How to Trim Dog Nails – How Soon and How Often

Last time, we talked about the different types of dog nail trimmer types, equipment which will come in handy when trimming the nails of one’s dog.

This time let’s talk about the frequency and the whens involved in dog nail trimming, particularly on how soon and how often one should trim the nails of a dog.

How soon should nail trimming sessions be enforced upon dogs?

It is highly advisable to get started as early as possible, giving your dog time to get used to the idea of nail trimming.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you start trimming nails even before a puppy learns to walk! Once a puppy and his/her nails are sharp enough, it’s best to put in the nail trimming habit into them, assuring them that there’s nothing to fear when you hold his/her paws and do what you do with them with your nail trimmer.

This would greatly help you and your dog during future nail trimming sessions, and as an activity, it is also an avenue where you and your dog can share a bond between each other.

How often should one trim a dog’s nails?

There really is no universal answer to how often one should trim a dog’s nails, only that the frequency is dependent on the dog in question.

With the amount of time a dog gets to wear down his/her nails and the amount of time his/her nails grow, doing a simple test helps determine if it is time to trim a dog’s nails: if a dog’s nails touch the floor while he/she is standing, it is time.

Generally speaking, trimming your dog’s nails once a month is good. Also, know that the nails of a dog’s hind legs tend to grow slower compared to a dog’s front legs, and balancing the amount you trim with trimming sessions is a good move with all of your dog’s paws.

Don’t overdo dog nail trimming practices. Position and space the time between trimming sessions properly, since over trimming your dog’s nails could prove to be a problem for your dog in his/her day to day activities.