To cut the nails of a German Shepherd, you will need guillotine-type nail clippers, styptic powder, and files for trimming and finishing nails. Try to clip your dog’s nails regularly. A few dogs who exercise frequently on sidewalks or pavement keep their nails short naturally, but this is not usually the case. Most of the time, you’ll need to clip the nails every three or four weeks. If you wait too long, the nails can grow into the pads. Even before this terrible stater of affairs, dogs will find it hard to put their full body weight on feet with overlong nails, resulting in pailful walking.