How to Keep Dogs' Nails From Scratching Floors

Dogs are wonderful pets, but they can wreak havoc on your floors, carpets and home. These pets are easily excitable and love to jump, run, and claw at floors and other surfaces. Flooring such as hardwood can be quite slippery, and dogs sometimes scratch the floor when they lose their footing. Since refinishing and replacing flooring is expensive, it is cheaper to prevent scratches in your floor in the first place.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog nail clippers
  • Metal nail file
  • Dog booties
  • Nail caps
  • Nail glue
  • Floor rug or mat
  • Nonslip carpet runner
  • Protective floor wax
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Instructions

    • 1
      Keep your dog's nails trimmed.

      Trim your dog's nails. Nails that have grown out too long can easily scratch the floor when the dog runs, jumps or slips. Trim your dog's nails with a nail clipper designed for dog's nails about once a month to prevent them from getting too long.

    • 2

      File your dog's nails. Using a metal nail file to file down your dog's nails is a better alternative to trimming because it prevents sharp and jagged edges that scratch and damage floors. Use a file specifically designed for dog's nails and file them once a month.

    • 3

      Place nonslip dog booties on your dog's paws. These booties are usually made to protect dog's paws from sharp rocks, ice or chemicals outdoors, but they can also be worn indoors to prevent your dog from slipping and scratching the floor.

    • 4

      Glue nail caps on your dog's nails. Nail caps are soft rubber or vinyl caps you glue onto each nail. The caps prevent the nails from scratching surfaces and typically last about six weeks.

    • 5

      Place a small rug or mat near the front door. Dogs often scratch at the front door or the floor in front of it when they want to go outside. A small rug or mat will protect the floor from damage.

    • 6

      Lay a carpet runner or area rug with nonslip backing on the floor. Dogs like to run around when they get excited and sometimes slip on smooth surfaces like hardwood or vinyl floors. The rug will provide your dog with traction to prevent these slips while also protecting the surface of the floor.

    • 7

      Apply protective wax to hardwood or vinyl floors. Wash and dry the floor beforehand and use a wax applicator, such as a sponge, to apply at least two layers of wax to the floor. Rewax the high-traffic areas as often as necessary.