Paws provide extra padding for your pup and also allow them to comfortably traipse along on land and in water. If they’re a water dog, the webbing in their toes actually helps them to swim better. That said, do you take care of your dog’s paws?
If your dog starts limping or is incessantly licking, inspect their paws as soon as possible. If there’s anything there other than a superficial wound, take your dog to the vet immediately because paws don’t heal the same way regular skin does.
Another thing that can lead to a problem for healthy paw pads is weather. While dogs build up tolerance to weather much faster than humans, your indoor dog will absolutely burn his feet if suddenly exposed to a blistering sidewalk or an icy road.
Keep Fido’s interpad hair trimmed neat and short to prevent things from getting caught in them and introduce them to new things (hiking, new weather, sand) gradually.
To avoid the risk of an injury, keep your home and surrounding area free of sharp bits and pieces that could injure your furry friend. A good rule of thumb is that if you wouldn’t want to walk on it in your bare feet, he probably doesn’t either!
