Although some dogs keep their nails worn down without help from you, your Basset Hound needs to have his nails trimmed on a regular basis. Nails that are not kept short will grow too long and become irritating and painful to the dog. A longer nail is much more prone to being pulled out if it catches on something, which can be excruciating for the dog. Being left too long can not only damage the nails, but can cause the feet to splay or spread, and nails can actually curl around and grow into a dog’s pads.

Your Basset’s nails should just touch the ground when he walks. If his nails are clicking on the floor or getting snagged in the carpet, it’s time for a pedicure. Although nail trimmers look like an instrument of torture, in the right hands, with a little bit of knowledge, they can be totally painless.

Trimming the Nails

The steps for correctly trimming your dog’s nails are:

• Use nail trimmers designed for pets. You can ask your vet or groomer what type of trimmers they suggest. Most will suggest the guillotine type (which are not nearly as deadly as they sound).
• Make sure the clippers are sharp. Dull nail trimmers can split the nail instead of giving a nice sharp cut. This may cause the nail to split upwards into the quick, which can be quite painful for the dog.
• Look for the “quick”—the part of the nail that contains nerves and blood vessels. It is very painful and will bleed easily if cut. On white nails it shows up as pink, but is harder to see on darker nails.
• Start at the tip of the nail and snip a little at a time. When you come close to the quick (the part that is more than just a “shell”), stop.
• If you trim too short, and the nail begins to bleed, apply pressure, then dab with a styptic powder, baby powder, or white flour. Some people recommend using granulated sugar, or pressing your dog’s bleeding nail into a soft bar of soap. Once the bleeding is stopped, be careful not to wipe the clot from the end of the nail.
• If your dog’s dewclaws (the fifth claw on the inside of the leg) were not removed when he was a puppy, don’t forget to trim them too. Since it never touches the ground, it grows faster, and can grow into a circle, eventually digging into your dog’s skin and causing a potential health problem.
• Trim nails once or twice a month. The quick will lengthen if the nails are not trimmed often, so you won’t be able to keep the nails as neat and tidy as you might like. Long nails can cause traction problems and may cause the foot shape to look improper.