Your Dog Needs Happy Feet, Too - Especially In the Winter!

My dog loves to play outside and go on walks  all year round. Except for being a scared-y pup during thunderstorms, you can find him speeding around our yard or strutting his stuff on the bike path any day of the year.  Even with the amount of time he is outside creating a tough layer over his paws during the spring, summer, and fall, winter can present some problems.  With the ice and snow provided by Mother Nature  and the chemical salt mixes thrown on the pavement from City Maintenance, no dog's paws stand a chance.

As a dog owner of some different breeds, I find it amazing to see how each dog's paws are different based on the needs that were bred into each breed - even if all of mine are mixes! With my Chow Shepherd mix, little ice balls would get stuck  between her toes. The furriness in between her toes was fine all year round - except for winter. If she didn't catch all the snow balls before she came in the house, I had to get them out. The irritation caused by the ice was bad for her paws. With my Black Lab mix, it's been interesting to deal with webbed paws. Snow and ice caught up in the webbing creates some pretty tender spots. Even with the running around he does to toughen his pads, nothing has toughened up that webbing for snow. In both these instances, wiping down paws is a full time job. Getting rid of the ice balls and hidden snow is priority number one.

One of the worst things to find on your dog's paws is cracks. I know the first time I saw cracks in my dog's paw, I was scared to death. I grabbed the first available vet appointment because I couldn't stand to see my pup limping and crying in pain. This was the first time I learned the importance of  toughened paw pads. It was also the first time I learned about different dog supplies that helped prevent paw problems. Learning these lessons prevented a lot of dog first aid episodes, let me tell you! Dog pad cream and hydrocortisone sprays are great for when paw cracks appear.  However, using Paw Guard, or other paw pad care products, and dog boots can prevent snow or cracking problems from the start. Unless you have dogs who were bred to live in the snow, like Huskies, paw care procedures and products are a must.

No matter what you choose to do or use, I know the most important thing to me is diligence.  A good snag-free towel, some ointment, and snow-proof doggie boots when it gets really bad outside is the right mix for me. Finding the right winter maintenance mix will be a big help for you, too!