Have Your Supplies Handy
Have your newly purchased nail clippers and any other supplies you may need at your fingertips. This way you dont have to keep running into another room to get different items after you get into the nail clipping groove.
The items you should have next to you can include nail clippers, nail file, styptic powder , and dog treats to reward your GSD for being good for their manicure.
My Dog Has A Long Coat How Often Should I Wash Him
A long-coated dog will need a good brushing about once or twice a week to keep the dirt out of their fur and skin troubles at bay. You will also want to brush your dog on his stomach and under his legs where the fur is shortest. These areas become dirty quickly and can cause skin problems if you do not keep them clean. You should brush your dog before you bathe him and make sure that all the extra fur is gone. If you give him a bath after he already has a lot of fur thats been brushed off, this will be very bad for his skin and fur.
So there you have it! Make sure your dogs coat is brushed before their baths, make sure they sweat out any excess water when they go outside to play, and make sure you arent using too much soap or shampoo on them. Good luck taking care of your dogs fur and skin!
How To Trim Dogs Foot Hair
Brush up long hairs between the toes then use scissors to trim the hair around the top area of your dogs foot and the paw. You should only use blunt-nosed safety scissors when trimming your dogs fur.
Avoid trimming the hair between the toes.
If this is the first time youre trimming your dogs hair, and youre unsure, its better to bring them to your local vet clinic or groomer for assistance.
Other body areas that may require regular trimming include:
- Eye area.
- Hair around the chin and lower jaw.
- Hair mats and tangles.
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What Is The Quick In My Dogs Nail
I know some of you must be wondering whats the quick that you been hearing reading about in the above statements. The quick is located in the inner part of your dogs nail, inside contains a blood vessel and nerve its hard to see when your dog had dark dark nails but if your dog had light nails it would be visible to see.
The quick is usually pink but like I said if your dark nails are dark like a German Shepherd you will not see it however you will notice it once you cut the nail.
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The 3 Shapes Of German Shepherd Paws: Cat Feet Hare Feet And Webbed Feet
Standards are what breeders should aim for in appearance. But the way a German Shepherds feet or paws look shouldnt be the deciding factoring for breeding when the German Shepherd temperament and personality, along with health, is more important to the breed and owners.
Despite the compact standard, there are actually other ways a German Shepherds paws can look.
German Shepherd paws come in three basic shapes:
- cat shape
- hare shape
- webbed feet
Each shape is suited to particular tasks and ground. Lets take a look at each of the foot types a German Shepherd could have.
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How Often Should You Trim Your Dogs Nails
According to the ASPCA, a dog needs a nail trim when their toenails just about touch the ground when he or she walks. If your dogs nails are getting snagged on the carpet or clicking across the linoleum, its time for a trim.
As far as how many weeks to wait between nail trims, the answer is a bit more complex. After all, different dogs nails grow at different rates. Whats more, some dogs wear down their nails through regular activity and need less-frequent trims.
In general, how frequently you should trim your dogs nails depends on their lifestyle and activity level. City or suburban dogs that regularly walk on pavement are grinding their nails down naturally day to day, so they may not need frequent trims. On the other hand, even super-active country dogs need bi-weekly or monthly nail trims because their grass- or dirt-covered walks dont wear down their nails.
Does A German Shepherd Need A Haircut
Animal file: German Shepherd
The German Shepherd is a beautiful medium to large-sized dog which has two coat variations. While all dogs of this breed will have a double-layered coat, this can be either medium or long in length. There are different types of German Shepherds according to their coat color, but not all are recognized by official breed standard organizations. Perhaps it is the fact some German Shepherds have medium-length hair and others long hair which leads to dog guardians asking does a German Shepherd need a haircut?
At AnimalWised, we will show you that all dogs will need to be groomed whether they have long, medium-length or no hair. However, for the German Shepherd, this should not include cutting their hair. There are some circumstances where it may be necessary, but in most cases other German Shepherd grooming practices should be sufficient.
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What To Know About German Shepherds And Their Nails
German Shepherd Dogs are medium-large sized of the canine breed that belongs to the herding/ Guarding category of working dogs. They are more like security breeds, very intelligent, energetic and versatile. The German Shepherd breed was birthed in Germany to guard a shepherds flocks.
The shepherd dogs have a lot of agility, strength, elasticity and long, elegant strides due to their physical body built. They are long around the range of between 22 and 26 inches, proportional to its height.
Over the years the shepherd dogs have been used different capacities by humans, such as guard dog, police dog, war dog, guide dog, search-and-rescue breed, explosives- and narcotics-detecting breed and show dogs.
As part of the breeding process, you must enroll your shepherd pup on frequent exercise and training sessions to keep his physical, mental body fitness normal.
You should brush its coat once or twice a week to keep him clean and healthy. Clean and trim his nails regularly to avoid nailbed infection, cracks or splits, and other nail disorders.
Slowly Place The Grinder Onto The Nail
Start the grinder off at the slowest speed until you are accustomed to the process. Begin with the lowest part of the nail tip and make your way up. Apply gentle pressure to grind the nail.
Be careful not to leave the grinder on your dogs nail for a long time. The spinning motion of the grinder creates a lot of heat, so grind for a few seconds then come off the nail to prevent discomfort to your pooch.
Continue this process until the sharp tip is trimmed away on all nails. This could take a little time.
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Things You Should Know About The German Shepherd
So youre thinking about getting a new dog or puppy and you have several things on your list that are must haves: loyalty, intelligence, and protection. A German Shepherd certainly fits into all of those categories and more. However, German Shepherds do require a little extra work. Before adding a German Shepherd to your family, its good to become acquainted with their unique characteristics. Here are 13 things that I think any future German Shepherd owner should know.
Before adding a German Shepherd to your family, its good to become acquainted with their unique characteristics.
Contents
Taking Care Of Your German Shepherds Toenails
If your German Shepherds nails get in the way of their movement, this is a good time to get them cut. You can either do them yourself or take them to a vet or a groomer if you dont feel confident.
It is important to be careful when you are cutting your German Shepherds nails, as inside each nail is what is called the quick which is extremely sensitive pink flesh that holds the blood vessels and the nerves that go into the nails.
If you cut into the quick, this will cause bleeding and extreme pain for your dog. It will also make it incredibly difficult to cut their nails in the future.
To cut your German Shepherds nails, use a sterile pair of scissors to avoid infection and gently trim the very ends of the nails off this might take longer, but it is better to cut off too little than too much.
After cutting the nails, give your German Shepherd a treat so that they have positive associations with the experience.
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General Guidelines For How Often To Trim Your Dogs Nails
Now that we understand what can affect the frequency of your specific dogs nail trimmings, here are some general guidelines to keep in mind for understanding how often you should cut a dogs nails:
- A good rule of thumb is that you should trim your dogs nails as often as it takes to prevent their nails from touching the ground when theyre standing.
- If you can hear your dogs nails clicking on the floor, they need to be trimmed.
- Dogs front nails tend to grow faster than their back nails, so you may not need to cut their rear nails as frequently as their front ones.
What Affects Dog Nail Growth And Nail Trimming Frequency
- The type of surface your dog spends most of their time on: Are they indoor mostly and only touching carpet? Outdoors on grass or dirt? Or do they go for frequent walks on asphalt or concrete?
- How much time their feet actually spend on the ground: Do they spend most of their day in your arms or on the couch? Or do they get around under their own power?
- What they eat: Your dog’s nutrition, particularly the balance of certain minerals and vitamins can have an impact on the health and growth rate of your dog’s nails.
- Certain health conditions: Dogs can get nail bed infections, auto-immune disorders, and tumors that can affect the health and growth rate of their nails.
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Place Your Shepherd At A Workable Level
Shepherds like to be in control. Unless you have reached an exceptional level of mutual comfort handling your dogs paws and nails, you can most easily gain leverage by placing your Shepherd on a table or other sturdy elevated surface.
Groomers use tables because it is easier to work when everything is at eye and hand level, and it gives the pet something to worry about other than what you are doing.
Moreover, dogs are smart, and they quickly begin to associate the table with the fact that you need to conduct serious business with them.
Some dogs enjoy grooming and brushing and may look forward to getting on the table. Others resign themselves to cooperate.
A connection for a leash gives you, even more, authority and control. Discouraging your Shepherd from jumping off the table will prove invaluable.
The Average German Shepherd Lifespan
The lifespan of a German Shepherd will vary depending on each dogs overall health and the care they receive throughout their life.
Though 10-12 years is the standard, there are ways to keep your Shepherd in the best shape possible, and help increase the likelihood of your furry friend to beat the standard age.
Below, well go into detail on the multiple ways you can prolong your GSDs life, and what to expect.
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What All Does At Home Grooming Involve
Though grooming is often categorized as brushing and cleaning of the coat only, there is much more that you can do to maintain your German Shepherds outward appearance.
A well-rounded grooming of a GSD includes maintaining their coat, trimming their nails, cleaning their ears, keeping up with their dental health, and a few other tips that we will discuss in this article.
Though this may sound tedious, it is all made easier if you follow a simple routine. By setting aside days and times for grooming, it can all begin to flow naturally throughout your day.
If you want to make sure you are taking care of all of your dogs grooming needs, then take a look at some of the tips below.
Final Tips For Clipping Gsd And Puppy Nails
Keeping your dogs nails trimmed is very important, but the task can be daunting to those who have never tried it.
If you have a puppy, just start with playfully putting them on their back and checking their paws. You’ll be happy that your dog already knows part of the drill when they get a little older, then you’ll only have to add the cutting process. Normally cutting puppy nails will be fairly easy, just don’t overdo it.
Hopefully, this article has helped you to better understand your dogs nails and how you can properly trim them.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
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Interesting Points About Dog Nail Problems To Consider
- Dogs should not bite at their nails to trim or shorten them. If your dog is biting at a single nail or multiple nails, he or she is most likely itchy around the nails.
- Trauma to nails may happen in various formshuman error during nail clipping can lead to problems.
- Be gentle and careful while trimming dog nails. Learn the correct technique from your veterinary technician or groomer, if needed.
- For black nails, it is tough to ascertain the length a nail should be trimmed. Trim conservatively if in doubt, or trust your groomer with the nail trimming.
- Indoor dogs and dogs that walk only on soft surfaces may have longer nails due to less wear on the nails.
- Dont forget the dewclaw nail . Also check and regularly trim this nail.
- Handle your dogs paws often and check for nail health and foreign material in paw hairs will help you keep on top of good pedal health for your dog. Check your pets paws at least 1-2 times a week. This also helps your dog trust you in case if you need to evaluate his or her paws, in case of a problem.
Creative Commons Attribution: Permission is granted to repost this article in its entirety with credit to VetDERM Clinic and a clickable link back to this page.
Why Its Important To Trim Your Dogs Nails
via MOODY AIR FORCE BASE
Ill be honest: Ive been lazy about trimming my dogs nails in the past. Unfortunately, it led to some minor injuries, including a torn dew claw. My poor dog had to be anesthetized so the vet could safely remove and cauterize his torn nail. It wasnt fun for either one of us.
Trimming your dogs nails protects them from potential injury and infection. Long nails catch easily and can break or tear, causing pain and veterinary expense like I experienced. And even if they dont cause injury, too-long nails can quickly become uncomfortable.
According to the Andover Veterinary Hospital, overgrown nails can actually change the way your dog moves and carries themselves. Over time, the force of walking on their nails causes the bones in their feet to adjust and puts pressure on their joints. It can lead to significant joint pain and even cause arthritis.
Thankfully, trimming your dogs nails is a simple addition to your regular dog grooming routine. Its also a routine task for dog groomers if youre not comfortable doing the trimming yourself.
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What To Do If You Cut Your Dog’s Nail Too Short
Should you ever cut your dogs nails too short which many people, including professionals, have done you’ll want to have something on hand to stop the bleeding. You might hear this referred to as “quicking” your dog’s nails. This happens when you cut the blood vessel and happens more frequently with dogs that squirm a lot during nail trims and dogs with black nails. The quick can bleed quite a lot when cut, so always keep something on hand to stop the bleeding just in case.
You can use styptic powder like Kwik-Stop or, even better, ClotIt . In a pinch though, you can also use cornstarch pressed onto the nail and hold for a few minutes to stop nail bleeding. Of course, with patience, care, and a well-acclimated dog, youre less likely to need either.
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What Do You Do When A Dogs Dewclaw Breaks
If you see your German Shepherd biting or chewing a dewclaw, he may have torn it, especially if you had not trimmed it. However, if your dogs dewclaw breaks, they will be in excruciating pain and need veterinary treatment.
German Shepherd dewclaw injuries can vary. The nail can become partially or completely pulled off or split, and there is a risk that the dewclaw can then become infected.
Although dewclaw injuries can occur, they are quite rare. However, I think I must be one of the unlucky ones as my German Shepherd has damaged her dewclaws twice!
The first occasion was when she was a puppy. Whilst jumping up at the kitchen door, her nail split. I know she was in considerable pain as she would not let the vet anywhere near her nor me! She had to be sedated whilst the vet trimmed her dewclaw right back as far as possible.
Later in life, my GSD went on to fracture her dewclaw whilst playing with a football. She yelped in pain whenever the ball touched her paw. She subsequently had both dewclaws surgically removed to prevent any further injuries. Maybe I should have had them removed whilst she was a puppy? Of course, hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Depending on the damage done and your views on removal, the vet may either trim the nail back or completely remove the damaged dewclaw. In my adult dogs case, the vet recommended removal due to the fracture.
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