Winter means colder weather and icy walking conditions. Your doggo’s sensitive paws need additional care during this time to ensure they stay healthy and pain-free.
Today, we will be discovering how to take care of your dog’s paws during winter. Let’s explore.
1. Moisturize Paws:
Your dog’s paws need extra TLC during the wintertime. Dry salt used to de-ice the roads and sidewalks are a nightmare for your dog’s paws. Paws can become dry and cracked due to the salt on the roads.
It’s important to keep moisturizing your dog's paws with PAW CARE. PAW CARE contains calendula, coconut oil and apricot kernel oil to strengthen and hydrate your dog’s paws. PAW CARE is also suitable for dog’s with sensitive paws and can treat minor paw skin injuries.
2. Trim Nails:
Long nails can dig into the soft tissue of the paw and cause incredible discomfort for dogs.
Keeping your dog’s nails short will help them remain more comfortable during this winter. Long nails can also pick up dirt, grime and debris, which can irritate your pooch.
3. Groom Paw Hair:
Paw hair that is too long can become matted and entrap debris. Dirt trapped in matted paw hair can cause your dog to slip and injure itself. This risk is exceptionally high during winter, where ice makes the surfaces your dog’s walking on even more slippery.
You can find our tailor paw trimming scissors as part of our HAPPY PAWS set. Each HAPPY PAWS set comes with nail clippers, paw fur trimmers and our best-selling PAW CARE. This set makes all of your doggy’s winter paw care a breeze!
4. Regular Paw Checks:
Whilst paw checks are a good idea at any time of the year, they are essential during the winter. The salt in the streets can wreak absolute havoc on your dog’s paws, so it’s vital to check them regularly for paw skin damage.
5. Post Walk Paw Care:
During the winter, it’s crucial to have a post-walk routine. Your walk should end with you washing off your dog’s paws to clear off any salt and a thorough paw check.
Apply PAW CARE after the walk to moisturize your dog’s paws. PAW CARE can also be applied 2-3 times a day to help heal any minor paw damage.
6. Keep Walks Short:
It’s best to keep walks short for your furry friend. Being out in the extreme cold for too long can make them incredibly uncomfortable and lead to health risks like frostbite.
The golden rule of thumb is that if it’s too cold for you, it’s too hard for your doggo. An insulated jacket is a good idea if you walk your dog in the cold.
*Disclaimer: Of course this varies depending on the breed - Breeds with thicker coats are typically derived from colder climate areas and will have a higher tolerance for low temperatures than short-haired dogs.
Final Thoughts:
Winter is a beautiful time of year where the weather cools down, and icy walks are the norm. It’s important to provide your dog’s paws with the additional tender loving care they need to ensure they remain healthy and pain-free.
The salt used to de-ice the streets during winter can be very damaging to your dog’s paws. Using PAW CARE restores the moisture lost during these winter walks and helps prevent cracking, damage and pain. PAW CARE can be used up to 3 times a day to help heal damage. Shop PAW CARE today or contact our knowledgeable team to find out more.
