Prevent Frozen Paws

With the winter weather season upon us the topic of paw protection needs to better understood. Many pet owners enjoy going for long walks with their dogs, at least this is what I observe in New York City. Whether you go for long walks with your dog in the snow or just open up the door and let them play out side, you need to think about "paw protection." When dogs are out in the snow the snow begins to freeze to their fur and form into small snow balls in between their toes and pads. When this happens your dog becomes very uncomfortable. Have you ever noticed your dog licking his paws out side while laying down? If so, there is a strong possibility that he is trying to rid his paws these snow clumps.

I constantly see pet owners trying to pull the snow out from their pets paws which is probably painful to the dog as well as you. It is also ineffective. In order to prevent this condition from occurring in the first place you can put Vaseline or a product such as Munchers Miracle which is a wax like substance. While Vaseline is probably cheaper it can also stain materials with grease. Misher's Miracle claims that their wax will not casue any stains.

Even when there is not snow on the ground it is important to understand that your pets paws can still be damaged. The salt on the side walks and roads are harmful to your pets pads and will cause damage to them as well as pain for your pet. The solution to this problem is to apply a wax such as Mushers Miracle. The manufacturers claim that they prevent salt burn. Salt burn is a relevent topic to those of you who live in a large city and walk your dog on the streets or sode walks.
Another paw protection option is to put dog boots on your pets paws. This may be a good option for dogs who are outside in the snow for long periods of time or are less energetic. High energy dogs are likely to just kick these off and loose them in the snow.