You usually hear it before you see it – the scrabble of claws and a dog skating across the kitchen floor like it’s on ice. Nine times out of ten the floor isn’t the problem; it’s a tuft of hair grown long between the pads, and it takes about five minutes a foot to fix. Trimming the hair around your dog’s paws is one of the easiest grooming jobs to do at home, and one of the most useful once an Australian spring rolls around. Here’s how to do it safely, and when to leave it to a groomer or vet.
Trimming the hair around your dog’s paws takes a comb, a pair of rounded-tip scissors and about five minutes a foot. Comb the hair up, snip the tuft between the pads flush with the pad surface, then tidy the hair around the outline of the foot. Go slowly, use tiny snips and never push the blades into the soft skin between the toes. Most hairy-footed dogs need it every 2 to 4 weeks.
Why it’s worth doing
This isn’t about looks. Hair that grows long between the pads flattens under the foot and robs your dog of grip, which is why so many dogs slip on floorboards and tiles. It also mats, traps mud and grass and holds damp against the skin, all of which get uncomfortable fast. Curly-footed breeds like a cavoodle are the worst for it, but any dog with feathered or fluffy feet builds up hair between the toes over a few weeks. Keep it short and the foot sits flat, grips properly and stays easy to check.
What you’ll need
Not much, but the right scissors make all the difference.
- Small scissors with rounded (ball-tipped) ends and sharp blades. The rounded tips protect the skin if your dog twitches; sharp blades cut cleanly instead of pulling.
- A fine comb to lift the hair before you cut.
- A small, quiet cordless trimmer (optional). Many owners find it less nerve-racking than scissors for the underside of the foot.
- Styptic powder or a little cornflour, in case of a nick.
- A few treats and a calm spot to work.
Which dogs need it most
It comes down to foot hair, not breed name, but some coats are far more prone to it:
- Curly and wavy coats – poodles, cavoodles and other doodles grow thick hair right between the toes.
- Feathered feet – a golden retriever carries long, soft hair around the foot that catches grass and seeds.
- Wiry-coated breeds – a miniature schnauzer grows tidy-looking feet that still hide tufts between the pads.
- Short-coated breeds with neat feet usually need little to nothing here.
How to trim the hair around your dog’s paws, step by step
Set aside a calm few minutes – after a walk, when your dog is tired, is ideal. Work in good light and do one foot at a time.
- Settle your dog and pick up a paw. Sit where you can hold one foot comfortably, and let your dog sniff the scissors first so they aren’t a surprise (a minute).
- Comb the hair out. Comb the hair on top of the foot up and the hair between the pads so it stands proud. This lifts the hair you want to cut clear of the skin you don’t.
- Trim the tuft between the pads. Turn the paw over, spread the pads apart with your thumb and finger, and snip the hair flush with the pad surface in small cuts. Keep the scissor tips pointing across the gap, never down into it.
- Tidy between the toes. Trim any hair poking out between the toes level with the pads, so the foot sits flat with no stray tufts to slip on. Mind the soft webbing.
- Shape the top. Comb the hair on top of the foot up, then trim around the edge to a neat round that follows the natural shape of the foot. Less is more here.
- Check and reward. Run a finger between the toes for missed mats, grass or anything lodged in the skin, then finish with a treat so the next foot goes easier.
How often should you do it?
Most hairy-footed dogs need a tidy every 2 to 4 weeks. Left longer, the hair mats down between the toes and gets genuinely uncomfortable to walk on. An easy habit is to do the feet on the same day you check the nails – every few weeks, same routine, done. Through grass-seed season you’ll want to look more often, which brings us to the Australian catch.
Paws, grass seeds and the Australian season
There’s a second reason to keep foot hair short here, and it’s a serious one: grass seeds. Those barbed seed heads, or ‘awns’, catch in long foot hair through spring and summer, work their way between the toes and burrow into the skin, where they cause painful abscesses and sometimes need surgery to get out. A short, tidy foot gives them much less to grab, and makes it far easier to spot one before it does harm. After a walk through long or dry grass, part the toes and have a look – a dog suddenly licking or chewing one foot is the classic first sign something’s lodged in there.
Common mistakes
The ones that turn a quick job into a vet trip or a frightened dog:
- Using blunt scissors. Dull blades drag the hair and teach your dog to hate having its feet touched. Sharp, rounded-tip scissors only.
- Pushing the blades down into the gap between the pads. That soft webbing nicks easily – snip across the top of the tuft, don’t dig.
- Trimming a wriggling dog. A moving paw and sharp scissors end in a cut. If your dog won’t hold still, stop and try later.
- Cutting the pads themselves. You’re trimming hair, not skin – leave the pads alone.
- Not having styptic powder ready. A small nick bleeds more than you’d expect, and you’ll want to stop it quickly.
- Scalping the top of the foot. Tidy the outline; a shaved-looking foot is no comfier than a hairy one.
Trimming a paw-shy dog
Paws are one of the most sensitive spots on a dog, and plenty hate having them held. If yours pulls away, don’t force it. A few short sessions of cooperative care training – holding a paw for a second, rewarding, building up – gets you much further than pinning the foot down ever will.
For a dog that’s genuinely worried, work through a desensitise your puppy routine first – touching the foot, then the scissors near the foot, then a single snip, treats throughout – long before you try a full trim. A bad early experience here lasts for years.
When to see a groomer or vet
Some feet aren’t a home job. Book a professional – or a vet – if you find:
- Hair matted hard between the toes that you can’t comb out. It has to be clipped carefully, not pulled.
- A grass seed you can see or suspect – persistent licking, a swelling or a small weepy hole between the toes. That’s a vet visit, promptly.
- A red, swollen lump between the toes, which can be an ‘interdigital cyst’ and needs a vet.
- Broken skin or bleeding that won’t settle with styptic powder.
- A dog that can’t be handled safely around the feet no matter how slowly you go.
An accredited groomer can tidy awkward feet in minutes, and anything involving limping, swelling or a suspected grass seed goes straight to the vet rather than the scissors.
FAQ
Should you cut the hair on a dog’s paws?
Yes, for dogs with long or thick hair between the pads. Trimming it improves grip on smooth floors, prevents painful matting, and reduces the risk of grass seeds getting lodged in the foot. It’s a functional trim, not a cosmetic one.
What scissors should I use to trim dog paw hair?
Use small, sharp scissors with rounded (ball-tipped) ends. The rounded tips protect the skin if your dog moves, and sharp blades cut cleanly without pulling the hair. Blunt scissors are more likely to cause discomfort and make your dog paw-shy.
How often should I trim my dog’s paw hair?
Most dogs with hairy feet need a tidy every 2 to 4 weeks. During Australian grass-seed season (spring and summer), check and trim more frequently to prevent seeds from catching in the hair.
Can I use clippers instead of scissors on the paws?
Yes, a small, quiet cordless trimmer can be a good alternative, especially for the sensitive underside of the foot. Many owners find clippers less nerve-racking than scissors. Use a guard and go slowly, as the vibration can startle some dogs.
American Kennel Club – https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/clean-dog-paws/ – why untrimmed hair between the toes mats and causes discomfort.
Greencross Vets – https://www.greencrossvets.com.au/pet-library/articles-of-interest/grass-seeds-and-your-pet/ – the danger of grass seeds in dogs through the Australian spring and summer.
Pet Industry Association of Australia – https://piaa.org.au/grooming/ – professional grooming standards and accreditation.