With many seasons coming and going, throughout the year, keeping a dog’s paws clean can be tough. Spring and Winters can be especially challenging, with the rains, sleet, snow, mud, slush and melting snow.
Going and playing outdoors is going to be there in every season, so it is better to take adequate precautions rather than just avoid going out.
Once they frolic outdoors, while coming back, they can have a host of dirty and unhealthy stuff on their paws which should be cleaned before it can cause any harm.
Dog Booties
Why not get a pair of dog special booties? Booties are one of the simplest ways to protect your canine friend’s paws from the various elements of nature and keep him germ-free. With time, they will certainly get used to wearing them.
Perhaps, you would know that Siberian Huskies are typically made to wear these booties when they go on the trail to keep their paws safe from the incessant snow.
Removing Snowball
Dog’s feet have little pads where snow can get crushed and mixed up into little snowballs. They can quickly become irritating and uncomfortable for your friend if those are not removed from his paws.
Allowing your dog to clean himself can be risky as he may end up ingesting germs from the snow, or chemical infused road salt and hair may even fall off from his paws.
The best way to relieve the snowballs would be doing it at home with a soft washcloth and a bowl of warm water. Dip the soft washcloth into the warm water and massage it gently on the sole of the paws.
The ice and snow begin to loosen up and melts away slowly. For a dog breed with longer hair, you can get the hair between the dog’s pads trimmed regularly by a dog grooming professional.
Instead of pulling the ice balls out yourself, soak a cloth in warm water and massage the icy pad gently to melt and loosen the ice. If you have a longer-haired dog breed, you can help prevent snowballs from forming by having a professional trim the hair between your dog’s pads carefully.
Use Wipes
Use soft baby wipes or other pet safe wet wipes for cleaning the area between the pads of the dog’s foot. They are used to clean up small messes or dirt, sad, and mud accumulated in between the foot pads.
Easy to carry and convenient, they are good for small cleanups only. For bigger and messier pads, use soft washcloths dipped in warm and soapy water.
Regular Baths
The best and the most efficient method of cleaning the dog’s pads and paws are undoubtedly a pleasant, warm and soapy bath. Even though you don’t soak the dog completely, having a good paw wash can get it thoroughly clean.
Small dogs can be easily cleaned over the sink and don’t even need a bathtub. For larger dogs, a detachable shower head would be the perfect tool to wash off all dirt from your friend’s paws. Just remember to make the paws nice and dry, before you let your friend go frolicking outdoors again.
Use Towels
If your friend had a good run on freshly fallen snow, it would be good to give him a good rub on his paws to get the snow out from his paw pads. It would also help to avoid any wet footprints in and around the house which can be a fall hazard too.
Take Your Time
Though you may be wanting to wash off and clean up your dog’s pawsquickly, it is recommended to give them a good look.
It is vital to take the time to clean them up nicely and especially in between the pads, toes, under their nails so that they do not experience any irritation or uncomfortable feeling.
Getting them dry is the key to safely finishing the cleanup process to avoid any germs build-up due to the remaining moisture.