How To Care for Wet Dog PawsAs a dog owner, you know that your dog needs his exercise, rain or shine. He also needs to do his business, whether it's wet out or sunny. If it’s rainy, it is inevitable that your dog, especially his feet, is going to get wet and probably muddy, too. This is not just an inconvenience for you and your floors, but it can be an issue for your dog’s sensitive paws.Since your dog’s paws are always exposed to the ground, whether it is wet or dry, they can be susceptible to infections. When a dog cavorts happily in the dirt, mud or rain, they pick up bacteria that can lead to disease. Plus, mud is not only messy but slippery and a muddy paw has no grip. No grip means that your dog can go “slip sliding away”. Any dog owner is aware of what happens whenever you blend rain with a lively dog – an incredible big mess. Rain or not, your pet still has to head outdoors to do his business and if you reside somewhere where it can rain for hours on end, your canine can’t typically outlast Mother Nature. Therefore to the yard he goes, in the puddles within the grass and the mud in the garden. And what happens to that water and muck when he has completed his rounds? It comes into the home onto your new carpet, your floor tile and hardwood flooring, and even your furniture if you aren’t ready for that jump onto the couch. With these things in mind, here are a couple of sound tips to take care of your dog’s paws when they get wet.
Be PreparedKeep an old towel on the porch or inside the entry way on rainy days. When your dog is ready to come in with those wet or muddy paws, make him sit first and wipe down each paw as best you can. (This is also an ideal way to practice that ever so elusive “sit/stay” command!). For particularly dirty paws, you can follow up with a second, more thorough cleaning using pre-moistened wipes. Just make sure they are alcohol and chemical-free. Baby wipes work great and you can even find a pre-moistened wipe product made especially for dogs at your favorite pet store chain.
Keep Them TidyAnother way to keep your dog’s paws ready for wet, muddy weather is to keep the hair trimmed that grows between the pads of their paws. That fur soaks up excess water and mud, making for an extra messy and germ-ridden paw. Furry dogs like Golden Retrievers, Shih Tzus or Poodles quickly grow a lot a hair in that area.
Cover 'Em Up
Practice Makes PerfectNext, you might wonder how you are going to get those boots on to your dog and make him keep them on, especially if he’s one of those that doesn’t like his feet touched. If this is the case, you first need to work with him so he gets used to having his paws handled. Then you can slowly start to introduce him to the boots, one paw at a time. Treats work wonders after you get the boots on him to give him the idea that good things happen when he lets you put the boots on. First treats and then the walk in the rain! Wet weather is not an excuse to keep your dog trapped inside the house. But if you are prepared for the rain and educated in the things you can do for your dog’s protection and safety, then you can be confident in saying, “a little rain never hurt anyone.” Neither did wet paws.You can find our dog rain boots |