Protecting Paws In Winter

Winter can wreak havic on your pooches paws. For starters, rock salt and icemelts used on roads and sidewalks can irritate your dog's paws (also leading to the risk of injesting chemicals if your dog licks his/her paws). Dog's paws are also suseptable to frostbite and the fur around your doggie's paws often collects snowballs when they play in the snow.

However, there are many things owners can do to protect their dog's paws and ensure they enjoy the outdoors even in the colder months. First of all, be sure to use pet-friendly icemelts to clear your driveways and sidewalks. Since we can't control what other people use its important to be sure to rinse your dog's paws off after a walk. If you notice your their paws have become cracked or frostbitten there are many soothing solutions. We recomend Happy Tails Spa's "Bowwow Butter Balm", available in our store, to sooth cracked paws and help alleviate discomfort.

Of course, be sure to consult your vet if any serious problem areas appear on your dog's paws.

Another good method to prevent snow buildup is to trim the fur bewteen and around your dogs paws. Trimming your pooches nails also helps (when a dog has long nails it's toes spread easier, creating more surface area for snow to collect).

To truly prevent damage to your dog's paws pick up a pair of our doggie boots, Ruff Wear's "Bark'n Boots Grip Trex".