Sounds over the top, but the truth is dogs need to have their nails trimmed and filed about every 3 to 4 weeks to avoid potential medical problems. But most dog owners wait too long between nail clippings and don’t even realize that long nails raise health issues.
Dogs walk on the front of their paws, similar to humans walking on their toes. If their nails are too long some dogs will find it difficult to place their full body weight on their feet because of pain. As a result these dogs could develop sore feet, legs, hips and overall discomfort. Just walking can be a painful experience for them. Also, extended growth can result in painful ingrown nails and infections.
But how are you supposed to know how long the nails should be? As a general rule of thumb, if you can hear your dog’s nails clicking on the floor, they are too long.
One of my vets told me that walking on hard surfaces like concrete is the best way for dogs to keep their nails smooth and short. The friction of their nails against hard surfaces helps to limit nail growth and encourage quicks to properly recede away from nail tips. So, dogs taken for regular walks usually require less nail maintenance. I have noticed this with my own dog, the more we walk, the less I have to trim his nails, so pile that on to the numerous benefits of walking your dog.
But keep in mind that no matter how much you walk, all dogs need to have their nails inspected and maintained on a regular basis.
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