If you can hear your dog’s nails clicking across the kitchen floor, they are due for attention. The next question is usually a simple one: what will it cost?
In North Texas, nail trimming and filing are included at no extra charge in every Kontota grooming appointment. If you want a dedicated nail service, the Kontota Paw-dicure is $49.99.
So if your dog is already booked for a bath or haircut, you are not paying separately for the nails. The Paw-dicure is there for dogs who need more focused nail work, such as nails that have been left to grow long.
These prices are for the Kontota North Texas location and are estimates, not guaranteed quotes. Kontota is a franchise, so pricing and services can vary by location. To see what your own dog’s appointment would cost, check the Kontota price estimator.
Dog nail care prices in North Texas at a glance
| Nail care option | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Nails as part of any bath or haircut | Nail trimming and filing, included in the appointment | No extra charge |
| Paw-dicure | Nails checked, trimmed to a safe length and ground smooth | $49.99 |
| Special handling, if needed | Extra time and care for dogs that struggle with handling | $25 |
Every mobile visit also carries a $119.99 visit minimum. That matters if nails are the only thing your dog needs, and it is the main reason most owners have nails done alongside a bath or haircut rather than on their own.
What does the Paw-dicure include?
The Paw-dicure is Kontota’s dedicated nail service. It covers:
· A nail check. Each nail is looked at first, including the dew claws, so the groomer knows how much length can safely come off.
· Trimming. Nails are cut to the right length with dog nail clippers, working around the quick to avoid pain and bleeding.
· Grinding and smoothing. Nails are ground and filed so there are no sharp or rough edges left to snag on carpet, furniture or your legs.
A clipper alone can leave a sharp, square edge. Grinding rounds it off and lets the groomer take length off gradually, which is useful on dark nails where the quick is harder to see and on thick nails that tend to split when clipped.
What is included in a standard Kontota appointment?
You do not need to book a Paw-dicure to get your dog’s nails done. On the Kontota website, every appointment includes a bath with nail trimming and filing, along with ear cleaning, ear hair removal, teeth brushing, a triple shampoo, conditioner, a blow dry with no cage dryers, a fragrance and an accessory.
That makes the bath the most practical way to handle nails for most dogs. Here is what a short-hair bath costs by size at the North Texas location, with nails included:
| Dog’s weight | Short-hair bath (nails included) |
|---|---|
| 0–15 lbs | $78.97 |
| 16–25 lbs | $91.33 |
| 26–40 lbs | $103.69 |
| 41–60 lbs | $128.40 |
| 61–70 lbs | $140.76 |
Where a bath comes in under $119.99, the visit minimum applies instead. You can see everything a full appointment covers on the Kontota dog grooming services page.
What affects the cost of nail care?
A few things decide what you actually pay:
1. Whether it is part of a groom. Nails booked with a bath or haircut cost nothing extra. A dedicated Paw-dicure is $49.99.
2. The visit minimum. Each mobile visit has a $119.99 minimum, so a nails-only visit costs more than the Paw-dicure price on its own.
3. Your dog’s behavior. Dogs that need extra time and care may need special handling, which is $25.
4. Distance. Appointments 40 minutes or more away carry a $50 travel fee, rising to $75 at 50 minutes or more.
5. Tax and fuel. Sales tax of 8.25% and a 3% fuel fee are added on top of listed prices.
Your dog’s weight does not change the Paw-dicure price. It does change the price of the bath or haircut the nails are included in.
Why dogs need their nails trimmed
Dog nails do not reliably wear down through normal activity. A dog walked daily on concrete wears its nails down faster than one that spends most of its time on grass and carpet, but either way, nail length is worth watching rather than assuming it will look after itself.
The clicking on hard floors is the easiest sign. You may also notice the nails looking long, or the toes starting to spread when your dog stands.
Long nails are more than a cosmetic problem. When a nail reaches the ground before the pad does, it pushes the toe back with every step. Over time that changes how your dog stands and walks, and it puts extra strain on the feet and legs. For older dogs with stiff joints, keeping nails short makes a real difference to comfort.
A simple test: when your dog is standing normally, the nails should not touch the floor.
What is the quick, and why can’t long nails be cut short in one go?
Inside each nail is the quick, living tissue with its own blood supply and nerves. On light nails you can often see where it starts. On dark nails it is much harder to judge, which is why plenty of owners who trim pale nails at home leave dark ones to a groomer.
As a nail grows longer, the quick grows with it. That means a badly overgrown nail cannot safely be cut back to a normal length in one appointment, because the living tissue now runs into the length you want to remove.
The fix is a series of smaller trims a few weeks apart, which lets the quick shrink back each time. It is the main reason regular nail care is easier and kinder than waiting until the nails are very long.
How often should your dog’s nails be trimmed?
There is no single schedule for every dog, because nail growth and natural wear both vary. Most dogs land somewhere between three and six weeks.
Rather than going purely by the calendar, check the nails. If they touch the floor when your dog is standing, or you can hear clicking on hard floors, they are due.
If your dog is groomed every four to six weeks, the nails are handled within that schedule, which is one of the easiest ways to keep them under control without thinking about it.
What North Texas does to your dog’s paws
A few local conditions make paw care more relevant here than general advice suggests.
Concrete wears nails unevenly. Newer neighborhoods across Frisco, Prosper, Celina and McKinney come with wide sidewalks, long driveways and paved trails. Dogs walked on them often wear their front nails faster than their back nails, while the dew claws never touch the ground at all. Dew claws keep growing regardless, and they are the nails owners miss most often.
Grass burrs are a seasonal problem. Sandburrs are common in North Texas lawns, greenbelts and empty lots, and they get caught in the hair between the toes in late summer and fall. Tidy paw hair and a quick check between the toes after walks will save your dog some limping.
Summer pavement gets hot. Concrete that has sat in the sun on a 100°F afternoon can burn paw pads. If you cannot keep the back of your hand on it for seven seconds, it is too hot for your dog, so walk early or late through July and August.
Can you trim your dog’s nails at home?
Many owners do, and it works well if your dog is comfortable having its paws held and you know where to stop.
It gets harder when either of you is uneasy. If you are nervous, your dog will sense it and move just as you go to cut. If your dog strongly dislikes having its feet touched, every attempt can turn into a struggle.
If you trim at home, keep styptic powder nearby before you start. Cutting into the quick happens to almost everyone at some point, and it is much less stressful when you are ready for it.
What does not work is putting nail care off because neither of you enjoys it. Waiting makes the nails longer, the quick longer and the next trim harder.
If your dog hates having its nails done
This is very common. Paws are sensitive, and a dog that has had one bad experience will often pull away the moment someone reaches for a foot.
You can make a big difference at home. Handle your dog’s paws when you are not trimming anything. Hold a foot briefly, touch each toe, and reward your dog for staying calm. Done a few times a week, this teaches your dog that a hand on a paw does not mean something unpleasant is coming.
With puppies, start early. Getting a young dog used to paw handling makes nail care easier for the rest of its life, and the Kontota puppy grooming services are designed with that first introduction in mind.
If your dog reacts strongly to nail handling, tell the groomer when you book rather than on the day. That way the right amount of time can be planned, and special handling can be arranged if it is needed.
How mobile grooming helps nervous dogs with nail trims
For a dog that dreads nail trims, the setting can matter as much as the trim itself. Mobile grooming removes a lot of what makes the experience stressful:
- One dog at a time. Your dog is the only animal in the van, with no other dogs barking nearby.
- No waiting around. There is no crate time before or after the appointment. The van arrives, the work is done, and your dog goes back inside.
- No car ride. A dog that already arrives stressed from the drive is harder to handle. With mobile grooming, your dog walks out of your front door and back in again.
- A quieter, calmer space. Kontota’s mobile model is designed to give nervous and anxious dogs a calmer, more patient appointment than a busy salon floor.
Mobile grooming will not turn a dog that hates having its feet touched into one that enjoys it. What it does is remove the extra stress around the trim, which often makes the trim itself much easier.
Does your dog’s size affect nail care?
Size changes the physical job. The small nails of a 10-pound dog and the thick nails and heavy paws of a 90-pound dog take different amounts of effort and care.
Behavior matters just as much. A calm large dog can be simple to work with, while a small dog that fights every paw touch can take far more patience. That is why special handling is based on the dog’s needs, not its weight.
Frequently asked questions
Is nail trimming included when my dog is groomed?
Yes. Nail trimming and filing are part of every Kontota grooming appointment at no extra charge.
What is the difference between a nail trim and a Paw-dicure?
Nail trimming and filing are included in every appointment. The Paw-dicure, at $49.99, is a dedicated nail service where nails are checked, trimmed to a safe length and ground smooth.
Can I book a Paw-dicure on its own?
Ask when you book. Keep in mind that each mobile visit has a $119.99 visit minimum, so for most dogs it is better value to have nails done as part of a bath or haircut.
Can very overgrown nails be cut back in one visit?
No. The quick grows with the nail, so overgrown nails need several shorter trims a few weeks apart to bring them back safely.
Do you trim dew claws?
Yes. Dew claws do not touch the ground, so they need regular trimming even when the other nails wear down naturally.
Keeping nail care simple and affordable
The cheapest way to look after your dog’s nails is also the easiest: have them done as part of regular grooming. Nail trimming and filing are already included in every Kontota appointment, so a dog on a steady bath or haircut schedule has its nails handled without any extra cost or extra visit.
The Paw-dicure, at $49.99, is there when your dog needs more focused nail work. It is most useful for dogs whose nails have grown long, dogs with thick or dark nails, and dogs that need nails brought back gradually over a few visits.
Between appointments, keep an eye on the signs: clicking on hard floors, nails touching the ground when your dog stands, and dew claws starting to curl. Keep handling your dog’s paws so trims stay calm and quick.
These prices apply to the Kontota North Texas location, and pricing can differ at other Kontota franchises. If you are in North Texas, you can get a Kontota mobile grooming appointment across Dallas-Fort Worth, including Frisco, McKinney, Prosper, Denton, Aubrey, Carrollton, Flower Mound and Lewisville, with nails included as part of the visit.
