[Nicki85]

Just wondered how everyone cares for their dogs paws?

Rusty has very long fur between his toes and although I have clipped it previously I wonder if it would be best left for protection? Saying that he often gets bundles of mud inbetween the pads which must be quite sore. I've also found with previous dogs that long hair inbetween toes get lots of snowballs in the winter.

He also has quite cracked soles which although don't seem to worry/ hurt him concern me slightly!

Anyway, would be interested to hear how you manage your dog's feet and what breed they are/ how long the fur is! Thank you :laugh:

 

[Dogless]

I have a Rhodesian Ridgeback, very short hair. He has feet the likes of which I've never quite seen before.....they have very tough, thick pads as a breed which I'm grateful for. Paw care....nil .

I do check his feet over every day but he soon lets me know using high drama the instant anything is wrong :yikes:.

 

[Leanne77]

Apart from trimming and tidying up the fur on Jed's paws (he is a heavy coated BC) I do nothing else to them. The other 2 have short hair so again, I do nothing.

I do have some paw wax which is supposed to protect their feet on rough ground and stop them slipping on smooth surfaces but I never use it, although I should.

 

[Maria 1970]

I have a spaniel x collie Murphy, he has great long tufts of hair on his feet that require trimming every 3-4 weeks. I did try leaving them for a couple of months last winter but he came in limping after playing in the snow and when I checked his paw he had compacted snow attached to the fur (like having an ice cube between your toes) a cloth soaked in warm water solved this and now he has regular trimming.

 

[SixStar]

I trim the fur from in between the toes and the bottom of the paw on my hairy dogs (Bernese, Westie and Newfoundland) - if it is left long it affects their grip on slippery surfaces, and if the fur is allowed to matt between the paw pads, it's very uncomfortable for the dog - like us walking with stones in their shoes.

They all have vaseline on their paws in snowy or icy weather, but apart from that, I don't do anything else really.

Vitamin E oil (just burst open a couple of capsules) is fantastic for cracked/sore paw pads.

 

[sid&kira]

I have huskies and i trim the fur between the pads on my boy, otherwise he refuses to cross the backroom to go outside because he slips! The girls toe fur doesnt grow too long

All the sibes have quite tough pads and i dont do any other care for them.

Diesel however seems to have paper pads and has already needed one op when he sliced one quite deep!! Nothing i can actually do though bar bootie him 24/7! Hes a staffy x

 

[Werehorse]

Oscar gets between the toe hairs trimmed. Mostly to stop him looking quite so hobbit-like but it does sometimes mat up too. I managed to skin his pads once walking up Skiddaw (lots of loose rough stones up there and I hadn't built him up over that kind of ground properly). Should have paw waxed, booted or built up to it. Poor lad gave no indication until him evening wee-walk where he could hardly walk on the pavement! He's quite stoical.

Hugo has short hair and would let me know the second anything went wrong. He is not stoical. But no care needed so far.

 

[Nicki85]

Thanks for the responses you have confirmed my thoughts! I was a bit worried that I should be leaving natural and not trimming and that somehow the long hair would protect his feet! I will continue to trim and try some vitamin E oil as well (do you feed or rub on?!)

Thank you!

 

[SixStar]

Thanks for the responses you have confirmed my thoughts! I was a bit worried that I should be leaving natural and not trimming and that somehow the long hair would protect his feet! I will continue to trim and try some vitamin E oil as well (do you feed or rub on?!)

Thank you!

Can do both - although applying it to the pad itself will help damaged pads quicker.

 

[Mehy]

No fur to trim (lab) but he did skin his pads having a funny five minutes and full on sprinting around on a patio. Only happened twice when he was under 1 so tey must have hardened up because he still does the zooming around and when I check his paws they are ok.