on pavement as well and do have dremel. I am constantly triming nails and they are sharp after. Do you prefer the dremel and how long does it take every 2x weeks? Thanks ~


Dremeling causes heat build-up in the nail so I clip the other part to save time off the dremeling. I think it takes me a total of about 5 or so minutes to do all nails. She doesn't like it but submits, lying on her side, looking very dramatic; flat ears and looking away like she is somewhere else (like me at the dentist)


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## Armistice (Oct 12, 2017)

I tried a dremel PediPaws, but leaves the nail even sharper, so will just use clippers

I think because she's a puppy, they don't file properly with the PediPaws

And yes, if you dremel for too long, it can cause the nail to get hot (imagine grinding metal until it's red hot). If dremeling, file for about 2 seconds, and stop for about 2 seconds to let any heat dissipate


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## Traveler's Mom (Sep 24, 2012)

This is one of those "If I had to do it all over again" subjects. How I wish I had trained Traveler to get use to getting his nails trimmed!
Pulling, growling, mouthing, you name it. Every other month I take him to the groomers for only this procedure. I have learned to hate it worse than him. I pay them $20 each time because he is such a jerk.


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## Apex1 (May 19, 2017)

Armistice said:


> I tried a dremel PediPaws, but leaves the nail even sharper, so will just use clippers
> 
> I think because she's a puppy, they don't file properly with the PediPaws
> 
> And yes, if you dremel for too long, it can cause the nail to get hot (imagine grinding metal until it's red hot). If dremeling, file for about 2 seconds, and stop for about 2 seconds to let any heat dissipate


That is what I have the PediPaws. I was hoping that they would be less sharp. I will just stick to the clippers. 

Thanks all


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## Apex1 (May 19, 2017)

Traveler's Mom said:


> This is one of those "If I had to do it all over again" subjects. How I wish I had trained Traveler to get use to getting his nails trimmed!
> Pulling, growling, mouthing, you name it. Every other month I take him to the groomers for only this procedure. I have learned to hate it worse than him. I pay them $20 each time because he is such a jerk.


I am going through that with ear wash now. It is miserable. I am going way back to how I trained nail trimming in hopes that a few months from now I can clean his ears when need be.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

I’m not sure how dremeled nails could be sharp. Go to this site to see how to dremel: 

http://www.doberdawn.com/doberdawn/dremel.html


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## Armistice (Oct 12, 2017)

dogfaeries said:


> I’m not sure how dremeled nails could be sharp. Go to this site to see how to dremel:
> 
> How to Dremel Dog Nails @ DoberDawn.com


The angle of the PediPaw isn't that great, so it leaves a point on the bottom of the nail which is sharper than when I started. It's also at a point where you can't round it off

My cats have translucent white nails, so I can see their quick and clipping 3 cat's nails takes no time

My pup has dark nails and I can't see the quick, so I'm very worried about hitting it


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## randir14 (Nov 24, 2017)

I trim them because I got sick of paying someone to do what I could do myself.


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