Dog nails and concrete sidewalks

But first, a writing update. This week I sent Last Brother, Last Sister, the novel-length “sequel” to Rot (Now with More Voodoo!) to prereaders. Whew. That only took like FOREVER. I also signed a contract, but can’t tell you what for quite yet. And I ordered some Rot promo stuff, but just a bit because I have a box of business cards and whatnot that I order and get excited about, then forget to hand out.

Now I’ll move on to even more editing, including a high-urban fantasy novel about an American bookseller kidnapped into an exotic land of kings, dragons, poisonous dogs and magical black knights. And my zombie novella completely unrelated to Rot, The List, wherein a man who was more than a little unstable to begin with has to face down a zombie apocalypse.

Now, onto the bits about dog nails and concrete sidewalks. At the day job I hear every day someone say that they try to keep their dog’s nails short by walking them on concrete. That’s great, but that means very, very little. Yes, concrete *can* help keep a dog’s nails short. Maybe. If all the right conditions are met.

First it depends on what kind of dog you have. I’m going with recognized breeds right now for simplicity. Pug nails and Lab nails grow differently. Some dogs like pugs, bassets and chihuahuas have curlier nails that are much more likely to curl up into the pad. Other dogs like labs, greyhounds and danes tend to have more long, thick type nails. Curly nails are less likely to be worn down by normal activity.

Then there is the dog’s weight. Many small dogs either are carried a lot or just don’t (erm shouldn’t) have the weight to really wear those nails down, even on concrete.

There’s also how the dog moves. Some dogs are super active and constantly use their feet in ways that lead to nail wear, usually by pushing off when running or jumping. This is why boxers often have shorter nails. And why dogs usually have shorter nails on their back feet.

And THEN there’s the consistency of the nails. Some nails flake, splinter or crack. Some practically need a chainsaw to cut. The first are likely to trim themselves (possibly by snapping, so be careful). The latter are more likely to be worn down on concrete, but are also harder to wear down period.

But what *is* certain is that nail health does directly affect a dog more than people realize. Not just because of the dangers of cracked or embedded nails either.  Particularly in big or heavy breeds nails that are too long can change how pressure is put on a dog’s foot and affect the health of the bone. It can contribute to arthritis and other joint problems, which can affect the life quality and length of the dog.

So, just walking your dog on concrete and not paying attention? Not really the greatest method to take care of their feet.