Winter can be rough on your dog's feet. Here are some easy things you can do to protect them.
- Booties! The best way to protect your dog's feet from snow, ice, and road salt is to put boots on their feet. Introduce your dog to the boots gradually, and make wearing them a positive experience. Many dogs will learn to tolerate boots once they go outside and realize that their feet feel better.
- Foot wax. Some dogs will absolutely not tolerate boots. If you apply a small amount of vegetable oil, or a commercially available foot wax before your winter walks, your pet's feet will be protected from the elements. Be sure to use a product that is food grade- your dog will be likely to lick it off and ingest some.
- Trim that toe hair. Dogs with lots of fur between their toes can develop balls of snow and ice that can be painful to walk on. Simply trimming the hair between the toes can prevent this. Trimming your dog's foot hair can also reduce the amount of salt your dog picks up when walking outside.
- Wipe your feet! When coming in from a winter walk, clean your dogs feet with some warm water and then wipe with a dry towel. This will remove any salt residue and prevent your dog from ingesting it. You should also be sure to wipe the snow off your own boots. Many dogs love to eat the clumps of snow that fall off of your shoes when you come inside in the winter. This can be a problem if there is salt on your shoes.
- Moisturize! There are many dog paw moisturizers available. Try to avoid using moisturizers for humans, as these usually aren't made with edible ingredients. Moisturizing your dog's paws in the winter can help prevent painful cracking of the pads.
