How often to trim a puppy's nails

The dachshund is a hunting breed of dog that has gained popularity not only among hunters, but also among ordinary dog breeders.

In the modern world, a dachshund is more of a decorative dog, a companion, a friend, a pet.

Its distinctive features are curiosity, energy, positivity and devotion to its owner.

Characteristic features of appearance are an elongated elongated body, short legs and a sharp muzzle.

The height at the withers of dachshunds is 20-23 cm, weight 7-15 kg, life expectancy 12-15 years.

Do I need to trim my nails?

The answer is clear - yes . And above all, this is necessary for the health of the dog. After all, too long claws can lead to serious injury.

For example, a dog can pull out a claw by accidentally getting caught on something, injure its owner or injure itself. Also, long claws interfere with walking, harden, bend, grow into soft tissues and create many other problems.

In addition, if a dachshund’s claws are never trimmed, then it may develop incorrect paw placement, which leads to dislocations and deformities..

How can I make the procedure more relaxed for my dog?

Before working with your pet, take care of his calm. Remember that your calmness and patience also play a paramount role.

First of all, you need to identify the cause of concern. If the dog begins to get hysterical and break out, then perhaps he has some kind of trauma from childhood associated with his paws. In this case, give your pet a couple of days, more if possible.

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At this time, grab the paws more often, showing that it is not painful or scary. When the animal gets used to it, start bringing scissors to the paw (do not cut it). When starting the process, prepare some treats. If you trim a claw, give it a treat and praise your pet.

As a result of such manipulations, the dog will calmly sit through the entire procedure.

Nails should be trimmed at the correct angle and to a certain point to avoid damaging the paws. Therefore, it is recommended that beginners contact a veterinary clinic or groomer.

Doctors know the right approach without additional manipulations: injections, sedatives, etc. Owners may be asked to be present during the procedure to make the dog feel more comfortable.

At what age can you start?

If the breeder has never trimmed the puppy’s nails, then try to accustom the baby to cutting his nails literally from the first days of his stay in your home.

If you have acquired a 2-month-old baby, then it is quite possible to accustom him to this procedure . After all, the sooner you start, the easier it will be for you in the future, since the pet will not be afraid and nervous.

Expert opinion

Kozhevin Semyon Kirillovich

Expert dog handler.

“Experienced breeders try to start trimming puppies’ nails as early as possible, from about 1.5 to 2 weeks of age. This is necessary so that the baby does not scratch the mother’s mammary glands and she does not refuse to feed. Sometimes, such a haircut is a matter of survival of the whole litter. And since puppies’ nails grow quickly, they are trimmed at least once every 2 weeks. For an adult dachshund, one haircut per month will be enough.”

How often should the procedure be performed?

The frequency of nail trimming depends on the conditions in which the dog lives. If your pet lives in the city and walks along the asphalt sidewalk every day, then you will trim its nails less often.

If you live outside the city, you will have to do this more often..

After all, when walking on a soft earthen surface, the claws do not wear down and can grow to serious sizes, and this is fraught with consequences.

Generally speaking, an adult dachshund's nails should be trimmed once every 3-4 weeks..

How can you tell when it's time for a haircut? By the characteristic sound of claws on the floor. As soon as you hear a clattering noise, you know it’s time to trim your nails.

When to cut

To understand that there is a need to trim the nails, just take a closer look at the dog’s behavior.

If the claws are too long, she:

clicks on the floor louder than usual;
shows signs of discomfort - runs less willingly, stops and begins to gnaw violently on its paw, itches, scratches furniture, floors or walls;
begins to move differently - clumsily tucks its paws so as not to cling.

The frequency with which grooming is performed depends on the individual dog. From how much she loves to run on uneven rough surfaces, from how quickly her epithelium grows, from her breed and size.

Medium dogs - huskies, pit bulls, bulldogs and others, weighing up to 30 kg - require a haircut once a week or two. But it’s better to observe your dog than to rely on averages.

How are claws arranged?

A dog's claw is conventionally divided into two parts - the outer (horny) and the inner (living). In the inner part of the claw there is a pulp (a collection of blood vessels and nerve endings).

If you trim the claw incorrectly, you can hurt the pulp . If this happens, the dog will bleed and the pet will feel pain. It is for this reason that haircuts must be done very carefully.

If the dog's claws are light, then the pulp is clearly visible. In this case, you need to trim it at a distance of 1-2 mm from the living part of the claw.

If the claw is dark, then you will not see the pulp; in this case, try to trim only the very tip.

Why do you need nail trimming?

Dogs' claws can be strong or weak, sharpened or overgrown, dark or light in color. They grow quickly, and when they do not wear down on a hard surface, for example, when pets walk in the arms of their owners or run only on the soft grass of lawns, then the grown claws affect the dog’s movement and deform the shape of the paw.

Nail trimming is an important procedure for show dogs from a very early age, especially for breeds that, in accordance with the requirements of the standard, must have tightly gathered toes and a “balled” paw. As mentioned earlier, overgrown claws disrupt the correct formation of the paw, which can eventually become loose.

The claws wear down naturally on a hard surface, but on the front and hind (in some dogs) limbs there are rudimentary claws on the fifth toe, which are never worn down, since their location does not allow the toe to come into contact with a hard surface. Untimely trimming leads to the fact that during the growth process they become rounded and pierce the paw pad, causing pain and lameness in the pet.

Claws that grow into the skin cause inflammation and infections, and those that do not grow into the skin can break off, which leads to pain in the dog and heavy bleeding.

If there are long claws, the dog begins to step on the paw incorrectly, the natural direction of the toes changes, which in turn puts stress on the joints and ligaments, especially in short-legged dogs, leading to joint damage and dislocations.

What is required for a haircut at home?

A set of necessary tools:

Hemostatic agent. This could be flour, baby powder, or hydrogen peroxide in case you hit a live part of the nail and your dog bleeds.
A nail file is needed to remove irregularities, sharp corners and nicks after cutting.
It is better to purchase a special nail clipper at a pet store or grooming salon.
Cotton pads.
Pet treat. Be sure to reward him if he behaved well during the procedure.

IMPORTANT!

Under no circumstances cut your dog’s nails with regular scissors, otherwise you will not only injure him, but also scare him.

Then cutting will become a real problem.

Basic Rules

To properly trim your dog's nails, follow these rules::

Even if your pet walks on asphalt every day, nail trimming is still necessary, especially if the dog has an accessory digit.
Don’t skimp on a nail clipper; choose not only the most expensive, but also the most convenient device. The main criterion is a comfortable handle and a sharp blade.
If you do not have experience, do not try to trim your dog’s nails in one go, spread out the procedure over several passes.
The best time to trim your dog's nails is after bathing. Warm water will relax your pet, and the claws will be easier to cut.
If hair interferes with trimming nails, be sure to trim it. Otherwise, you will not see what you are doing, which means there will be a risk of injury to the dog.

If you do not have experience, it is better to carry out the first procedure in a salon . An experienced specialist will not only show you how to trim your nails correctly, but will also give you the necessary recommendations.

How to use a nail clipper correctly?

Stages of nail trimming:

Take care of the lighting. The room where you perform the procedure should be well lit.
Reassure the animal as much as possible; it should be in a calm and peaceful state.
Since the dachshund is a small breed, it is better to place it on a table or sit it on your lap.
If your dog is nervous, ask someone in your household to help you.
Start trimming from the hind legs as they are less sensitive.
When carrying out the procedure, try to hold the paw as carefully as possible and do not squeeze the dog’s fingers.
Hold your pet's finger, gently press on it and begin trimming. Hold your paw firmly, but not rigidly.
Grip the tip of the nail in the nail clipper and trim in one motion. Accuracy, dexterity and sharpness of the tool are important here. If the dog is calm, continue cutting; if not, try to calm the pet down, and only then return to the procedure. You may even have to put off cutting your hair for a while. Don't let this scare you, even if you cut one nail a day, nothing bad will happen. But the dog will get used to it and you will be able to do it faster over time.
If you have no experience and are afraid of injuring your dog, trim the nail in sections. First, cut the very tip, then again and again, until a gray or pink “live” area appears. Do not try to cut off as much of the claw as possible right away.
Another way to determine the length of the claw to be trimmed is to take a small flashlight, shine a light through the claw and you will definitely see a blood vessel.
After all the nails are trimmed, take a nail file and file away all the nicks and sharp corners so that the dog does not get injured or experience discomfort.
If everything went smoothly, give your pet a treat, praise it, and pay more attention. This way, the haircut procedure will be etched in her memory as a positive event and this will make your task easier in the future.

Just because your dog's nails are overgrown doesn't mean you can cut off most of them . After all, the pulp extends along with the claw. Be careful not to injure the dog!

How to properly trim a dog's nails with a nail clipper

1. Everything you need is laid out at a convenient distance;
2. The procedure is carried out when the pet is in a good mood, when it is full and has been walked. Trimming a dachshund's nails at home is done in the evening, when the pet is less active.
3. It is necessary to show the animal the tool several times in advance, let it sniff it, in order to then reduce fear to a minimum;
4. So that your four-legged friend does not worry, motivate him with something tasty;
5. During the process, maintain eye contact and speak in a calm voice;
6. Excess hair around the claw should be trimmed;
7. The position of the pet and the person with the nail clipper should be comfortable - without distortions in balance, it is desirable that the paws are approximately at eye level of the owner;
8. Keep your paw above the dog's ankle;
9. It is necessary to inspect the pads and claws and determine the location of the pulp;
10. Maintaining an angle of 45 degrees, trim part of the claw;
11. Use a nail file;
12. Repeat the procedure once a month.

It is worth mentioning separately about situations when a dog does not allow its nails to be cut. What to do? The animal should not be allowed to twitch, and the best way to restrain the dog when trimming its nails is to involve a partner. An aggressive pet, even one as small as a dachshund, must be muzzled.

Owners should remember the importance of trimming their nails once a month. Along with regular walking, games and training, as well as proper nutrition, this is an integral part of proper pet care.

Claw care is not just a hygienic procedure: the pet’s health also depends on its timeliness and quality. Overgrown claws can grow into the soft pads of the paws, leading to inflammation and suppuration.

Often the claws of the dewclaws, growing and bending, dig into the skin and muscles, until the blood vessels rupture. The springy gait is lost, posture, coordination of movements and general muscle tone are disturbed, since the main emphasis during movement falls not on the base of the paws and fingers, but on the claws.

This is especially dangerous for puppies with an unformed constitution: as a result, it may lead to dislocation (incorrect placement of paws), dislocation, which can be quite difficult to correct.

Without care, the risk of injury (cracks, chips, breakage) becomes high. The damaged integrity of the integument is a gateway for the penetration of pathogenic microflora: purulent inflammation develops, sometimes developing into necrosis of adjacent tissues, which can lead to amputation of a finger, and sometimes the entire paw.

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Against the background of these problems, household ones look petty, but still cause a lot of trouble to their owners: clicking on the parquet, scratching interior items or the owner of the animal.

Why don't everyone's claws grind down?

Healthy claws are always shiny, dense, evenly colored along their entire length, and have a semicircular shape with the ends directed toward the ground. As they grow, they should wear down naturally, but in the absence of daily walks, low mobility of the pet, constant spending time in greenhouse conditions or in the hands of the owners, this does not happen, so our intervention is required.

The same dachshund, miniature pinscher, fox terrier and other active breeds are something that few owners would think of putting into their heads or litter trays. But many Yorkies, Pekingese, St. Petersburg orchids and not every day. And sitting at home, you can’t grind your claws off on the carpet.