By Renée
Tags: Dog Grooming, Health Care
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Are you Taking Good Care of your Dog’s Paws?
This is one area many dog owners overlook. Can’t fault them too much since all of us have comfortable footwear to protect our feet.
Trimming your dog’s nails on a regular basis is no doubt an excellent grooming habit to have; however your task doesn’t end here especially for dogs that have daily walks be it on the street or in the park.
Now imagine what your feet would be like if you ran around all day every day outside and inside the home barefooted. Not only would they be rough and filthy, they would also be vulnerable to scratches and scrapes as well. The worst victims are usually the housewives who are in constant exposure to wet flooring without any footwear. What would your heels be like? Right, cracked heels! Would your feet be a pretty sight if you wear shoes that bare the heels and toes?
Welcome to a dog’s world. Yes, dogs have been roaming the earth for thousands of years with unprotected paws; however, they have only recently been introduced to concrete, toxic chemical residue, hot asphalt, road salt, etc. And because of these harsh elements, many dogs suffer from paw discomfort in the form of cracked pads and dry skin.
The Solution to Heal Paw Discomfort
- A mixture of equal parts lanolin and petroleum jelly. Rubbing this into your dog’s paws will not only moisturize dry skin, it also acts as a barrier cream that can be used in the winter months to protect your dog from street salt.
- If the paws are cracked, mix in a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide. This will help heal the cracks and prevent infection.
Both mixtures are 100% safe if consumed.
Remember, a pawdicure isn’t just about clipping and filing dogs’ nails. Caring about the paw pads is one step away from a full pawdicure. =)
Nov 17th 2006
9:30 PM
Good article. One more thing to be aware of is when bathing your dog, try not to have him or her standing in water. Bathe the dog where the water can drain away and then dry the paws thoroughly.
Nov 17th 2006
11:30 PM
Hi Gene,
Thanks for your comments.
I wonder how it is possible not having the dog’s paws in contact with water whether one baths the dog in the bathtub, lawn, basin or just on regular bathroom floor.
Generally, most pet dogs have 1 to 4 baths per month and the duration of it is about 15 minutes at most. There are dogs who swim for 15 to 20 minutes twice weekly either for leisure or hydrotherapy treatment or aromatherapy pampering. Then there are days when we walk our dogs after a rain and the pavement isn’t completely dry.
Water is not the culprit for dry paws. To avoid coming in contact with water in whatever fashion is ineluctable and it certainly won’t make paws any cushier.
Dogs have to lead a normal lifestyle where they can explore various elements come their way. The key to taking care of dog’s paws is not to neglect them after those fun activities—bathing dogs is one of them.
Jun 22nd 2007
5:39 PM
Hi! Im getting a beagle and i want to be able to groom it myself (example: cutting its nails- how often should I too?)do you know how short to cut them??? and how often do you bathe your dog? should i bathe it once a week? Another question I have is how should I walk my beagle and let it excercize if it starts running and its hard to hold its leash or keep up with him?very good article too. it got me more prepared for my dog!
Jun 25th 2007
9:15 AM
Hi Paula,
Thanks for taking the time to read my articles. I’ve written many articles quite extensively for beginner dog owners and you can find them in my archives. On your last question, about the art of walking the dog, this topic will be covered very soon. You might like to read the first series on walking the dog here.