Nail trimming

You hear them clicking on the kitchen floor with every step. That's usually the sign. Nails that are too long catch and break, and they can change the way the dog stands on its paws. Every dog grows and wears its nails at a different rate. One that walks a lot on tarmac or other rough surfaces needs trimming less often, while another needs checking regularly. Dewclaws, the extra claws that don't touch the ground, never wear down, so keep a separate eye on them.

You can use proper clippers or a file, depending on what the dog tolerates and how confident you are. Inside the nail there's sensitive tissue with a blood supply, the quick. Cut too short and it hurts and bleeds. On dark nails you can't easily see where the quick starts, so take a little at a time.

If your dog is scared, the first goal might just be touching its paw or bringing the clippers near it. You can do one nail and stop there. Pin the dog down for a fight every session and a routine job turns into a battle you'll be repeating every time.

Take the dog to the vet if a nail is broken or keeps bleeding, if you see swelling or discharge, if it's in pain or won't put weight on the paw. A groomer or a trainer can help you get the dog to cooperate, but they don't treat infections or injuries.

Trimming matters most for dogs whose nails don't wear down enough on their own, for dogs with dewclaws, and for puppies that need to get used to having their paws handled early on.

Don't let it become a fight every few weeks. One nail done calmly is worth more than all of them done by force.

First check how long the nails are and how the dog is walking. Then work up to touching the paw, bit by bit, until the dog lets you hold it without pulling away.

Take small cuts or file. Reward the dog and give it breaks between nails, and keep watching for any bleeding.

Watch the dog, not the clock. Pulling the paw back, snapping its head round towards your hand or freezing tells you how it's coping. If it limps afterwards, something went wrong.

Have the right tool ready, checked beforehand, and something to stop minor bleeding. Work in good light. If someone else is doing the nails, tell them about any pain or bad experiences the dog has had.

Someone who knows what they're doing works in small steps. The dog sits or lies comfortably, and its joints aren't squeezed or bent to the point of pain. The tools and the space are clean, the handling is calm and there are breaks.

Exercises where the dog offers its paw or lets you touch it willingly are a big help. Keep them away from times when something already hurts, so the dog doesn't link the exercise with pain.

A broken or painful nail goes to the vet. Only a vet sedates a dog. The risks to talk about beforehand are cutting into the quick, falling off the table and making a broken or infected nail worse.