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We are smack dab in the middle of summer with a heatwave sweeping a portion of the USA. That is to say, it’s hot y’all! What if you have fur all over your body and you don’t wear shoes when going out? As a pet parent, dog paw protection needs to be a priority.
In addition, you need to understand the importance of your dog’s paw pad. For instance, a dog’s paw pad functions like a shock absorber. Therefore, paw pads prevent their joints from carrying a lot of pressure.
Furthermore, dogs sweat through their nose and paw pads. And some dog’s paw pads are more sensitive than others. Plus, paw pads help your dog keep their balance.
Therefore, your dog’s paw pads are important! However, they can take a lot of abuse during the summer months. For example, sand, concrete, and asphalt can reach 40 to 50 degrees hotter temperatures than the outside temperature. Folks, that is super hot even when the temperature outside is 85 degrees.
As a result, dog’s can receive severe burns and damage to their paws when they are on pavement. So, dog paw protection is a must and we have some tips to help you out.
Dog Paw Protection Before and After Being Outdoors
- Regularly Check Your Dog’s Paw Pads. It’s very important to regularly check your dog’s paw pads to decrease the possibility of paw health issues. Above all, the sooner you spot burns and blisters, the quicker the process of healing can begin. Burns and blisters are severely painful for your dog, so regularly check their paw pads.
- Moisturize Your Dog’s Paw Pads. There are several paw balms, on the market for purchase, to choose from. Consequently, these balms will moisturize your dog’s paw pads and give an extra layer of protection. However, you can try a DIY balm with all natural ingredients. Plus, you will save money in the long run! We’ve developed a couple of recipes for you to try, paw balm and paw butter bars. Our dog paw protection recipes create a nourishing barrier to help paw pads when walking on different surfaces. You can use these on your dog’s paw pads in both the summer and winter.
- Putting Booties or Shoes on Your Dog’s Paws. So, there are dog booties or shoes that add an extra layer of protection against environment elements. However, I am not a fan of these for the summer months! For instance, dogs sweat through their paw pads. The booties or shoes would prevent them from being able to completely cool themselves. Therefore, if you want to use these, I suggest sticking to the winter months.
- Cool Off Your Dog’s Paw Pads After Being Outside. There are a few ways to cool off your dog after being outdoors on an extremely hot day. For instance, let your dog stand in a pool, bathtub, or sink filled with cool water. A couple of inches should do it and make sure the water is not cold. Besides the paw pads, you can wet a towel with cool water and place it over your dog. In addition, let your dog sit in front of a fan or lie on a cool tiled floor. Furthermore, cool water will help your dog to cool off.
Dog Paw Protection Tips for Walking Outdoors
- Know How Hot is Too Hot. Check to see if the concrete, asphalt, or sand is safe before taking your dog outside. Firstly, hold the back of your hand to the surface for 7 seconds without flinching. If you can’t keep your hand there for that length of time, it’s too hot for your dog. Secondly, watch your dog’s behavior once on the surface. To clarify, if your dog keeps lifting his/her legs and jumping, then it’s too hot.
- Take Walks at the Coolest Times of the Day. Yes, this tip is probably common sense, however it deserves to be mentioned. So, make sure daily walks with your dog are early in the morning or late in the evening. These are the coolest times of the day during the summer months. Furthermore, your dog’s paw pads will be safe from hot surfaces, and this will help prevent a heat stroke. Dehydration is also a concern during the heat of the day. Therefore, your dog needs to drink plenty of water during the summer.
- Stay on the Grass When Walking Your Dog Mid-Day. If you happen to walk your dog when it is hot, then stay on the grass. Besides, dogs prefer the grass. Mainly, because there is more to sniff in the grass. In addition, keep a mid-day walk very short.
- Acclimate Your Dog’s Paw Pads. Walk your dog frequently to build up calluses, creating thicker skinned paw pads. Be sure it is cooler outside for those frequent walks. The thicker the paw pads are, the less likely they will rip or burn on rough, hot terrain. In addition, the pavement will file your dog’s nails. That’s a nice little bonus to not have to trim their nails as much.
To Sum Up
With the easy, preventive measures as mentioned above, your dog can enjoy their hikes and walks all year. If you take one thing from this post, please remember to check your dog’s paw pads regularly.
Immediately contact your vet if you see any signs of blisters, redness, or part of the pad missing.
Here are some signs that will tell you if your dog is in some sort of distress:
- excessively chewing their paws
- excessively licking their paws
- limping
- whining
- reluctant to walk
Check out our post on how to care for your dog’s paw pads in the winter, here.
How do you take care of your dog’s paw pads in the summer? We would love to hear about it in the comments below.
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