18/07/2026
✂️ One of the most overlooked parts of dog care… nail maintenance.
A lot of people think, “They walk on concrete, so they’ll wear them down themselves.” Unfortunately, that isn’t always true.
I’ll be sharing photos of all three of my dogs’ nails to show the difference.
🐩 Artemas (my puppy) has short, rounded nails because I’ve prioritised nail handling and cooperative care from the very beginning. Puppies are like little sponges, so introducing nail care early makes life so much easier for them later on.
🐕 Jacob (my Pointer) has slightly longer nails than I’d ideally like. I’ve only had him for a year, and his nails were allowed to grow a little longer before he came to me. We’re slowly encouraging the quicks to recede, and they’re improving all the time.
❤️ Roxy’s story is the one that really made me passionate about nail care.
Roxy is now 10 years old and is grooming reactive, so nail trims have never been easy. For years we were told that walking on concrete would naturally keep them short. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.
By the time she was around 8 years old, her nails had become so long they were causing her discomfort. Some had begun curling, her front feet started to slant, she struggled for grip on smooth flooring, and she would often trip over her own nails. As a Basset Hound, her feet already carry a lot of weight, so those long nails also placed extra strain on her joints.
For the last two years, we’ve been working together through cooperative care. Every few days, we gently trim or grind a tiny amount, always at her pace. She tells me when she’s had enough, and I respect that.
They’re still longer than I’d like because her quicks were so overgrown, but we’ve managed to get those quicks to recede significantly. She’s much more comfortable than she was, and I’m incredibly proud of how far she’s come.
🐾 Why does nail length matter?
• Long nails force the toes into an unnatural position.
• They can change the way a dog stands and walks.
• They place extra stress on the joints, tendons and ligaments.
• Dogs can lose traction on smooth floors.
• They can snag, split or even curl into the paw pads.
• In long-bodied breeds like Basset Hounds and Dachshunds, good foot structure is especially important.
The best thing you can do is start young. Even if you don’t need to trim much, teach your puppy that having their paws handled is a positive experience. Your future self, and your dog, will thank you.
If your dog hates having their nails done, don’t panic. There are plenty of ways to build confidence without forcing them through it.
📩 If you’d like help introducing nail care, building cooperative care, or working through a dog that’s nervous about having their paws handled, send me a message or book a training session. I’d be more than happy to help.
