# How often do you trim your dogs nails?



## Rescued (Jan 8, 2012)

I try to do it once a week but was just wondering what others did. I try to keep them short enough so that the receding quick doesnt grow back out.

How often does everyone else do it? And do you use clippers or a dremel?


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## Loki Love (May 23, 2010)

Right now, we do it daily but that's because Livia isn't a fan so we are trying to get her used to it. We use the dremel and clippers on her. Loki is done every other day or so - only with a dremel.


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## Jmc1985 (Nov 27, 2012)

Every other weekend is what I'm doing currently. I have one dog who's nails grow super slow so hers don't always need done but this schedule works for the other 4.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Honestly, I suck at trimming Chester's nails. I use a dremel and have taught him (slowly) to accept it. When I got him, I couldn't even touch his feet without him getting snippy. I keep his nails at bay, but they really should be shorter. So maybe a few times per month or enough to keep them smooth and short enough not to affect his walk. The past couple months I have been adding more dremel times as he has made progress in dealing with it.

The current foster Frankie has been doing well with the dremel and I do her nails twice per week. It is easy and keeps them moderately short but nice and rounded so they don't scratch or catch on anything.

I feel much more confident with the dremel than with clippers and I think trying to use clippers in the beginning really hurt my progress with Chester. I know that I accidentally yanked his nails with the clippers and with a dog already nervous about his feet, it set us back a lot. Once I learned about the dremel and slowly started introducing it, things improved.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

Once a week. I do it myself with clippers. For awhile we were taking B to the groomer every few weeks (I quicked her a little and got shy) but that got expensive and her nails grow really fast; the clicking sound bugs me. I decided not to bother trying a Dremel for now; she hates noisy things and seemed terrified of my electric toothbrush, so I know it would be an uphill battle, plus her feet have long hair. Plus, her nails are clear and she is pretty cooperative about the clippers, especially when treats are involved.


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## wishiwas (Mar 3, 2008)

I use a dremel on the dogs once a weekish, sometimes two.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

I try to do it every other day, dremel only. Sometimes I slack and go a few days tho.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Every few weeks, I use a car (to go to the groomers).


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## dagwall (Mar 17, 2011)

I try and dremmel Jubel's nails about every two weeks. Didn't take too much time to get him comfortable with the dremmel and he keeps getting better. Went from treating for each nail to every 2-3 nails, to each foot, now I can do all his nails before treating.

For my foster I take him to the groomers every 4-5 weeks. He is still sensitive about his feet and thinks the dremmel is absolute evil. I've made a lot of progress on handling his feet and a small bit on his fear of the dremmel. I'd like to do his nails myself and save the money but he's still a ways off for that.


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

I try to do the nails every other day with the dremel. Jasper I am using clippers on once a week becasue he hates the sound of the dremel. We are working on it.


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## mzink (Dec 9, 2012)

Bout every two weeks. I use clippers or a dremel, just depends on what I have on hand or which one I can find first lol.


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## Veronika M (Dec 30, 2012)

My dog's nails don't grow that quickly; She can go a few weeks before I decide she can't go any longer without a trim.

Also, she's the sweetest thing, but whenever I pull out the clippers, she struggles and cries and nips and barks. She's always been this way, making nail clipping a tedious chore. =/


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Reading all of these replies is making me wary - we had Snowball for several months before we got his nails clipped. We weren't too worried about it in the summer, since the concrete/being outside should naturally wear down nails. FI asked the vet about it on one trip, we checked on the internet, etc. The standard we've been going by is nail clearance from the ground when standing on all four feet. Is there a more specific way to tell when its time for a trim?


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## samshine (Mar 11, 2011)

My guide is to trim the dogs nails when they start ticking when they trot over kitchen floor. Works out to about every two weeks. We always use a dremel. Hate the clippers and I can never get the nails as short as I do with the dremel.


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## Loki Love (May 23, 2010)

I can't stand to hear the clicking of the nails on the floor - that's our cue to trim. We try to avoid it getting to that point though (which is why we do nearly every day right now) plus trying to get Livia used to the whole nail trimming thing.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

I just do it once a week regardless but I would look at the nails and see if they're getting long and pointy. 

We live in the city and Biscuit gets walked on concrete for several miles a day. That's not enough to keep her nails from clicking on the ground. If you think about it, they have to be long enough to touch the ground to get worn down from walking. 

I don't think clicking on the floor necessarily means the nails are too long. It's just an easy cue.


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## Bethl (Apr 30, 2012)

Oh wow! I totally suck at this end of doggie care !  I let the groomers do it when Roey is groomed every 5 to 6 weeks and thought that it was okay to do it this often. His must grow slow as we don't notice a issue until about the time he is due for a grooming. Okay live and learn - right?  Juliet is 12 weeks old and since she is a Boston she has need need to be groomed (at groomers) except for nails, so time to get her (and myself) use to doing this at home.


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## dagwall (Mar 17, 2011)

Jubel's nails are really tough and don't get worn down on the concret even when we walk a lot on sidewalks, paved paths, and streets. My goal was to get his nails short enough to not click on the hardwood floors but it just slips my mind too easily and that goal has yet to be met. His nails are a decent length but could be shorter if I did them more often.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Snowball's nails click even right after we get them trimmed. A few places on teh interwebz seem to recommend 2-3 weeks, 4-6 weeks, or every couple of months, depending on the activity level, breed/foot shape, and age of the dog. For instance, Danes have relatively flat feet compared to huskies, so their nails would need to be kept shorter, where as huskies the nails are further off the ground.

I didn't know the quick could grow into the nail and get larger. I understand why clipping prevents the quick from growing; is there a way to reduce the size of the quick? Will frequent clips reduce the quick or just prevent it from getting larger?


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## dagwall (Mar 17, 2011)

Frequent trimming/clipping will recede the quick, what I'm slowly working on with Jubel. His quicks are pretty long but had gone back a good bit since I started using the dremmel myself on his nails.

But yes, different dogs are different. Some dogs nails are softer and wear down easily from walks, some grow slowly, some grow fast so the amount of time between NEEDING nail trims can vary. I figure a lot of the people responding here trim/grind as frequent as they do more to keep the nails as short as they'd like and to keep the dog comfortable with hailing their nails done (or working towards the dog being comfortable with it).


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

gingerkid said:


> Reading all of these replies is making me wary - we had Snowball for several months before we got his nails clipped. We weren't too worried about it in the summer, since the concrete/being outside should naturally wear down nails. FI asked the vet about it on one trip, we checked on the internet, etc. The standard we've been going by is nail clearance from the ground when standing on all four feet. Is there a more specific way to tell when its time for a trim?


 A good rule of thumb is the nail shouldnt be touching the ground. This can vary some by breed, 
but the shorter the nail the better. The nails are not used for walking, and when they are long, as the dog picks up the foot or places the foot, a nail, or all of them hit the ground first and can interfere with proper movement. You wont notice anything unless they are VERY long and make the dog lame, but over time, it can change the ligaments, and structure of the foot and leg. Dogs will start trying to compensate, which as we all know how sore and out of wack we feel, when we have a blister for instnace and try to compensate. Imagine months, or years of that. Arthritis...


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

I trim once a week at least. The puppy I do every two days or so for shorter, more positive sessions. 

I clip Recon and Sir's nails, then dremel them down further. I only dremel Frag's nails.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Okay, that's good to know. We do check regularly (once a week) to see whether any of his nails are touching the ground when he is standing. We take him in when they start getting close.

What kind of dremel do you guys use? FI has a rotary tool, but I have a feeling that the RPMs are too high for this application. Any recommendations?


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

gingerkid said:


> What kind of dremel do you guys use? FI has a rotary tool, but I have a feeling that the RPMs are too high for this application. Any recommendations?


I use this as a "groomer"... 

http://www.amazon.com/Dremel-15-Mul...e=UTF8&qid=1356978302&sr=8-18&keywords=dremel


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## kbt_guy (Dec 2, 2012)

Once a week, using a Dremel.


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

I do my 2 a few times a month. With nail clippers and dremel.



Bethl said:


> since she is a Boston she has need need to be groomed (at groomers) except for nails, so time to get her (and myself) use to doing this at home.


You would be surprised at the amount of dog breeds who don't *need* grooming we get in. Bostons, beagles,labs,bulldogs ext. We have atleast 4 a day in for grooming on top of real grooms


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

I use this, also a groomer. And I use it all the way on high. The higher the RPMs, the smoother the vibrations. 120 grit bands. I also do alot of "bath" dogs like bostons, beagles, labs, chi, etc.

www.amazon.com/Dremel-8000-03-10-8-...ie=UTF8&qid=1357006049&sr=1-8&keywords=dremel


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Tankstar said:


> I do my 2 a few times a month. With nail clippers and dremel.
> 
> You would be surprised at the amount of dog breeds who don't *need* grooming we get in. Bostons, beagles,labs,bulldogs ext. We have at least 4 a day in for grooming on top of real grooms


I guess people don't know the difference between a bath and a groom? Even then... surely bathing a short, smooth-haired breed is nothing compared to bathing say... a rough collie or an afghan.


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## Jacksons Mom (Mar 12, 2010)

I always say I'm going to get better with his nails and it never happens. I did buy a dremel recently but have only gotten as far as holding a foot, starting the dremel, treating. Not actually putting the dremel to the nail. He's horrible horrible horrible at getting his nails clipped. Groomer does it every 10 weeks.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Jacksons Mom said:


> I always say I'm going to get better with his nails and it never happens. I did buy a dremel recently but have only gotten as far as holding a foot, starting the dremel, treating. Not actually putting the dremel to the nail. He's horrible horrible horrible at getting his nails clipped. Groomer does it every 10 weeks.


Wow. Ten weeks and his nails aren't painfully long?


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

I clip my dogs nails whenever they begin to make a click on the linoleum .... all except Eddee. He has to go to the vets to have them trimmed. He bites.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

DJEtzel said:


> Wow. Ten weeks and his nails aren't painfully long?


My parents' Griffon hasn't had his nails trimmed in years. Like, over 5 years. He hates it and my dad just never sees the need to take him to have it done. He is walked on concrete all the time and honestly, while his nails do click on the ground, the walking does seem to keep them ground down enough to where they're not pointy or impeding his movement.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

hamandeggs said:


> My parents' Griffon hasn't had his nails trimmed in years. Like, over 5 years. He hates it and my dad just never sees the need to take him to have it done. He is walked on concrete all the time and honestly, while his nails do click on the ground, the walking does seem to keep them ground down enough to where they're not pointy or impeding his movement.


I see it a lot in larger dogs.. There are some dog's whose nails I trim that I only see every six months or so to round the points off because their weight keeps the nails down from running outside and walks... But I've had a small dog and the ones I trim come in every two weeks usually because they are so light that their nails grow SO fast!


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

I check them once every couple of weeks but I don't trim them every time. Especially in the summers when they get more natural wear outside. 

I keep Maisy and Squash's nails a bit longer than most people would like, anyway, I like them to have a bit of grip on soft surfaces for mushing.


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## Miss Bugs (Jul 4, 2011)

whenever I am petting them and I notice they need clipped, Gem and Gyp thats a few times a week to once week, and you'd still swear I never cut them the way they look. everyone else, I go by Misty..if Mstys look long, then everyone's need cut lol, thats usually every couple weeks or so. I could not care less about clicking, I cant stand nubby nails. as long as they are not hurting me or interfering with my dogs feet Im good.


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

I would love to do them weekly, or even bi-weekly... or, you know, EVER, but Hamilton won't have it. I have literally been working on handling his feet/nails since we brought him home at 8 wks, and it has done nothing. He'll shake your hand with either paw, give you a high five, you can hold his paws, but try to clip them and he absolutely wigs out, growls, lunges, etc... You can brush his teeth, clean his ears, give him a bath, rub his belly, flip him over, stick your hands in his mouth, poke him in the face, NO PROBLEM! My baby nephew can grab his ears and his tail and fur and he comes back for more! Try to cut one nail?? Not happening. So once every month or so I bring him to the vet, they muzzle him, and trim them. I'm not thrilled with it and they don't cut them back as far as they could, he's got some white nails so you can see the quick on about half of his nails so no excuse! We tried desensitizing him to the dremmel too, and no dice.


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## Kayla_Nicole (Dec 19, 2012)

Just every couple of weeks. I don't do it myself - she gets them trimmed at the vet or the groomer.


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## lucidity (Nov 10, 2009)

Long nails are one of my biggest pet peeves (my entire house is hardwood/tiled, so when the dogs' nails are long, they CLICK LOUDLY), so mine get theirs trimmed once a week. Any longer than that and they drive me insane with the clicking. I just use a regular dog nail clipper.


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## KodiBarracuda (Jul 4, 2011)

Roonie's nails dont grow very fast, he just gets his nail clipped 4 times a year when he get groomed. (About every three months.)

Lady wears hers down outside, so she never has hers trimmed.

Anytime Kodi's nails get slightly long he chews them shorter, so no trimming for him either.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

gingerkid said:


> I guess people don't know the difference between a bath and a groom? Even then... surely bathing a short, smooth-haired breed is nothing compared to bathing say... a rough collie or an afghan.


 I do more than just bath these breeds. They also have pad hair trimmed, nails filed, ears cleaned, deshedding, thinning of cowlicks, etc. Still a full groom, just not a haircut.  Not everyone wants to, or has the facilities at home to bath their own dogs. And I will gladly take them!


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## Daenerys (Jul 30, 2011)

Faolan and Legend get their nails trimmed once a month. Faolan's nails are at what I consider a perfect length. They do not touch the ground, they're actually a good half an inch off the ground. Since they are white it is really easy to clip them and keep them short. I bathe and groom Legend monthy and his get trimmed then. They are longer than Faolan's but I still manage to keep them a decent length. I should probably trim his more often...


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## Kobismom (Dec 17, 2012)

Hambonez said:


> I would love to do them weekly, or even bi-weekly... or, you know, EVER, but Hamilton won't have it. .... Try to cut one nail?? Not happening.


Kobi is the same way... even as a small dog though, the only time I hear his nails clicking on the wood floors is when he's running after a tennis ball. Just walking on the floor to go out though? We call him the "stealth dog" because he can move around the house without us hearing him at all. Pretty scary actually.

We do take him on multiple walks per day, which is on a lot of concrete walkways, and a long 2-mile walk multiple times a week (he's only 4 months old, so this works for him), so I'm guessing all the walking on the concrete is naturally keeping his nails down.


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## Jenness (May 7, 2012)

KodiBarracuda said:


> Anytime Kodi's nails get slightly long he chews them shorter, so no trimming for him either.


Bella also chews her nails. I think it's common among husky's. She is 14 months old and I have trimmed her nails maybe three times. I read somewhere if you put some cooking grease or whatever on their nails you can teach them to chew them down. I have no idea if this works or if it's safe, but something to look into!


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## nemefeme (Jan 10, 2013)

I take him to the groomer. I don't trust myself with the quick. Once a month; his don't grow that fast.


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## Roloni (Aug 5, 2011)

Once a month..
11 bucks at Petco..or Petsmart...


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

I use a regular dog nail clipper and do it myself about once a month. I just wait until I notice they are getting a little long.


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## Losech (Apr 5, 2011)

It varies with the dog. I don't have to trim Conker's nails as often as Juneau's or Sasha's. Depends on how much outside activity they get, and when the nails start to click on the floor. If I can hear them click, I get out the dremel and grind them shorter. I like to keep them short and round.


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## upendi'smommy (Nov 12, 2008)

Usually once a week.


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## Crash440 (Jan 21, 2013)

I think it is different for every dog. Some dogs' nails grow like weeds, and others hardly grow at all. I am anal with my girl, I dremel hers 1-2 times a week, also to bring her quicks back. And sometimes a dog does better with the groomer than the owner with things like that.

The only time I use a nail trimmer is to cut the tips of the nail off, and then I dremel them down as far as I can! Also, I just got a regular dremel from Menards.


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