Gun Dog Forum

I have never trimmed my dogs toe nails. I hear folks talking about having their dogs toenails trimmed. My dogs have always had free run of my 2.5 acres and all were very active. When or why trim toe nails?

If they get too long they could break or get caught and be pulled out completely.

If your property has hard or rocky ground they could stay short on their own. Really depends. The longer they grow the longer the quick gets and it becomes harder to trim them.

Dewclaws have to be trimmed because they grow in a circle and get caught on things very easily and they also scratch people. They get pulled out all the time and it is extremely bloody.

oldbeek wrote:I have never trimmed my dogs toe nails. I hear folks talking about having their dogs toenails trimmed. My dogs have always had free run of my 2.5 acres and all were very active. When or why trim toe nails?

If you didn't have 2.5 acres for the dogs to run you would probably understand about trimming nails. I live on a 100'x140' lot. If I run my dog on the bike path with me I don't have to trim nails as she wears them down. But other times I have to trim them or they become too long and could break and become an issue in the field. If the dog isn't wearing them down I need to trim every couple weeks.

Besides breaking them, and more importantly nails that grow too long can change the locomotion of the dog setting it up for injury to the foot and joints as well as reducing stamina. Long nails can also change the way a dog stands on its feet sometimes causing breakdown of the foot itself.

I keep my dogs on a cement pad and never need to clip toenails. When I have a new litter of puppies their little toe nails get sharp as they grow, so I clip them for the socialization process.

Steve

My dog doesn't run much on pavement, it is all lawns and a state park that is nearly a lawn as much grass as it has. I trim her nails every 3 weeks or so. If I don't they get excessively long.

She hates it but is a trooper, holds out her paw and looks away

Nails should be kept a lot shorter than most people realize.

Moderately long nails can throw off the stance and angles of articulation. It is actually a big deal for active gundogs. Not keeping the nails well trimmed can either lead to, or exacerbate, orthopedic problems.

Counting on a dog to wear down its own nails is not wise. Better to pay them close heed and trim (or dremel) regularly.

Bill

I am getting the picture. Now for a 35 lb Brittany, can anyone tell me optimal length.

oldbeek wrote:I am getting the picture. Now for a 35 lb Brittany, can anyone tell me optimal length.

If you hear them click when walking on concrete or a hard surface in your house they are too long.

ACooper wrote:

oldbeek wrote:I am getting the picture. Now for a 35 lb Brittany, can anyone tell me optimal length.

If you hear them click when walking on concrete or a hard surface in your house they are too long.

Correct. And one shouldn't wait until they are too long before one trims (or grinds) them. Being able to hear them means they have already gotten too long. Best to act before then.

Most dog's nails are kept way too long. Generally it is not possible to get them to the desirable short length in one step (as one risks hitting the quick). So it is best to reduce the length gradually and regularly. The quick will recede as the nails are progressively shortened.

I think a dremel tool is a great alternative to clippers, especially with dogs with dark nails (whose quicks are difficult to see).

Bill

My spaniel keeps his worn down, I think I have only ever trimmed them once or twice when he was a pup. My dachshund on the other hand needs to be done constantly. Her nails grow very fast and get quite curled if left.

You can run your own nails on the underside of your dog's nails. You should feel/notice a click or catch on the underside. This is the indicator you can use to determine where to clip regardless of how transparent the nail is. Clip on the nail tip side of this indent. Once you get a feel for this, it becomes a reflex process - simple, easy, quick, effective.
Not keeping them as required can lead to serious issues as was already mentioned. Nothing worse than making a long trip to a destination only to have your dog split or snap off a nail to the point of debilitation.

oldbeek wrote:I am getting the picture. Now for a 35 lb Brittany, can anyone tell me optimal length.

When the dog is standing on a flat solid surface the nails should not be contacting the surface. If they are, they are too long.

http://www.dfordog.co.uk/blog/how-to-cu ... nails.html

To pick where to clip on my opaque black nailed GWP, I just clip them at the point they start to hook downwards. It keeps them fairly sharp for traction on a hill, but no contact with the ground on a flat surface. I'm jinxing myself, but doing that method I have never drawn blood.