Is it a good idea to trim my Norwegian Elkhound's nails?

Me and my roommate were discussing this, our dog's nails have gotten considerably longer in the 6 months or so that we've owned him and he's starting to look like he's uncomfortable when we walk him. My roommate says that Elkhounds are the type of dog that doesn't get their nails trimmed but I thought we should at least talk to a groomer or something considering if I ever were to trim his nails I would have a groomer do it. Anyone have any ideas?Is it a good idea to trim my Norwegian Elkhound's nails?
I don't know what your friend has been smoking, but all dogs require their nails to be trimmed. They should be trimmed enough that they don't 'click' on the floor when they walk.


Here are some good videos to show you how:


http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=e鈥?/a>


Groomers will usually do it for about $10.. My vet charges $6.Is it a good idea to trim my Norwegian Elkhound's nails?
Generally speaking, if you can hear his nails click on the floor - they're too long. Some breeds of dog who do a lot of road/beach walking will naturally wear down their nails - but any breed with dew claws needs them clipping or filing on a regular basis, or they can curl in on themselves and cause pain - not to mention the longer they get the more chance they could get caught and tear off - not nice.





If you're not confident, take him to a groomer - many dogs hate having their nails done, and the dog will sense your anxiety, only making the job worse.





Bear in mind - this won't just be a one off/every six months option - you really need to be looking at his nails weekly or fortnightly and keeping them down - the longer they grow, the more the 'quick' inside grows - which makes keeping them short far more difficult.
EVERY dog needs their nails trimmed! Your roommate must have ingested too much paste in elementary school or something. You should definately trim his nails or take him to get them trimmed. The nails could very easily become ingrown and cause him much more pain.
Pretty much every dog gets their nails trimmed at the grooming salon. With every dog you need to trim their nails otherwise it is uncomfortable and painful for them.
I think you should really consider trimming the dog's nails. Not only is it painful but they can get ingrowns or they can chip their nails...ouch!!!!
Yes, all dogs should get their claws trimmed eventually, especially if it seems to be making them uncomfortable. You can easily buy a cheap dog nail clipper (note: use a nailclipper for dogs, NOT a human nailclipper, because their claws are different) at PetsMart, or you can take him to a groomer/the vet and pay a fee for them to do it (some will do it for free). For the first time you may want to visit the vet and have him show you how to properly cut the nails.





A note if you're doing it yourself: dogs have a ';quick'; which is basically a blood vessel in their claws. If you look at the dog's claws, their nail is generally clearish white or yellowish and it will have a darker red or black part on the inside. That's the quick. When you trim the dog's nails, make sure you cut them just short of the quick. If you cut into the quick they will start bleeding. It's not serious, you can just put some quick-stop stuff on it to make it stop bleeding quickly. But do your best not to cut the quick. Eventually if you keep cutting the nail close to the quick the quick will gradually recede and be smaller so you can trim the dog's nails to a healthy length.





Some dogs have very dark nails naturally though, so be sure to ask your vet or groomer's advice if this is the case.





Best of luck :)