Why to Trim Dog Nails

Trimming dog toenails should be routine and normal basic care for dogs kept as pets. Long toenails (especially those that have started to curl with sharp tips) can be quite dangerous.
Long toenails can grow into a dog’s foot and paw pads, making it painful to walk. Long nails are more likely to rip off and hurt the animal. They are more likely to leave scars and injuries when playing with other animals.
They hurt more when your dog becomes your lap dog sitting on your lap and cuddling. Or when your dog paws you (shakes, etc.). Or paws a child. Or runs into someone or jumps up on someone fetching a Frisbee in the air, etc. Long nails can rip into carpets and your car seats; basically get caught on things easier. They can easily tear materials when digging into their beds or couch to get comfortable. Long nails can actually grow into the paw.

Also, long toenails can start to interfere with regular movement in many breeds. When they are clicking and dragging on concrete and other surfaces, for many dogs that may mean they are too long. Many times dogs can shape toenails with walks, but sometimes they do not get walks that can do that for them, or their feet need more attention than just walks can provide.
Most dog owners can expect to get in the habit of maintaining their dog’s nails as part of their normal care, either themselves or have the dog groomed for nail trimming. Little nubs of nails may not be a desired or decent length for all dogs and not recommended for agility/active dogs, but that doesn't mean a well groomed decent nail length isn't nicer on the dog, for the dog, for other dogs playing with the dog, and the owner too. It is!

I have seen many dogs that won't allow owners to clip/trim/dremel nails, and this is just a shame and can be fixed with training. Especially with a puppy you have a blank slate and need to train the dog to accept touching puppy toes and trimming nails and other normal care grooming so you and also if applicable groomers and vets aren't having to do the dog's toenails with a fight. It shouldn’t be a big deal, and doesn’t take long. Just take a few seconds out of each day to gently mess with your puppy’s paws, check his teeth, check ears, etc.

It is important to be able to groom and go over puppies and dogs to look for problems and get used to handling. This could someday save a dog’s life if the dog has something stuck in their paw or needs to quickly have something removed from their paw and also keep nails a safe length for the dog's sake and those around the dog. Teaching an animal to accept quick and painless grooming is in their best interest and helps prevent unnecessary stress. Trimming a few toenails shouldn't be a big deal, just a normal part of life as a pet dog. Setting a time aside to groom and go over an animal does take a bit of effort and isn't quite as fun as watching a TV show or surfing the Internet, but it is important, prevents accidents, and the best part is that it only takes a few minutes a week or every two weeks to a month depending on your individual dog to keep toenails in proper condition. Happy grooming!
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