Dog biting nails. Have you watched your little dog biting his nails? Are you worried about his act? Then, don’t worry; he is doing it because of his grooming routine. Dogs chew their claws and toes daily. However, sometimes it might have a medical or behavioural problem. Other symptoms of canine claw disorder are painful walking due to brittle claws or irregular nails. If you want to learn more about the dog biting issues of their nails and the health reasons behind it, read on to learn more about it.

A beagle puppy with white and brown coloring lying on a light gray textured surface. The puppy is resting with its paws visible, looking thoughtfully off to the side with bright eyes. Its body is primarily white with distinctive brown markings on its head and ears.
This peaceful beagle puppy demonstrates healthy paw posture and shows no signs of anxious nail biting. Regular paw checks, as recommended in the article, can help prevent issues like nervousness or allergies that might lead dogs to chew their nails. Proper care, toys for mental stimulation, and a stress-free environment keep those little paws healthy!

Reasons Why Dogs Bite Their Nails

Don’t let the dogs gnaw their feet underneath, as this can harm other underlying issues like anxiety, allergies, or discomfort. Moreover, groomers who don't do their work properly can create problems for their dogs, leading to their nails chewing.

This is especially true in cases where the pet has painful and long nails. However, they can bite more often for skin diseases, fungal allergies, anxiety, or illness.

1. Nervousness

If your dog chews its nails, it can indicate nervousness, which may be a reason for anxious behaviour like pacing or cowering.

It happens mainly when you leave your dog alone for the day. He gets anxious and bites his nails. He also does the same thing if he feels a strange presence near or in the house.

2. Treatment Of The Dog’s Nail-Biting

While talking to your doctor, treating the problem with the best nail-biting medication is best if he does it frequently. It is best to figure out the pain when it is biting its paws. Then, it can be remedied with the appropriate medication, as the pet vet indicates.

Your dog can feel its paws irritating and itchy, which leads it to bite its nails as it can suffer from a skin infection. Moreover, separation anxiety leads them to bite their nail most. It is done mostly when you leave him alone.

3. Allergies

Sometimes, allergies can also be the reason for the gnawing nails. For example, some allergens from outside can be stuck to your dog’s paws.

It led them to chew their nails often. In addition, allergies are common in dogs when they move to unhealthy places. Hence, it is essential for them and for you to walk in clean places.

4. Boredom

Boredom can also be the reason your dog chews its nails. Also, it makes your dog do weird activities, such as biting their nails. Finally, the act can create infections, including bacterial, fungal, and other conditions. 

Moreover, dogs chewing their nails can be distressing. It can be related to the medical reasons for your dog’s misconduct. For this purpose, you should take them to the vet to treat them well.

Stop Dogs From Biting Their Nails

Close-up of a person holding a dog's paw, showing the black paw pads and reddish-brown fur between them. The human hand is gently cradling the paw against what appears to be a light-colored fabric surface.
Furthermore, the dog may demonstrate either stress or anxiety about certain situations in this way.

Although it is not a problem when your dog is chewing its nails, it can lead to long-term issues that are not healthy. If your dog does this activity regularly, you should check the problem and act instantly. Your vet can help identify such a problem; eventually, you will know how to end it to ease your dog’s discomfort.

As there are some reasons your dog is chewing their paws, there are also some methods to treat this quickly to break such a behaviour.

1. Clip Their Nails Regularly

You should clip their nails regularly if you want a healthy pet. They can cause itchiness, bacterial infection, or fungal infection if they stay too long.

Hence, in such a situation, it is better to clean their nails and wash their paws whenever you come back from a walk and give them the proper grooming sessions.

2. Avoid Their Exposure To Hazardous Chemicals

Avoid exposing them to hazardous chemicals, which create allergies, like some itchy ointments and food, if you use pesticides regularly on the grass. Also, don’t let it walk on the chemicals because it could harm their skin, or they will start biting their nails again.

3. Avoid Boredom With Toys

Ensure your dog has some toys that assist them in avoiding boredom and anxiety. Also, ensure they get your attention daily and exercise on grass. But right after that, check their paws are clean and that nothing got stuck in their nails.

4. Contact Your Vet

Make sure to check your pets’ paws daily, and if you observe anything fishy, contact your vet immediately. Injury can be of any type; it may be a broken nail, illness, or other abnormalities. Keep track of some skin allergies to a particular food, skin infection, and skin itchiness.

5. BMS (Behavioral Modification Strategies)

Behavioural modification strategies are used to recondition your dog for proper behavioural therapy. Distraction strategies are all the rewards of good conduct that can help.

Other exercises, such as mental stimulation and a daily schedule, are also important. Traditional chew toys can be considered for this purpose as well.

What To Discuss With The Veterinarian?

Once discussed with the Veterinarian, the best thing is to figure out the remedies and causes for the nail biting, especially if your pets do such things frequently. There are some elements that you often see your pets doing.

In addition, Dogs can be treated with some medicines, but that must be done with your Doctor’s consultation. Remember that you need to fix the anxiety or allergies.

Final Thoughts

Dogs are everyone’s lovable animal, but if they are in any problem or distress, they show the signs through these actions.

Hence, if your dogs are suffering from anxiety, depression, or any infection, they can show this through the signs of biting their nails or harming themselves in this way. Hence, if you want your dog to be healthy and safe, use the above tips.

Thank you for reading the article to the end. Your reading contribution was significant to us.


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