Anyone ever used nail caps?

Well, we've got hard woods pretty much throughout our apartment.  I've never used nail caps.  I have the groomer trim her nails about once a month or every other month depending and I haven't had any problems with her scratching the floor if that was what you meant. 

I don't think the nail caps work very well. They're really hard to put on (uses super glue and you glue your fingers together- which hurts!) and they fall off within a week to two weeks if not put on properly.

I'd say get a dremmel if you don't want the pup's nails hitting the floor, but I don't think it would be much of a problem. I have hardwood floors and OUR kitchen chairs cause more damage to it than the dog's nails.

Thanks willowchow and thedoc617! How heavy/active are your dogs?
 
I have a friend with a 50lb dog, and he dremels the dog's nails, but the floors still look pretty bad... Not to say it doesn't work, but it definately doesn't work for this particular dog.

I have a 56lb dog and finished hardwood floors and her nails don't do anything to them. I clip them once a week (they grow fast). Are your friend's floors finished or unfinished?

I use the claw caps on cats, and haven't had a complaint about them. Every cat I've used them on comes back for more. Their parents LOVE them. I don't have a hard time putting them on, unless I glue myself to the cat. That's never good.

That's about the SMALLEST dog that I have!  I have shepherds and we just keep the nails clipped.  Had hardwood in the last house and will have some in the new house and haven't had any problems yet.  Since walking, especially on cement, helps to keep the nails shorter, I'd think having caps would be a lot more work...putting them on, taking them off (if you even can) to cut nails.....

I know this is not going to help much but....
Other than keeping the nails trimmed I say "don't worry about the wood
floors")
With the old wood floors I would take wood oil in a slightly darker
color and rub it into the scratch marks and it gave the wood a nice looked to it.
When we got our new wood floors my X hubby hated that large dogs
were allowed in the house and possibly marking up the new floors.
Life is to short, trim the nails short and use wood oil to keep the floors looking
nice.  Just my two cents! []
 
(just wanted to add!)  I did not have a thick scealer (finish) on our wood floors.
I liked a more natural mat look.
My sister had her wood floors finished with a lot of scealent and she never
had to worry about the kids dropping liquid or dog nails.

several thin coats of polyurethane is very good, much more durable than shellac or spar varnish. I also highly rec. oiled finshed floors or plain/natural unfinished, but that is me. All three of these choices are durable and easy to "patch repair".
If  you go the poly - I would go for a satin finish, as opposed to high gloss or matte (scratches show up much easier on bright or dull finishes).
 
There are stain pens (look like magic markers) and crayons (essentially a tinted wax compound) that work very well for noticeable scratches. Most minor scratches can be buffed out with either a dry greenie pad or 000 sand paper (really fine grit). The onlt time you really have to worry over a scratch, as they disappear with time, is when it gets down to raw wood on a finished floor. This can allow grease based stains and water to darken the wood.
 
Most filed or shortened nails won't bother wood floors. It is actually the grit and dirt the paws bring in (and on your shoes) that scratch the floors, which is why you will see the entryways showing wear faster than any other area. I just put down area rugs in front of the doors and one runner in my hall, to ease my DH sanity. There are lot of things that won't stay perfect, and wood floors are one of them (dogs or not). I think of it as adding "character"
 
(can you tell I grew up working around historically renovations?)[]
 

Glenda, they are NOT removable. You super glue them on (like fake nails), and they fall off in 6-8 weeks.

If I let my dogs nails go for 6-8 weeks they'd have CLAWS like Howard Hughes!!

Mine, too, LOL. Lots of people let their dogs' nails go at least that long, though. It's really sad to clip 4 or 5 inches off of each nail, on a TOY POODLE.

DS wanted us to stop by his work yesterday to see his bosses new King Cavaler Spaniel pup (I'm in love) and he and another gal were clipping the nails of a little dog...those suckers were at LEAST 3 inches long and I just wanted to scream that someone would so badly neglect the poor little guy.

ORIGINAL: glenmar

If I let my dogs nails go for 6-8 weeks they'd have CLAWS like Howard Hughes!!

This is why I don't use them. My dogs' nails require care at least once a week.

I do recommend the caps for cats though... but for dogs, I just have to trim way too often.

I always wanted to try them for the cats, but didn't think they'd work. Now, however, my house is so pet friendly (worn out!) that it doesn't much matter! I do have hardwood floors though, and the dogs nails have never been a problem on them. I did them with a 'school gym floor' polyurethane.

My two large dogs don't need their nails trimmed. They're always very short, as they get worn down from outings. My small dog, however, I do have to trim occasionally. I guess her light weight doesn't allow for them to wear down as much.