Most pet owners know how to properly care for their pet. Many basic grooming procedures consist of brushing, bathing, and cutting your hair. Some, however, overlook one of the most important tasks in keeping their pet well groomed. This part involves nothing more than keeping your pet’s nails neatly trimmed. Believe it or not, this is very important to the health and well-being of a pet. Several of the benefits of this process include better mobility, less pain, bonds, and better health. These are all great benefits that make this process worth trying.
Of course, trimming a pet’s nails can seem like a tough job, and it may be because many pets don’t necessarily enjoy this and aren’t afraid of letting their owners know about it. Fortunately, there are some amazing tools available to make the job less painful for both of you. Using them and getting the job done right can have many benefits that are too great to ignore.
When you keep trimming your pet’s nails, you may discover the following benefits:
- Mobility – When a dog’s claws are allowed to grow too large, basic tasks like running and walking become painful and more difficult. This can even become a problem for very young, high-energy dogs. Dogs in particular enjoy running and playing and by keeping their nails short you can increase their comfort level while doing these activities. Keeping your pet’s claws properly and trimmed can help ensure that they never suffer the unnecessary pain that long nails can cause.
- Better health: When the claws are allowed to grow too large for an extended period of time, health problems can arise. A normally healthy dog can become lame from favoring the paws while walking. In some cases, broken nails can be a problem and can even cause foot infections. Long nails can cause problems for your pet, including infections. These infections are caused by cracking or splitting of the nail.
- Increased comfort: If you don’t cut a cat’s nails often, she may start scratching in an attempt to shorten her own nails. They can use a variety of surfaces, including your furniture. Unfortunately, this also means that they can scratch you and other objects in your home.
- Bonding: Nail trimming and other routine health care can be the perfect time to bond with your cat or dog. Try to make the experience as pleasant as possible and it will be beneficial to both of you. When you start the process by calming your pet down and finish giving him a treat, he or she may be looking forward to a weekly inspection and nail trimming. This is a great experience because you can tell that your pet is happy and you know that they are healthy too.
Get the job done with ease
If you want to make sure your pet enjoys the benefits of routine claw trimming, you may want to learn how to do the job yourself. Yes, you can go to a hairdresser for this, but it can be expensive to keep up on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. There are several tools and tips for trimming your pet’s nails. To trim a cat or dog’s claws relatively easily, consider the following tips:
- Get a Nail Grinder: There are specialized tools for trimming canine and feline claws. Instead of technically cutting, they grind. These devices make it easier for you to handle work and less intimidating for your dog or cat. A nail grinder is a tool that grinds nails instead of cutting them. This can be less painful for your pet because there is less chance of cutting fast.
- Using Rewards: Don’t overlook the value of rewarding your pet for being well behaved during a trim. When reinforcing that a treat is coming after a cut, your pet should respond well.
- Take it with a grain of salt: If you’re new to clipping your pet’s claws and find the job a bit difficult, don’t worry. Instead of trying to trim all four legs in one go, do it one at a time. If your pet seems distressed, just back off a bit and come back to work later.
Trimming your pet’s nails has many benefits. The main benefits include better mobility for your pet, better overall health, and less pain. These benefits are worth it, and while your pet may be uncomfortable with the process, you should try to find ways to help her get through it. Rewards are important because they show your pet that you cared for them and that they were good during the process. This helps them behave similarly during the next nail trim.