How to Apply Hoof Conditioner to a Dog's Nails

Injured dogs also can use hoof conditioner.

Maintain and improve your dog's nails by applying hoof conditioner that typically is used for horses. As a dog ages, its nails may become brittle and split in the quick, where the blood vessels are located, as you try to trim them, according to Sheila Webster Boneham's "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting and Owning a Dog." Nutritional supplements can be added to the dog's diet to improve its nails in addition to applying hoof conditioner topically.

Things You'll Need

• Damp washcloth
• Hoof conditioner
• Soft rag or cotton ball

Instructions

1. 

   Be gentle if your dog has hurt paws.

   Wipe your dog's nails before your begin this project. This cleans its nails and prevents any excess debris becoming trapped in the nails and paws. Also wipe its dew claws, which some dogs, such as American Eskimos, have at the back of the paw.

2. Shake the hoof conditioner bottle. Most products come with brush applicators, but they are designed for horse hooves. They may be too large for your dog. If you try to brush it on, you may be getting more conditioner over the dog's fur than its nails.

3. Pour a small amount of hoof conditioner onto a soft rag or cotton ball. Dab your dog's nails with the conditioner starting with the front paws. Wipe each nail carefully with the hoof conditioner.

4. Add a small amount of hoof conditioner to another section of your rag or to another cotton ball. Dab the hoof conditioner to all the nails on the back two legs. Apply the conditioner to the dew claws if your dog has them.

5. Pat any sore or cracked paw pads with the hoof conditioner. The product helps paw pads, as well. Apply a second coat if necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Prevent your dog from licking the conditioner off by placing an Elizabethan collar around his neck or taking him on a 10-minute walk around soft grass. This should provide ample time for the conditioner to dry.

• Apply the conditioner twice a day for the first week and then once a week afterward.

• Look at your dog's overall diet to prevent dry and brittle nails. Also invest in a nail grinder to trim his nails, rather than a nail or claw cutter.

References

• "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting and Owning a Dog"; Sheila Webster Boneham
• Hoof Alive: Frequently Asked Questions
• My Horse Daily; Hoof Conditioner: What Really Works; Amanda Nelson