Why Your Dog’s Nail Length Is More Important Than You Think

Understanding the Link Between Nails, Movement, and Musculoskeletal Health

When we think about canine health, we often focus on big-picture things: hips, knees, weight, or injury recovery. But did you know something as seemingly simple as your dog’s nail length can have a major impact on how they move, how they feel, and even their long-term joint health?

At Apollo Animal Physiotherapy & Hydrotherapy, we look at your dog’s whole body — including the small details that often go unnoticed but play a huge role in biomechanics. One of the most overlooked? The nails.

Let’s explore why nail length matters, how it affects your dog’s movement, and how rehab can help bring your dog back into balance.

Why Do Long Nails Matter?

In the wild, dogs naturally wear their nails down by running on rough terrain. Our pets today live a much more comfortable life (and rightly so!), but that means their nails don’t wear down naturally — and over time, they may get too long without anyone noticing. Here’s what long nails do to your dog’s movement:

1. Alters Paw Placement

When nails are too long, dogs can’t place their paws flat on the ground. This causes the foot to tilt or compensate, shifting weight improperly through the limb.

2. Changes Limb Alignment

Altered paw placement leads to changes further up the chain — think wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips and spine. This can affect gait and cause compensation elsewhere.

3. Reduces Traction and Confidence

Click-click-click on the floor? That’s not just annoying — it’s often a sign your dog can’t get a proper grip, leading to slippy movement and increased risk of strain or falls.

4. Causes Ongoing Muscle Tension

When dogs are constantly adjusting their posture and load to accommodate their nails, they can develop chronic muscular tension, particularly in the shoulders, neck, and back.

5. Triggers Long-Term Joint Issues

Over time, altered biomechanics can contribute to wear and tear in the joints — particularly in active or ageing dogs — potentially worsening existing conditions like arthritis or hip dysplasia.

Small Detail, Big Difference

So many dogs walk into our clinic with aches and compensations caused, in part, by something as simple as long nails — and once we address it, everything starts to fall into place. Whether your dog is recovering from surgery, managing arthritis, or just getting older, checking and maintaining nail length is a key part of the process. Because when the paws hit the ground right, everything above them works better too.

So How Does Rehab Help?

At Apollo, we do more than strengthen muscles and mobilise joints — we assess your dog’s full posture, paw placement, and movement habits. If long nails have been affecting your dog’s biomechanics for a while, we help to retrain and restore functional movement.
Here’s how:

Gait Re-education
We use specific exercises and tactile cues to help dogs relearn correct paw placement and improve limb awareness (proprioception).
Strength and Stability Work
When weight has been unevenly distributed due to altered foot posture, some muscles weaken while others overwork. We balance that out with structured rehab.
Manual Therapy
Hands-on techniques can help release built-up muscular tension caused by weeks or months of compensating for long nails.
Home Advice and Maintenance
We’ll guide you on how to safely maintain nail length at home or refer you to a trusted grooming professional — especially if your dog is nervous or has dark nails.

How Short Is Short Enough?

You should be able to slip a piece of paper between the nail and the floor when your dog is standing. If the nails are making regular contact with the ground — especially on hard floors — they are too long. Some breeds (like sighthounds) naturally have longer quicks and may require more gradual trimming over time, but generally speaking: short, healthy nails mean better posture, better movement, and less pain.

Restoring mobility, one paw at a time