7 Ways to Clean and Care for Your Dog’s Paws

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Unlike us, most dogs don’t have shoes they can wear. Dog shoes or booties might protect your dog’s paws and pads, but the reality is that most of our dogs don’t have anything on their paws. Paw maintenance, cleaning, and care are essential, and many dog owners forget how important this aspect of dog care is. Here are 7 ways to clean and care for your dog’s paws and pads.

1. Wet Wipes

One of the easiest ways to clean your dog’s paws is by using a wet wipe. This is something many of us already have at home, especially parents with small kids. Wet wipes are very practical and easy to use. Just pick one and thoroughly clean your dog’s paws. They are ideal for minor cleaning. However, you should avoid using just any brand you come across. Human wet wipes can contain things that might not be safe for your dog’s delicate skin. Things like alcohol, perfumes, and petrochemicals should be avoided. Look for natural wet wipes that don’t contain any of these things.

2. Washing

Washing is one of the best and safest ways to clean your dog’s dirty paws. However, it is not the most practical. Not many owners have the patience to get their dogs directly into bathtubs as soon as they come home from a walk. Nevertheless, it is an effective way to clean the dog’s paws and pads. The good news is that you can wash a small dog’s paws in the sink. If their paws get especially dirty, you can use mild dog shampoo.

3. Focus on the area between the toes

During winter, dogs that walk outside can be exposed to ice melts and salt. These things are commonly used for melting ice and snow from sidewalks and roads, where most dogs have to pass through. If something gets stuck between the dog’s toes, the dog will try to lick the area and get its toes clean. That can lead to toxicities and ulceration, which is not something you want your dog to experience. It is essential to focus on the area between the dog’s toes and make sure you get everything out of there. You want to make sure nothing is stuck or lodged in there. During the rest of the year, checking and cleaning between your dog’s toes is an excellent way to ensure there are no hidden ticks.

4. Towel

The good news is that sometimes, just using a towel will be more than enough. You can simply wipe off your dog’s paws if they’re wet. If no ice melts, salts, or chemicals got in touch with the dog’s pads, simply drying them off with a clean towel is enough. Plus, you don’t want your dog to leave wet marks all over your home. The good news is that the towel will be more than enough for that. It is a good idea to have a separate towel for your dog so you and your family don’t use the same towel you use for drying your dog’s paws.

5. Dog booties

This might not be too popular among all dog owners, and it will certainly take a bit of getting used to. Still, dog booties are a fantastic way to protect your dog’s paws from different things. In the winter, the booties will protect the paws from getting in touch with ice melts and chemicals you can find on the ground. Plus, if you take your dog to the park, booties will protect them from debris, sticks, and broken glass. Unfortunately, snowballs can still form on the upper part of the dog’s legs, so you may still need to wash them down with warm water.

WORLD DOG FINDER TIP: Never use hot water when washing your dog’s paws. Dogs sweat through their paw pads, and using hot water can cause a rise in their body temperature.

6. Paw care products

There are different paw care products for dogs that will help you care for your dog’s paws. Paw balms might be a great way to make sure your dog’s paws stay as healthy as possible. During the summer, the dog’s paws can get burned on hot pavement, and in the winter, ice melts, salts, and chemicals might affect the paw skin health. You can use different paw balms to make sure the dog’s paws stay peachy. Personally, we prefer using the Paw Nectar Dog Paw Balm. If you don’t want to buy one, you can even make a paw balm at home. These products can help heal your dog’s paws and protect them from things in the environment.

7. Trimming

One of the ways you will ensure your dog’s paws are healthy is by keeping the hair around the dog’s paws trimmed. This might be tricky since the skin in that area is very delicate, and you can easily nick a pad. This is especially important for longhaired dog breeds. Their paws are magnets for dirt and debris. If you let the hair grow out too much and leave the paws and pads unattended, your dog can develop yeast infections. Areas between the pads and toes are dark, moist, and warm, making an ideal environment for yeast to grow. Trimming the hair on the dog’s paws will make maintaining paws easier.

World Dog Finder team