Why We Created Large Scratch Boards for Our Dogs
As the pawrents of two dogs that hate nail trimming, we know how frustrating it can be to use nail clippers.
While some dogs don’t mind a quick trim, some dogs become anxious and fearful when it comes time for the dreaded nail trim. Whether you use nail clippers or grinders, it can cause stress, fear, and frustration—for both the dog and the human.
That’s exactly why we created our large scratch boards at 2 Dog Night Studios. Inspired by our experiences trying to trim our own dogs’ nails, we wanted a safe, natural, and stress-free way to keep their nails short and healthy.
Kimber, our German Shepherd x Malinois mix, tolerates her nails being trimmed for a minute or two. But, typically grooming appointments and attempts at home leave her anxious an unhappy.
Ranger, our Australian Cattle Dog x Malinois x Dutch Shepherd mix, came to us undersocialized. As a breed known for intelligence and independence, cattle dogs don’t always love being handled—and Ranger can get nippy when someone tries to trim his nails.
Instead of turning every nail trim into a stressful battle, we decided to build our own scratch board as a test. The ones on Amazon (or worse, Temu) looked cheap and too small for Kimber, who is tall, lanky and roughly 65 pounds.
Through trial and error, we created a high-quality scratch board made for big dogs like German Shepherds, huskies, pitbulls, dobermans, and other large breeds.
You may have heard of these called by other names as well. A scratch board for dogs is also sometimes referred to as a “dog scratch pad,” “dog nail file board,” “canine nail scratcher,” or “DIY dog nail board.” No matter what you call it, the idea is the same: a safe, stress-free way for your dog to file down their own nails naturally.
We’ve since sold over 100 scratch boards to pet parents across the United States (even Hawaii!).
Want to try one out? Purchase directly from us on our website or find us on Etsy.
