I felt like writing a bit about dog nail trimming. I know how quickly the days can go by – and the days can turn into weeks – before you remember to check your dog’s nails.

You may think that your dog will wear down its nails by itself or that it’s not so bad if they grow too long – but in reality, there are many reasons to keep an eye on nail length. Here are 5 good reasons:

1. Keeping the nails short will prevent them from being pressed up against the toe when the dog walks. This is important during the rollover phase (where the toe is pressed down towards the ground as the dog takes a step forward). Long nails will put pressure on the small toe joints and your dog will be more likely to develop soreness – and, in a worst-case scenario, osteoarthritis.
2. Your dog's nails are formed to point slightly towards the ground, so it can flex its toes to grip the surface or avoid slipping. But when the nails get too long, they will point further and further forward. This overloads the toes an
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