Walking in a Winter Wonderland

This time of year we rarely think about what the salt and dry conditions can do to our dog’s paws. They can become chapped and even get infected if not cared for properly. Thankfully there are a few simple and easy ways to protect your dog’s paws.

Dog Boots

Dog boots are a great way to protect your pet’s paws and there are many different options depending on yourneeds. We’ll go through a few of them now, but for a more in-depth discussion come visit us at the store.

Protex PawZ – Our first option are these rubber booties that provide protection from snow and salt, but are thin enough that your pet can still feel the ground through them. This usually makes your pet more willing to accept them. They are designed to be disposable, but as Rebecca will tell you, they easily last several months of continued use.

Pugz – These boots are for the fashion conscious canine, mimicking the popular Ugg boots for people. They feature a rubber sole, faux suede outer covering with fleece lining and accents. Pugz provide more protection than the rubber booties, and cover more of the foot, keeping it warmer.

Ruffwear – Ruffwear boots are the hiking, snowmobiling, and rock climbing boots of the dog world. They’re designed for extreme conditions and to keep your pet comfortable and safe during tough jobs or rough terrain. All these boots feature vibram soles, a high quality sole material used in human sporting shoes as well.

Paw Wax
Musher’s Secret, originally developed for sled dogs, is a clear wax that creates a protective layer to shield your dog’s pads from the snow or ice.  This is a great option for dogs who simply can’t get used to dog boots.

Paw Balm
Paw balm works just like lip balm for humans, but is made lick-safe for your pet. They are relatively inexpensive, and last quite a long time. Simply apply a thin layer of paw balm as needed to soothe your pet’s paw pads. But be sure to wipe your pet’s paws down with a wet cloth or baby wipe before applying the balm to remove any salt residue that may still be present.

Paw Soaks
For pups who’s paws have already had some damage from winter conditions, a paw soak can help rehydrate their paw pads to speed the healing process. We carry the SPA Bubble Bath Paw Treatment, which is a high quality and simple to use soak. Simply add some of the Bubble Bath to some lukewarm water (dogs are more sensitive to temperature that we are and with chapped paws hot water would be painful), and let them soaked for 5 minutes. To increase the benefits, give your dog a gentle paw massage after they’ve been soaking for a couple minutes. This easy treatment done several times a week will have your dog’s paws feeling great in no time.