How do you take care of a dog's paws?

When your dog comes in from a walk, you can rinse their paws in warm water and blot them dry with a towel. You might like to apply a little paw butter or paw balm afterwards, to moisturise them and prevent cracking. Snow can collect and ball up between your dog’s toes. When this gets compacted and icy, it can become painful for your dog to walk. You might need to break apart the clumps during your walk if your dog looks uncomfortable, or you can melt the ice off using warm water when you get home. It can help to stop this from happening if you trim away the fur from between your dog’s toes so the snow has less to adhere to, and some paw butter between your dog’s toes might also help to prevent snow from sticking. You could always consider getting your dog a set of boots to wear during icy and snowy weather. Be sure that they fit correctly and dry them out properly between each use.

When out for a walk or playing in the garden, your dog’s paws are exposed to rough surfaces, wet ground, dirt and debris. Those adorable little paw pads on your dog’s feet help to protect them from impact, extreme temperatures and uneven terrain, but it’s still important to keep your dog’s paws in tip-top condition. Depending on their level of exercise and the season, you can adjust the schedule to fit your dog's needs. If you frequently take your dog hiking, for example, you may need to check and wash their paws after every walk. Debris often gets stuck between the paw pads or in the toenails, so it's important to check your dog's paws before lathering them up. Next, if you have a medium- or long-haired dog, take a moment to trim the hair on the bottoms of their paws. After checking your dog's paws and trimming their hair, wet their feet, lather with mild dog shampoo and rinse. Don't forget to keep a towel nearby to dry your pet's paws so they don't slip or leave wet footprints around your house. If you want to do a routine dog paw cleaning after a quick walk, just gently wipe the paws with a washcloth and water. Don't forget to trim your dog's nails and dewclaws if needed.