Winter Woes for Toes – Winter Dog Paw Care

Winter Woes for Toes – Winter Dog Paw Care for Your Best Friend

Winter brings not just polar vortexes (sounds so SciFi), but also frigid temperatures, snow ice, and frosty dog paws. Salt mixes that melt the ice, packed snow and hidden objects that are frozen in the snow all add up to turn a quick walk with your dog into a treacherous minefield of paw horror! All of these hazards can wreak havoc on your dog’s paws! My feet hurt just thinking about it.

For city dwellers, the blasted salt and chemical mixes will not only ruin your boots, it can also irritate your dog’s feet. Ice and salt only go together in Margaritas, in my opinion! Durn, now i want a Margarita.  Back to your dog’s paws…if your dog is favoring a foot or even limping, those nasty chemicals may be attacking his or her paw pads. Plus, most of our dogs will lick anything that bothers them. You can bet they will lick at sore, irritated feet as soon as they return from their winter walk. Do you want your dog swallowing all of those chemicals? I sure don’t!

Next is the dreaded FROZE TOES! I have seen photos of dogs with fluffy feet who looked like they had a snowman on the bottom of each foot! Ice, snow and all those chemicals will also get packed up in that ice ball that forms when many dogs walk in the snow. Our Frenchies will take a few steps and then lift a foot, refusing to take another step. Usually I am able to sweep them up and save them from the awful FROZE TOES, but there have been times I couldn’t and I felt soooo bad.

Hidden Objects – There isn’t much you can do about items frozen in the ground or buried under snow cover. But you can choose a shoveled path or follow a well-worn path on your walk with your dog.

WINTER DOG PAW CARE TIPS

Snow Boots – if your dog will wear them give them a shot. Check these DOG BOOTS out I found on Etsy (I would wear them).

Safe Paws – What a great invention! An ice melter that is non-toxic. While we may not be able to demand it be used worldwide, you can make sure out is all that is used at your house.

Indoor Potty – What the heck, if they are probably just going to go potty inside, at least you have a prayer of having them go where YOU want them to – worth a shot! Some of my friends have had success with this one. UGODOG.

PAW BUTTER – Of course, your dog needs PAW BUTTER – our answer to winter paw woes! Before you slip on their boots, rub a bit of PAW BUTTER into their pads. Then check their pads again when the walk is over, if needed, repeat application. If you dog is NOT going to wear snow boots make sure you apply PAW BUTTER before and after their walk. When you return from the walk, wipe their feet off using a baby or paw wipe, towel or one of those crazy dog foot washing devices I wish I had thought of. For more Paw-tastic tips of foot care – check this out.

You and your dog are now ready to face Snowmageddon, Polar Vortexes and SNOW! Stay warm!

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