Dog Elbow Callus – Elbow Butter to the Rescue

Dog Elbow Callus – unsightly and uncomfortable. ELBOW BUTTER™ helps smooth dry, cracked, rough elbows. Made of 100 percent Organic Shea Butter, Organic Olive Oil, Castor Oil, Organic Avocado Oil, organic beeswax, infusion of Calendula herbs, Comfrey, St. John’s Wort Oil,  100% Therapeutic Grade Aromatherapy and a LOT of LOVE.

Of course, nothing will eliminate the calluses, actually we don’t want to remove them as they would just come back as they are caused by pressure. Elbow Butter will help smooth and soften them though! Big dogs are especially prone to those; Mastiffs, Newfoundland Dogs, Labs, Great Danes, Neopolitan Mastiffs, Leonbergers, Bullmastiffs, and others. Labrador Retrievers also seem to be prone to them.

As our dog friends get older they are even more prone to dog elbow callus and pressure sores. Much like us (sigh), they spend less and less time running and playing and more time searching out a comfy spot to recline on. As long as the calluses don’t become ulcers or abscesses, calluses aren’t a major problem.

Of course, you should not shave or cut the calluses off. I know people do that on their corns and calluses on their feet, but it not the same for dogs. Don’t even think about it! I wonder if those little flesh eating fish would eat calluses? I did find this suspender-like item that holds the calluses in, if they are huge and pendulous. I am merely sharing and do not know this vendor.

Clean off the callus, and liberally apply ELBOW BUTTER to the affected areas. Allow it to be absorbed and then give them a treat or toy to distract them from licking the Elbow Butter off. Can dog’s reach their elbows to lick them? I know I cannot lick my elbows, yep, I actually just tried. But if they do, no worries…it will not hurt them.

How do I use Nose Butter®?

If your Nose Butter® is in a tin, open the tin and scoop out a dab that is appropriate to the size of your dog’s nose.  Then dab it on their nose – you can rub it in or just allow it to melt into the nose leather.

If your Nose Butter is in a tube, point the tube away from their eyes and apply a bit across the top of the nose. Like a swipe of lip balm. Start with less and add more, if you need to.

If your dog’s nose is crusty repeat 2-3x a day. After 1-3 days, test the crust with a bit of tissue and to see if it will rub off. If it does not easily come off, keep applying until it easily, without picking, crumbles off.

Use as needed for maintenance. Some dogs need daily application (senior dogs, for example), some weekly…each dog’s nose is different.

TIP!!! Distraction is key!

Give your dog a cookie, a yummy treat or feed them their dinner right after applying NOSE BUTTER. This distracts them from licking (or rubbing) it off.

They will also associate NOSE BUTTER application time with positive way cool stuff (cookies are positive for me!).

What is the Difference Between the Tin and Tube Nose Butter?

Good question! The Butter analogy, it is an obvious one, but it works. Nose Butter in the round tin is like whipped butter in a tub. It is fluffier and melts fast.

Nose Butter in the tube is a denser consistency like a stick of butter. Nose Butter in a tube may easier to apply for some people, but may take a teeny bit longer to melt into the nose.

Hint: Use less of the tube product, just a swipe is enough! By the way, the Nose Butter in the slide-top tins, the little .25 and the .50 is the same formulation as the Nose Butter in the Tube. This recipe, the denser variation, is poured directly into the tubes and little slide-top tins.

My dog hates having her face touched? What Now?

Here are a few suggestions…sneak up on her when  she is sleeping and gently tap it on her nose. If she wakes up, look away, be casual and act like you did not do anything. Or, give a cookie or highly coveted toy or chew and then quickly dab the Nose Butter on. It takes Steve and I both to apply Nose Butter to 12 pound Gio. Embarrassing.

Some dogs are frightened by being held closely and controlled. Flat-faced dogs may stress a bit more because their breathing is already compromised, so they instinctively try to prevent having their noses covered. Yet another reason not to use Vaseline, Baby butt stuff or any other super-thick product that does not “breathe” on their noses.

Is Nose Butter Safe? What if my dog licks it off?

Absolutely! There is nothing in our Nose Butter that can harm your dog. See Distraction tip above.

If you have multiple dogs they may lick it off each others noses, give them each a cookie to distract them all long enough for it to melt in. Or dab it on before they go to bed, if you utilize sleeping crates.

Her nose is pink after the crusty crud came off? Is that OK?

That is new skin! Just like after a sunburn or facial peel exposes our new skin, your dog’s new nose leather is tender. When that crusty crud, which may have been on there for months (or years) melts away with the Nose Butter, the new skin underneath may be tender and pink. In just a few days the pigment will fill in and look great again.

Is There a Difference in the Nose Butter Breeds?

Nope, it is all the same Nose Butter inside. The breed labels are just for fun for us to enjoy. So as much as I would love to tell you to buy a different Nose Butter for your brindle Frenchie and Boxer…it is the same inside. But what the heck…they each need their own Nose Butter.

How long does Nose Butter last?

Shea butter has an un-refrigerated shelf life of 18-24 months.

My Nose Butter melted?

HOT FACTS: As you may have guessed NOSE BUTTER is well, a butter, and may melt when it gets over 90?F. The good news is heat will not alter the effectiveness of Nose Butter. Just pop the container into the fridge to solidify it. NOSE BUTTER may settle or occasionally there may be some crystallization which won’t affect the product. This is an organic handcrafted product with no un-natural preservatives, so a teeny bit of extra effort is part of that natural beauty. Only the best for your dog’s nose!

Is Paw Butter Different from Nose Butter?

Paws and Elbows need more emollients and a different kind of support than elbows with pressure calluses. Boo Boo Butter™ is more of a salve and has a lot of healing, helpful herbal infusions that are not necessary for most noses. So, those products are chemically different from Nose Butter.

Who makes Nose Butter?

Every single tube, tin and batch of Nose, Paw, Elbow and Boo Boo Butter is handcrafted individually by ME. I know you may think it would be easy to toss the ingredients in a bowl and pop it into tins, but trust me…there is a lot more to it than that.

So many factors can affect the outcome of handcrafted, organic products from humidity to variances in the consistency of the various ingredients to a drought in some far away land. Since everything is organic there may be some very small change from one batch to the next. I actually age my products for a bit and test some of each batch on my own dogs (and me). So, I suppose I should state that my products are truly tested on animals!

Each oil and butter is chosen for a different property – some soak in faster than others, some have a larger molecule and act as a barrier to seal the ingredients and others have healing properties that help revitalize. Each ingredient was added for a very specific synergystic reason.

Hopefully this Nose Butter info was of help – as always, if you have a question, just ask!

Dry Dog Nose Info

The “My dog’s nose is dry”. We have all heard that a warm or dry dog nose means a dog is sick and that all healthy dogs have moist, wet noses.

In actuality, dog’s noses can be a bit warm and all is still just fine. Just as we have moments when we may feel a little hotter or flush and then fine in a few minutes, so can our dogs. So, a bit of a warm nose, with no other symptoms of illness is no cause for concern. Of course, lethargy, fever or other symptoms may necessitate a trip to the vet.

A dry, cracked crusty nose CAN be cause for attention. Of course, (blatant plug), we want you to get Nose Butter™ and take care of it…but let’s look at the WHY of the crusties.

Nasodigital Hyperkeratosis is an idiopathic (unknown cause) condition that is marked by the excessive formulation of nose or footpad crusts that vets call keratin. It is common in older dogs. Thick, crusty, hard, dry crud accumulates on the top of the nose, paw pads, or both. The accumulated crusty, dry keratin is usually most visible on the top of the nose and at the edges of the paw pads. This is not life-threatening and is considered cosmetic, but we want to eradicate this condition!Nose Butter and Paw Butter are the key line of defense…not getting all infomercial on you. But that is why I created this line of products…it all started with Frenchie crusties that did not want to go away!

The paw pad variety of this is called Footpad Hyperkeratosis. Hyperkeratosis runs in bloodlines and  results in severe digital hyperkeratosis (overgrowth of crusts and crud) by 5-6 months of age. Once again, not life threatening, but needs to be addressed for their comfort and your peace of mind.

Sensitivities to plastic bowls can cause some nose issues. Switch to stainless shell or a well-made ceramic pronto. All those bad chemicals that we now know were in water bottles have often been used in pet food bowls!

There is another, serious condition, called Pemphigus foliates, which DOES need veterinarian intervention. It is characterized by blisters on the dry nose of a dog. They can burst and form crust that can covers the nostrils and makes breathing difficult. This is an autoimmune skin disease that is so very common amongst our modern dogs and cats. I repeat, your dog’s dry nose in this case would certainly need a vet’s attention.

Some dogs may even be sensitive to the sun and need a bit of sunscreen…The Blissful Dog Sunscreen option will be available in spring of 2013!

This is intended to give you a bit of info on the various conditions that can cause your best friend to have a dry, crusty dog nose. If you need more info, visit the Merck Vet manual site, email us or Google it!

Official The Blissful Dog Disclaimer: This article is not intended as a substitute for veterinarian care. Please consult your veterinarian if your dog needs medical care.

It’s Hot and Nose Butter is…BUTTER!

Here in northern Minnesota there are two weeks out of the year that our organic products may be affected by the heat if left outside, but the rest of the USA can get HOT!

For those of you who live below the Arctic Circle here are our Summer Tips & Hints…

Our products are 100% organic with no “impossible to pronounce without an advanced degree” ingredients. NOSE, PAW, ELBOW and BOO BOO BUTTERs are all made from natural butters and oils. Our products begin to melt FAST on your dog’s nose, paws, elbows and gets to work FAST. This low melt point is part of what makes this product work so well. It also poses a bit of a dilemna in the super hot summer months.

When your tin of NOSE BUTTER sits in the back of a postal truck in Houston in July it will melt. There is no getting around it. The great news is that it will solidify in minutes when you pop it into your refrigerator or even cool house. No ill effects, it just solidifies. In some cases there may be a little bit of crystallization, but this will melt away upon application and is just a part of shea butter re-solidfying. It may also be denser and have less volume, but the weight will be the same. Kinda like Frosted Flakes settle a bit. No worries.

Your products will each be placed into a protective plastic zip bag and then packed for shipping. There will be a reminder sticker on your package, urging you to refrigerate prior to opening on hot days.

So, pop your products into the fridge upon arrival and give them a few minutes to get back in shape. Then use as directed! I know I obsess over this a bit and many of you will not be affected at all. The butters melt in the mid nineties and if your products are not subjected to these temperatures then you will never notice anything!

This is all in the spirit of giving you way more info than you may ever need!

Shipping for The Blissful Dog - Your order is tucked into a cute fabric bag and packed in either a bubble envelope or a cardboard box and sent First Class. My goal is for you to get your Good Stuff FAST! There is a Priority Mail option if you want to be sure your Blissful Stuff arrives even faster.

I strive to ship with 24-48 hours of receiving your order (not counting Sundays or holidays). We do have to go into town to ship International orders (45 miles away), so sometimes International orders may take 2-3 days to leave here. Nothing short of a blizzard, zombie apocalypse or that good looking Alcide guy from True Blood showing up to see me will slow down shipping.

I don’t get out much, but if I am going to be away from The Blissful Dog International Headquarters (aka-home) for more than a long weekend I will ship from my travels OR pop a note up here on the website.

Shipping Info USA 

The shipping charges are based upon the weight of the item you have selected and the exact USPS charges. There are no added handling or service charges. For some reason handling charges bother me…

Usually the USPS gets packages from here in the far north to their destination within the US in 3-5 days. Of course, there are exceptions, but that is a good rule of thumb – er – paw.

International Shipping Info

The shipping charges are based upon the actual weight of the item you have selected and the exact USPS charges. There are no added handling or service charges.

International time frames vary from country to country. Sadly, I have had some orders take 3-4 weeks to arrive to some countries. I wish I had that teleportation thing worked out and I could just zap your items to you, but until then the USPS will have to do.

I honor and feel your pain on how expensive international shippings is. Using the exact weight allows me to offer you the best rates possible. Tracking is not available after your package leaves the US. I wish it were, but I am at their mercy.