Santa Paws - Keeping your pet's pads safe in winter

With the first snowfall of the year in the books, you may have begun to notice that your dog’s paws seem to be bothering them more than usual. The change in the weather can be a huge contributing factor, but salt on the ground can also irritate your dog’s paws. It's easy to take the proper steps to insure your dog’s safety during the wintertime.

Use dog-friendly salt

One major cause of irritation is the salt used to melt ice. Salts can cause serious irritations for your dog. Make sure you spend a little extra money to invest in a pet-friendly salt. Safe Paw is a great dog-friendly salt and can be found at most local pet stores and hardware stores.

Walk your dog on the grass instead of the sidewalk

Since most of the salt that can bother your dog’s paws is on the sidewalk, a great alternative can be walking your dog on grassy spots that haven't been salted. Make sure the hair in between your dog’s paws is kept trimmed in order to prevent snow from building up between their toes, which can make it hard for them to walk.

Invest in a pair of dog booties

If your dog is tolerant enough, a pair of dog booties could solve paw irritation problems. However, some dogs enjoy wearing the boots more than others. If you do decide to try boots, make sure you introduce them slowly in order to get your dog used to wearing them. Let your dog become accustomed to the boots indoors before you make them wear them outside.

Clean your dog’s paws after going for a walk

Simply wipe your dog’s paws down with a warm, damp rag when you return from a trip outside. This removes the salt and prevents possible stomach issues in the event your dog would lick their paws and ingest the salt. A good wiping with a cloth will do the trick.

The wintertime and snow can be great fun for your dog! Just be sure to keep your dog’s paws clean in order to prevent any safety issues.