Why Nail Care Matters for Your Dog
If you’re a doting dog owner, you probably take good care of your pup in many ways. From quality food to plenty of playtime and affection, you aim to provide a fulfilling life for your furry friend. But amid the fun walks and cuddling, it’s easy to overlook another important aspect of care: their nails.
Though they might go unnoticed, your dog’s nails directly impact their health and comfort. When nails get too long, they can snag and tear, causing pain and injury. Excess nail growth can also change how your dog walks, potentially leading to joint issues over time. That’s why consistent, gentle nail care is a key part of responsible dog ownership.
But with busy lives, nail trims can easily fall by the wayside. An ideal solution is to let your dog’s nails naturally wear down during daily activity. But does regular walking actually file those nails? Let’s take a closer look.
How Dogs Naturally Wear Down Nails
In the wild, dogs’ nails get worn down from daily activity on abrasive surfaces. As they walk and run on dirt, rocks, and other natural ground cover, the friction files their nails down. Digging and scratching to build dens also wears away nail length over time. Even without access to hard outdoor surfaces, dogs have ways of keeping their own nails short. They may chew or gnaw at their nails, essentially filing them down with their teeth. Dogs also scratch and paw at surfaces, grinding their nails against whatever is available. In their natural environment without human intervention, a combination of behaviors and exposures keeps nails at an appropriate length for the breed, activity level and terrain.
Does Walking on Different Surfaces File Nails?
The type of surface your dog walks on can impact how much their nails get naturally worn down. Hard, abrasive surfaces like concrete sidewalks and asphalt roads tend to grind down nails more than softer surfaces like grass or dirt trails.
When a dog walks on hard, textured surfaces like concrete or asphalt, the friction wears their nail tips down a bit with every step. The rougher and more uneven the surface, the more filing action occurs as the nails make contact and drag across the ground. That’s why concrete sidewalks and roads seem to file nails faster than smoother surfaces like tile or wood floors.
In contrast, soft surfaces like grass, dirt and sand trails provide less friction and abrasiveness. While walks across these softer terrains help wear down nails a little, they don’t file them as aggressively or quickly as hard, textured surfaces.
So while all types of surfaces help wear down nails to some degree, frequent walks on abrasive concrete or asphalt will grind them down the fastest. To optimize nail filing, try to regularly walk dogs on sidewalks, paths and roads made of these harder materials.
Other Factors That Impact Nail Wear
Walking alone does not tell the whole story when it comes to filing a dog’s nails. There are other key factors that come into play as well, such as:
Breed
Some breeds are more active than others and thus put more wear on their nails through everyday activity. Herding breeds like Border Collies or Australian Shepherds who were bred to work all day tend to wear their nails down faster than breeds bred to be lapdogs. The amount of activity a breed was bred for can impact how much their nails get naturally worn.
Weight
Heavier dogs put more pressure on their nails when walking and engaging in activity. The more a dog weighs, the more friction occurs when their paws hit the ground, filing down the nails more quickly.
Overall Activity Level
A highly active dog that gets a lot of exercise will exert more wear on their nails than a sedentary lapdog. The frequency and intensity of a dog’s activity throughout the day impacts how quickly their nails get filed down. A dog constantly running around outside will file their nails faster than one who primarily lays around inside.
When Might More Nail Care Be Needed?
Although walking your dog will naturally help file their nails in many cases, there are times when more nail care may be required. Some signs that your dog’s nails are getting overly long include:
- Clicking or tapping sounds when they walk on hard floors
- Difficulty gripping slick surfaces and/or sliding around
- Nails curling under or twisting to the side
- Your dog seeming hesitant to go on walks
Allowing nails to grow too long can pose risks for your dog such as:
- Pain and discomfort in their paws
- Throwing off their gait and posture
- Increased chance of nails splitting or breaking
- Issues walking, running, jumping, and playing
- Ingrown nails if they start to grow into the paw pads
If you notice any of the above signs, it’s a good indication that your dog’s nails may need some additional filing or clipping beyond just their daily walks. Keeping their nails trimmed will help ensure their paws stay happy and healthy.
Tips for Filing Nails While Walking
While regular walks can naturally wear down your dog’s nails over time through friction with sidewalks and trails, some additional tips can help maximize the nail filing that occurs during walks:
– Consider using booties with abrasive surfaces like rubber treads to provide additional filing action as your dog walks. The extra friction from textured booties can grind nails down more efficiently.
– Opt for walking on rougher paved trails and sidewalks rather than smooth surfaces. The bumps and inconsistencies in rougher paths create more abrasion to wear nails down.
– Going on longer walks gives your dog’s nails more time for filing against surfaces. Extending the walk duration can help take full advantage of the nail filing benefits.
Implementing strategies like abrasive booties, rougher terrains, and longer walks makes the most of the natural nail maintenance that happens when you walk your dog. The extra friction and grinding helps keep nails trim.
Active Nail Filing While Walking
One way to be more active in filing your dog’s nails while walking is to use special nail clippers or files designed for this purpose. There are handheld nail grinders and nail clippers that are portable and easy to use while out on a walk with your pup.
Get your dog comfortable with having their nails handled frequently. This makes using nail tools during a walk less stressful. Give your dog treats as you gently touch their paws and nails often. Work up to briefly using the grinder or clipper on walks as your dog remains calm. Go slowly to keep the experience positive.
Try touching their nails with the tool without actually grinding at first. Once your dog is comfortable with holding and touching their paws and nails, you can start using the nail grinder or clipper briefly on walks. Only do a few nails at a time, allowing your dog to be successfully desensitized to the sensation.
With patience and positive reinforcement, your dog can learn to tolerate brief nail grinding or clipping during walks. This takes advantage of motion to naturally help wear down nails in conjunction with manual filing. However, never force it if your dog remains anxious or resistant.
Other Nail Maintenance Tips
In addition to relying on walks to naturally file down nails, you may need to do some extra nail maintenance at home between walks. Here are some tips:
At-home filing techniques: Using a nail file or emery board, gently file your dog’s nails. Work slowly and carefully to avoid hitting the quick. Only file a little bit off the very tips of the nails at a time. Give your dog treats to keep them calm and distracted during the process.
Vet nail trims: Many veterinarians offer nail trimming services, typically for a small fee. They use clippers designed for dog nails and can clip closer to the quick than most owners safely can. Let them know if your dog struggles with nail trims so they can take extra caution.
Nail grinding tools: Nail grinders are rotary tools that use a sanding drum or band to slowly grind down the nail. They reduce the risk of hitting the quick compared to clippers. But introduce them slowly, as the vibration and noise can startle some dogs. Work carefully to avoid overheating nails.
Signs Walking Is Filing Nails
There are a few signs that indicate your dog’s nails are gradually being worn down from walking:
-
Worn Down Nail Tips: If the nail tips appear blunted or rounded from wear, then walking is helping file them. The tips won’t be sharp anymore.
-
Smoother Nails: Nails that walking has helped file will not have rough edges or uneven surfaces. Instead they will be smooth to the touch.
-
Sound of Nails on Floor: If your dog’s nails make a soft clicking sound on hard floors rather than loudly clacking or scrabbling, it means the nails are nicely filed down.
Pay attention to these signs when walking your dog. If you notice the nails becoming worn, you can feel confident that the walking is passively filing them down over time. Just be sure to monitor nail length and look for any problems like cracking.
Conclusion
In summary, walking dogs does naturally help file down their nails to some degree, but the extent depends on several factors. Surface types, length of walks, breed, and activity levels all impact how much a dog’s nails get naturally worn down from walking. It’s still important to monitor your dog’s nail length and health. If their nails are getting too long, you may need to supplement walks with additional nail care like filing or trimming.
Pay attention to your dog’s nails and look for signs their walks are adequately filing them, like dullness and decreased sharpness. Well-maintained nails are an important part of your dog’s health. By being aware of their nail condition and implementing supplemental filing when needed, you can ensure your dog’s nails stay neatly trimmed from their daily walks.