Walking in the snow
Just wondering what to look out for in terms of salted streets/sidewalks and sheepie feet. Is it recommended to wash a dog's feet every time after we come in from a walk? Any signs to look out for? What about cold feet? Are the pads thick enough that they don't feel the cold (within reason)? Thanks in advance (and it's nice to see more posts in the forum!) Suzanne |
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| Joan used to wash Jake's paws after each salty/sandy/muddy walk, both for Jake's sake, as well as our carpets.
His underbelly used to get sandy as well. However we went to Mutt-Luks when he started dragging his hind legs, and that helped to cut down on the paw washing. Watch for dried, cracked pads, we were told that vaseline works for dogs as well as humans, but never had the guts to give it a try (those darn rugs again). Nice to see you again too, Suzanne! -Ron. |
| Hi Ron!
Thanks for you reply! I had to go look up what Mutt Luks were (although I had an idea). I had a nice little chuckle at the pictures of dogs wearing them :lol: They do look well made though... My concern is mostly the pads of his feet. We have a mixture of wood, ceramic tiles and slate floors, so I'm not worried about dirt! Although salt on wood would probably not be good... Is the vaseline to be put on before going out, to prevent damage, or afterwards? Just an aside: I love sheepie feet! Although Tucker's pads aren't quite as pink now... :D Love their big black noses too! We tell Tucker everyday how cute he is... Suzanne |
| I never really thought about the effects of salt on sheepie's pads of their feet - but it probably wouldn't hurt to wipe them off with a wet cloth after they come in. And the vaseline would be a good idea too - just to keep them soft (like chapstick for us!) in the dryness of winter.
One thing I did learn was to keep the hair in between their pads trimmed in the winter time. I was walking Merlin (our last sheepie) one winter and he started limping. I got very worried, and we stopped to take a look. The wet snow had packed into the space between his pads, and he couldn't figure out how to put his foot down! So I cleaned it out and he was fine. We clipped the hair when we got home! Big sheepie hugs to Tucker! Guinevere's Dad, Kevin Z. |
| I've raised two sheepdogs and taken them for walks during Canada's snowy winter days. OES love snow! I have never noticed any problems with them experiencing sensitivities in the cold weather. I always wiped their paws before entering the house and removed any snow caught between their fur and paws - it can be uncomfortable for them.
I never thought of getting them boots. Enjoy your walks. |
| I find that Vaseline can be too "watery" to be absorbed efficiently by the pads. Instead, I use hemerrhoid gel (thicker than Vaseline) or a Chapstick. |
| Zany what an adorable pup in your avatar!
I always used to teach my first oes to lay on a mat immediately after coming in and she would stay there wiggling her fuzzy butt in anticipation until i said ok. That way, she would lay still while I wiped her paws with a rag, and picked out any ice chunks. I never had a problem with her feet getting sore. |
 ok i just have 1 comment on this..................why are we talking about snow when it finally warmed up!!!!!!  shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.........lets cross that bridge when we get there!!  |
| That will be what, a couple of weeks for me?! LOL Our weather cycle is as follows.... September- April, snow.... April-July, cold nights, some sunny days... some of July~ a few nice, hot, sunny days, not usually higher than 20 degrees celcius... August! still some nice days, but starting to get cold and frosty at night.... September~ SNOW again! LOL |
| We wash/rinse Baxter's and Sharkey's paws and stomach every time that they came in from walking in the snow or mud. Mainly because of the salt and sand mix the town puts on the road.
Our veterinarian mentioned that washing the salt off of the paws could prevent lesions (sp?). She also suggested that we get dog boots - haven't done that yet however if the winter weather repeats last years, we probably will get some. |
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