How Long Should Dog Nails Be (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 0.2 cm to 1.5 cm

When one wants to buy a pet, they must take care of the pet very well so that they are mentally and physically well. The food they eat, their entire diet plan, how well they exercise and how well they are trained, their healthcare plans all matter a lot. The healthcare and diet plans of every pet differ and so it is crucial to make sure the pet gets the right care.

Not only diet and medical plans, but the grooming of the pets also matter. Bathing them at the right intervals, washing their fur, and even trimming their claws if they have them also matter. Most of the animals have claws, and when pets like dogs and cats have very long claws, it can be really dangerous for both the owners and the pets.

How Long Should Dog Nails Be?

Many people don’t know that the claws of dogs must be trimmed. When the claws are trimmed, it will keep the dog’s feet comfortable and healthy, and this will also make sure they don’t bang their nails against anything and bleed out in pain. Nails of dogs should be trimmed off after a certain length. Some people prefer visiting a pet salon, while some have more experience and choose to trim the nails by themselves.

It is always better to visit a groomer to trim the nails of dogs since they can accidentally scratch the owners. The sign that the nails need trimming is that the nails hit the floor and start making sounds and scratches. When dogs walk, run and move around with long nails, it can cause splintering and splitting. After the nails are splintered, the veterinarian will have to use pain medications, sedation to control the pain and remove the hangnail.

When the splintered nail is left untreated, it can cause infection, and so it must be cleaned and bandaged. This will prevent the infection from spreading. Nail care for dogs is very crucial for old dogs and also dogs with arthritis. When dog nails are trimmed, they will also protect your belongings and your floors.

Why Should Dog Nails Be That Long?

Overgrown nails can also get caught on some things and this will create unnecessary pain. On the other hand, when a dog doesn’t have sufficient nails, that could also lead to many issues. The nails of dogs should be trimmed well within the paw just enough to be seen, and not more than that. When dogs have long hair or fur, it will be very hard to notice the nails growing, but once those nails grow beyond the paw pad, it certainly is too long.

Never cut into the nail quickly because it is the place nerves are located and blood supply to the nerves are passed through, so when a person hits them, it will hurt the dog. Another reason why the nails must be trimmed is that when the nails grow, the quick also grows along with it and when something like this happens, the nails will be harder to trim short again.

When the nails curl over the paw, the nails are considered extremely overgrown and thus, it is time the dogs got a manicure and a pedicure. Another important thing that everybody forgets, is the dewclaw, which is actually located higher on the dog’s legs, and it also has nails.

Conclusion

Since the nails in the declaw do not hit any sort of pavement and don’t come in contact with anything while the dogs walk, they tend to grow very fast and curl over, which can hurt the dog more than the owners. These nails also need to be trimmed regularly. The average length of dog nails is about 0.2 to 1.5 cm. The nails must be at least 0.2 cm and should not be longer than 2 cm.

Some signs indicate that the nails need trimming, and some of them include the dog scratching you, the nails clicking on the floor, and if the dog looks like he is tiptoeing. The nails will start curling over their paws, and the dog will show signs of limping.

References

1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1053/jvet.2003.50008
2. https://journals.lww.com/pedorthopaedics/Fulltext/2009/01000/Surgical_Treatment_of_Scoliosis_in_Marfan.10.aspx