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Your dog probably has claws that are too long. And nobody told you.
No vet, no breeder, no dog trainer. Many dog owners only discover after years that claw care is not an option – but a necessity. This article explains why the topic is so important.
Honestly:
When was the last time you consciously looked at your dog's claws?
Not while petting. Not in passing. But truly looked – took the paw, checked the claws, considered if they were too long?
If the answer is "not for a long time" or "never," you're not alone. You are in the majority.
Claws that are too long are much more common than many realize – in dogs of all sizes, all breeds, and all ages.
Not just a little too long. But so long that they touch the ground with every step, push the toes upwards, change posture – and in the long term, put a strain on joints, spine, and the entire nervous system.
And the shocking thing: There's hardly any education about it.
I had dogs for over ten years before I truly understood how important claw care is. Ten years. Not because I didn't care – but because simply no one told me.
No vet ever mentioned the claws during a routine check-up. No breeder pointed it out when I bought a puppy. And in none of the dog books I read was the topic treated in a way that would have made me grasp its significance.
Today I know: I'm not the only one. Many dog owners experience the same. And that's exactly why I'm writing this article.
Why does almost no one know this?
Claw care is one of those topics that gets lost somewhere between "everyone knows that" and "no one ever told me."
Vets see the claws at every visit – but rarely actively address it. Perhaps because it seems like a minor detail compared to vaccinations and parasite control. Perhaps because consultation time is too short. Perhaps because they assume owners know.
But surprisingly many do not know.
And that has consequences. Not immediately visible ones. Not dramatic ones. But creeping ones – and that's precisely why they are so dangerous.
Take this test now. It takes 5 seconds.
Place your dog on a smooth, flat surface. Look from the side.
Do the claws touch the ground?
If yes: They are too long.
Do you hear a clicking sound when your dog walks on tiles or laminate?
If yes: They are too long.
Even more precisely: Try to slide a sheet of paper between the claw tip and the ground while your dog is standing. If it doesn't fit, the claws are definitely too long and should be trimmed soon.
This test sounds trivial. But it's the moment when many dog owners first think: "Wait – is this a real problem?"
Yes. It is.
What a dog's claw truly is – and why that changes everything
Most people think of a dog's claw as something like a fingernail. Hard, dead, painless.
That is wrong.
A dog's claw consists of keratin on the outside – the same horn-like substance as our nails. But inside, it is living tissue. The claw grows directly from the toe bone, the so-called quick. This is covered by a well-supplied, nerve-rich dermis. This area is called the "quick" of the claw.
Blood vessels and specialized nerve endings with tactile function run through it – comparable to a human fingertip. These nerves constantly provide the brain with information about the surface, pressure, direction, and body position.
Claws are not a dead appendage. They are a functional part of the nervous system.
And this is where it gets serious.
What claws that are too long do to your dog – step by step
The effects are not an isolated problem. They are a chain reaction that leaves traces throughout the entire body.
1. Posture changes
If the claws touch the ground when standing, the toes are pushed upwards with every step. The dog instinctively shifts its weight backward to avoid the pressure.
Imagine if you were constantly walking on your tiptoes. Your entire body would compensate – knees, hips, back. Exactly that happens to dogs.
2. Joints are subjected to incorrect stress
The compensatory posture changes the angulation in the joints – from the toe joints over the carpal and hock joints all the way to the shoulder and hip. In the long run, joint wear and tear occurs. Canine physiotherapists and orthopedists confirm: Claws that are too long are among the most common preventable causes of toe joint arthritis.
And because dogs instinctively hide pain, the connection is often only noticed when the damage is already done.
3. The nervous system receives false signals
This point is almost never mentioned – although it is physiologically extremely relevant.
Proprioception is the ability to perceive the position of one's body in space without looking. It works through receptors in muscles, tendons, joint capsules – and crucially: in the paws.
Dog paws are densely packed with these receptors. If the claws constantly touch the ground, they distort these signals. The brain receives contradictory information. The result: insecure footing, tripping, giving way – an overall more unstable gait.
In summary: Claws that are too long are not just unsightly.
They change your dog's posture, gait, joint load, and body awareness.
Not eventually – but with every single step.
4. Other risks
- Tearing and splintering: Long claws get caught more easily on grates, carpets, and cracks in pavements. They can break or be completely torn off – extremely painful and often with severe bleeding.
- Ingrown claws: Especially dewclaws can curl inwards and grow into the paw pads. This leads to inflammation and often requires veterinary treatment.
- Self-injury: Some dogs try to bite off claws that are too long and end up tearing the entire claw out.
- Slipping hazard: Long claws lift the paw pads off the ground. On smooth surfaces, this becomes a real risk of falling.
"But my dog gets a lot of exercise outdoors"
This is the first thing almost every dog owner says. And it's understandable.
But it's only true under certain conditions:
- Surface: Only hard surfaces like asphalt or concrete wear down claws. Grass, forest floor, and sand practically don't.
- Activity: Leisurely trotting barely wears down claws. Only active running, braking, and changes of direction cause significant abrasion.
- Body structure: Some dogs put asymmetrical stress on their paws – then individual claws wear down more, but not all.
- Dewclaws: They never touch the ground. Without manual trimming, they will keep growing – until they become ingrown.
One more detail: On the front paws, the claws are almost always longer than on the back, because wear and tear is less there.
In reality, exercise alone is not enough for most dogs. Claw care is a part of daily life for most four-legged friends – not an exception, but an integral part of good dog ownership.
Why it gets more difficult over time
Here lies a biological detail that makes all the difference:
The longer a claw grows, the further the blood vessels and nerves inside grow with it.
The "quick" adapts to the length of the claw. In a neglected claw, the vascularized tissue extends much further forward than in a well-maintained one. This means you cannot simply trim a severely overgrown claw to the correct length. You would cut into the living tissue – it would bleed heavily and be painful.
The process also works in reverse. If the claws are trimmed regularly by a few millimeters, the "quick" will gradually recede. Recommendation: trim a small piece every 3-4 days. After about two weeks, a significant improvement will be visible.
Even severely neglected claws can be brought to a healthy length over several weeks – without pain, without stress.
Regularity is more important than perfection. Better to trim a little every two weeks than to cut too much in a stressful situation every three months.
Light claws, dark claws – and why the fear is justified
Most dog owners' biggest concern is: "What if I cut too deep?"
This concern is justified. It hurts, it bleeds – and the dog may lose trust for future care.
With light claws, the "quick" is visible as a pink shimmer through the horn. With dark or black claws, it is not visible from the outside – which is precisely what makes it so frightening for many.
However, there is a reliable method: trim the claw slice by slice from the tip and examine the cut surface from the front. The closer you get to the "quick," the more distinctly the material changes. In light claws, a pink dot appears in the middle. In dark claws, a grey or black dot. As soon as you see it: stop.
Hold a strong flashlight to the underside of the claw – this often allows you to at least roughly estimate the course of the blood vessels. Not perfect, but helpful as an additional guide.
If it does happen: What to do if you cut the quick
Even with experience, it can happen. The most important thing: Stay calm. Your dog will take its cues from you.
A cut quick bleeds heavily, but is generally not dangerous.
- Stop the bleeding: Use ordinary bar soap – press the claw into it briefly. Alternatively: press flour or cornstarch onto the spot.
- Disinfect: Clean with a pain-free wound disinfectant.
- Observe: In the following days, watch for redness, swelling, or increased licking.
If the bleeding does not stop, the claw is severely splintered or torn, or signs of inflammation appear – please always have it checked by a vet. This also applies to ingrown dewclaws.
Why this topic deserves more attention
Claw care is not a niche topic. It affects far more dogs than one might think.
And yet, it falls through every crack:
- Vets rarely actively address it.
- In puppy class, it's about socialization – not paw care.
- Online, articles about food and training dominate – claws are considered a marginal issue.
The result is a massive information deficit. And dogs bear the consequences – silently, insidiously, barely visible from the outside.
The pain caused by claws that are too long is not loud. The dog doesn't howl. It doesn't limp initially. It simply, almost imperceptibly, changes its way of walking. Until eventually the joints are worn out and arthritis is diagnosed – without the claws ever being considered as a possible contributing factor.
It's time for that to change. Not with accusations – but with education.
- Dog claws are living tissue – vascularized, nerve-rich, and with tactile function.
- Claws that are too long change posture, gait, and joint load – insidiously, but truly.
- Proprioception (body awareness) is disturbed: the dog loses sure-footedness.
- Exercise alone is not enough for most dogs to keep claws short.
- The "quick" in the claw grows with it – but it also recedes with regular care.
- Regularity is more important than perfection: better often and a little than rarely and too much.
Conclusion: Claw care is not cosmetic – it is preventative health care
Claws that are too long affect posture, gait, joints, nervous system, and pain perception. The consequences are insidious but real – and in most cases completely avoidable.
What it takes is not expensive equipment and not perfect technique. What it takes is:
- Awareness – that claw care is not a cosmetic issue
- Regularity – better often and little than rarely and a lot
- Calmness – for you and your dog
And most importantly: the first step. Look at your dog's claws. Take the test. And if they are too long, this can be the starting point – calmly, consciously, and step by step.
Do you want to learn how to trim your dog's claws stress-free?
In the step-by-step guide, I'll show you how to build up the training calmly and safely – completely without pressure or force.
Good dog ownership is not loud.
It manifests in things that no one sees from the outside.
In regularity. In attentiveness. In observation.
Sometimes care starts right at the bottom – with the claws.