I know we say that dogs wear their claws down themselves by walking around, but Penny's claws never seem to - perhaps we don't do enough walking on hard surfaces? I feel like I have to cut them every couple of weeks as she doesn't wear them down enough herself. Is this normal? I can't remember if I saw it on here or somewhere else but someone posted a diagram of what happens to dogs feet when their claws are too long and press into the ground, all the bones of the toes and feet had moved. I hate seeing long claws on dogs, and Penny's are longer than I would like. So if I keep them trimmed regularly they should only just touch the floor right?
Re: Should dogs claws touch the floor? It's good to trim them regularly if they're not wearing down much. It makes the quick retreat so it's not so close to the end of the claw - this is a good thing. Personally I don't like the sound of claws on a hard floor so I would trim if my dog didn't wear his claws down by himself. I would jus keep doing what you're doing
Re: Should dogs claws touch the floor? Yes that's exactly it! Our kitchen and hallway is laminate flooring so I can always hear her when she's walking around at night and in the mornings! I feel like if I cut them too short though she won't be able to grip when running around the field.
Re: Should dogs claws touch the floor? That is a good point, but I wouldn't worry. When their feet hit the ground under force their toes are splayed out and I bet something mechanical happens to the toe joints so the claws are somewhat extended too, relative to just walking around. My dog does seem to deliberately grip with his claws when he is climbing up a fairly steep, paved embankment near our house (it leads to a river....). He does seem to get his feet into a shape that makes his claws grab onto the rock. Kind of looks like it would if we are trying to make a clawed hand with our own hand - that's sort of what he does with his front feet. But his claws are not usually touching the floor that much at home (otherwise I'd trim them as I mentioned). So I don't think Penny will have any problem at all if you keep her claws short
Re: Should dogs claws touch the floor? Rileys dew claws only come into play if he's climbing so I just take them back a little at a time. If I've missed them getting long I do it over a week so that I give the quick a chance to retreat, if I try and take it all off in one go they might bleed. My OH is NEVER allowed to do it after cutting into TWO quicks : we googled to work out what to do and some people recommended flour to help clotting. We duly got a little bag of flour and put Rileys paws in it.....he wasn't keen. Then, still not having learnt my lesson, I left OH in charge. He left Riley on his own with his paw in bag full of flour. I want you to think about this.......young labrador, bag of flour, bloody feet, unattended in a kitchen. It looked like murder in a bakery when I came back just before we got on a ferry to go to the Isle of Wight! The dogs are allowed out of the cars so Riley bled all over the ferry too what a day!
Re: Should dogs claws touch the floor? [quote author=bbrown link=topic=9166.msg131381#msg131381 date=1418980729] I want you to think about this.......young labrador, bag of flour, bloody feet, unattended in a kitchen. It looked like murder in a bakery when I came back just before we got on a ferry to go to the Isle of Wight! The dogs are allowed out of the cars so Riley bled all over the ferry too what a day! [/quote] Oh I'm sorry but I have had right chuckle over 'murder in the bakery' bet it was a frosty crossing over to the Isle Of Wight ;D
Re: Should dogs claws touch the floor? I think I posted something. Was this it? How to trim your dog's nails and why long toenails are harmful to your dog's health.
Re: Should dogs claws touch the floor? My wife will be happy, knowing there's a good reason for keeping Sara on the couch.
Re: Should dogs claws touch the floor? [quote author=drjs@5 link=topic=9166.msg131522#msg131522 date=1419028237] I think I posted something. Was this it? How to trim your dog's nails and why long toenails are harmful to your dog's health. [/quote] Yes that was it! Thanks Jacqui!
Re: Should dogs claws touch the floor? Had a bit of a nightmare this evening!!! So I clipped Penny's claws this morning, all fine, no issues. It gets to bedtime and OH starts winding her up and getting her to run up the stairs to go to bed (she always has a bit of time in bed with me before OH comes to bed and puts her back downstairs). I'm still downstairs feeding the cat and locking up so Penny runs back down to see me. OH calls her back up so off she races, then thunders back downstairs to come see me (she won't stay up there if I'm not there). It's starting to annoy me now as she's racing up and down the stairs which isn't good for her! I got out to the hallway to call up to OH to stop it and notice blood all over my nice cream hallway rug. Then I realise it's all up the stairs! Penny makes a reappearance and her back foot is covered in blood. Panic!! "Come downstairs, there's blood everywhere!" I cry, and OH comes down. I get Penny into the kitchen where it's laminate flooring and not going to bloodstain the carpet any further and check her out. It looks like she must have caught her foot on the bottom of the stair gate whilst she was hoolying up and down as somehow caught the quick, which is now bleeding everywhere! I send OH out to the car for the first aid kit, because of course there's nothing in the house except for my trusty roll of vet wrap. Wondering how I'm going to get her to keep a foot bandage on all night, because of course we don't have a caustic pencil or any cornflour to staunch the bleeding! By the time I find a bandage with a pad the right size for her foot the bleeding has slowed considerably so I make the decision to leave it be. She's cleaning it herself and the bleeding has nearly stopped. OH is trying to wipe the blood off the kitchen floor with some kitchen roll, told him to leave it as I'm not going to bandage her foot and she'll just bleed all over it overnight anyway. So I've put her to bed (no bedtime cuddles for us as I don't want her bleeding on my bed sheets lol) with the kitchen look like one of us got murdered!! I'll mop the floor in the morning and it'll be fine. Anyone got any tips for getting blood out of the carpet???
Re: Should dogs claws touch the floor? Oh my goodness, poor Penny and poor you!! Cold water and soap, don't use hot water. But there might be some commercial cleaners that work well for blood? Don't exactly know....
Re: Should dogs claws touch the floor? What a nightmare! Vanish is pretty good at getting most things out. Good luck!
Re: Should dogs claws touch the floor? Oh dear. someone on Facebook was recommending Tesco Pet Stain and Odour spray yesterday as being brilliant for soft furnishings and carpets but not sure how it would deal with blood. I usually just use Flash wipes. I feel they are pretty good with most stains. Or the cheap non moisturising baby wipes. good luck. and hope Penny is ok.
Re: Should dogs claws touch the floor? Penny's fine this morning - a little sulky at not being allowed on the bed last night perhaps hahaha The kitchen looks like a murder scene and got to do battle with the carpet today. What we do for our dogs eh?
Re: Should dogs claws touch the floor? Vanish gold mixed in the scoop into a paste, then leave it on the blood stains, it bubbles them right out. If your carpet is like ours though, we then had 'stains' of perfect carpet poking through the rest of the generally muggy rug everywhere else! Or for fairly direct application a bar of vanish soap works well too (cheaper too if it's only going to be used to this one time). Pleased to hear Penny is fine again this morning. Bet your hubbie has taken her place in the doghouse though eh.. !!
