Is the pitter-patter of your pet's feet louder than usual? The problem could be his nails. The winter months keep many dogs indoors, reducing the opportunity to wear down nails on pavement and hard ground.

Even when a pet has adequate exercise on hard surfaces, nails may grow uncomfortably long. Dog nails are iron hard, explains Val Penstone, Best Friends Director of Grooming, and many small breeds are just not heavy enough to wear them away. Age, body type and structure, and the shape and position of the foot all play a part in the pattern of nail wear.

No matter what the cause, long nails make walking uncomfortable. The toes are forced upwards, or the foot joint is twisted to the side, causing pain and problems further up the leg and back. Overgrown nails curl around, catch in carpets and upholstery, and -- left unchecked -- can grow long enough to penetrate back into the pad of the foot.

How long?
If you hear a clicking or scratching noise as your pet walks across hard flooring, it's time to get out the nail clippers or see the groomer!

The ideal length for a dog's nail, says Penstone, is barely touching the ground when the dog is standing still. For many pets, it requires monthly attention, or more, to keep nails close to this ideal length.

Trimming nails can be a challenge. Dog's nails have a 'quick', containing a nerve and blood vessel that runs down the middle of the nail. Cutting the quick will cause bleeding. In dogs with white or light nails, the quick is easier to identify, but it is almost impossible to see in dogs with dark nails. A professional groomer, used to handling the clipper and controlling the dog, will be less likely to cause bleeding even on dark nails.

If your pet's nails haven't been trimmed in a long time, the quick may have grown further down the nail, so getting them to the correct length without bleeding is impossible. In some cases, the nails may need to be filed or ground, removing only a fraction at a time. The good news is, the quick tends to recede, as nails are kept shorter.

The proper steps
If your pet is comfortable having his feet touched and you want to take on the task of nail clipping at home, Penstone advises:

• Teach the pet to stand still while his nails are clipped.
• Use only specially made dog nail clippers. Ask your pet professional for a recommendation.
• Nails are softer after soaking, easier to cut and less likely to splinter. After a shampoo is the best time to tackle nail trimming.
• Have a styptic powder to seal the flow of blood just in case you nick the quick
• Examine the nail closely to see where the quick is likely to reach.
• Cut from front to back and not side to side.
• Cut only a little bit of the nail, and examine the nail to see where the quick is before cutting again. Repeat, taking off only a small amount of the nail with each cut.

If your pet refuses to cooperate, it may be better to put nail trimming in the hands of a professional. When a pet is sensitive about its feet being touched, nail clipping is a difficult chore. In rare cases, a pet is so foot-phobic, that he must be sedated at the animal hospital before his nails can be trimmed. The good news, however, is that the more frequently the nails are done, the more likely the pet can be taught to behave.

Frequent nail trimming should be part of your pet's regular grooming routine, because keeping nails short is important to your pet's health and well being.