Plan to trim your puppy's nails at least weekly. Nails need to be trimmed when you can hear those toes tapping on the floor. If you or your puppy is new to this process, don't expect to get through all of those nails in one sitting. Instead, plan to do a couple of nails, or just one paw during a single session.
The first piece of advice is this: Begin early. Don't wait until your puppy is 6 months old to trim his nails. Begin trimming the first week it comes home, even if there isn't much to trim, and trim the nails weekly to get the pup accustomed to this routine.
It is best to clip your puppy's nails once a week, and only when using professional nail clippers that are designed for the shape of a dog's nails (they are markedly different from human or cat nails).
Reasons to Trim Dog Nails
Nails that are too long are at risk of being torn off, such as if your dog's nail gets caught on a piece of carpeting or furniture. This can result in an injury that might require veterinary care if it's serious enough. Longer dog nails also make it harder for dogs to walk around comfortably.
Taking your dog for regular walks, including on hard surfaces such as pavements, will help to shorten their claws, but may not be enough to keep them as short as they should be.
Anatomy of a Nail
Just like human nails, dogs do not have any feeling in the nail itself, but the quick contains a nerve that transmits sensations back to the brain. When trimming the nail, it is important to stay far enough from the quick to avoid causing pain or drawing blood.
A dog's nail consists of the living pink quick and the hard outer material called the shell. The quick supplies blood to the nail and runs through the core of it. Nerves in the quick cause bleeding and discomfort when cut.
Luckily, most groomers and veterinary clinics offer nail trimming services, so the owner doesn't have to do it; however, this comes at an extra expense and some dogs are even more stressed out by getting their nails professionally done instead of by someone they already trust in their home.
You should bathe your puppy about no more than once a month unless necessary. Puppies and adult dogs have natural oils in their coat to prevent their fur from getting brittle or damaged and to keep it soft and silky. Bathing your dog too often can strip away those oils.
Filing dog nails provides more control and less chance of damaging the quick. Regular nail trims also prevent a painful condition where the nerve and blood supply extends into overgrown nails.
Flat clippers for human nails aren't just the wrong shape for your dog, they more easily hurt and damage your dog's nails. Guillotine clippers are the perfect size and shape to cleanly cut through a dog's nail. You've got the right clippers, now make sure they're sharp.
Crate Your Puppy Overnight
Lincoln says the easiest and nearly full-proof way for training a puppy to sleep through the night is to use a dog crate. Place the crate near your bed in an area close to you. Start by putting your puppy in the crate for a bit before it's time to go to sleep.
The instant you feel your puppy's teeth touch you, give a high-pitched yelp. Then immediately walk away from him. Ignore him for 30 to 60 seconds. If your puppy follows you or continues to bite and nip at you, leave the room for 30 to 60 seconds.
So long as your dog is healthy, well-trained and isn't waking you up frequently in the night, feel free to let your pup sleep where they like. Whether or not your pup even wants to be in your bed might just be one of the things your dog wishes you knew.
In some cases, the nails can also split down to the quick. Not only would that be painful, but there would be a high risk of infection. Finally, it can affect their ability to stand and walk. Left long enough, it can even cause bone deformities.
Like us, it is ideal to brush your dog's teeth at least twice daily. For many dogs, once brushing becomes a part of their daily routine they will begin to expect and enjoy it. Brushing three times a week is the minimum recommendation to help remove plaque and prevent tartar accumulation.
First, gently hold your dog's paw in your hand. While looking down at your dog's semi-transparent nails, locate the pink region in the center of each nail. This pink area showing through the outside of the nail is the quick. It's that simple!
Ask for a sedated nail trim.
Unless there is a medical reason not to sedate your dog, your vet should be able to do a sedated trim. Being sedated should make the nail trim process less traumatic for your pup.
Nail Basics - The nail of a dog has a blood supply and a nerve Inside of it; this is sometimes referred to as the "Kwlk". When trimming a dog's nail you must try not to cut the nail to short and cut Info this area. If you do cut into this area you will cause pain and the nail will bleed.
But in all honesty, there's no 'right time' for a puppy to go to sleep, as long as it's the same every night. While this may be the case, do note that your puppy will need, on average, around 8-10 hours of sleep per night.