My top 5 tips for healthy paws this winter  {PLUS giveaway}

Unprotected from ice, snow, slush, and bitter cold, your dog’s  paws need special care in winter. By taking a little extra time to keep your dogs’ paws well-groomed, you can minimize problems with cracked, sore pads, blisters and infections. Keep in mind that if the ice and snow doesn’t hurt the foot pads of your pet, the salt most definitely will.  

These are my Top 5  tips for healthy paws! 

1) INSPECTION

paws after walking in areas where salt and other de-icers were spread around. Make sure to check between toes and examine the foot pads for cracks in the skin. Look closely at any inflamed areas for splinters, embedded gravel. Rock salt and most chemical de-icers can irritate a dog’s paws and turn a winter walk into a painful ordeal.

2) SNOWBALLS

Snow, especially wet snow, clings to long haired dogs as they run and play in the snow creating the horrifying “snowballs”. Make sure to trim the hair in between your dog’s paws and around their foot to avoid the snow getting stick to the hair beneath a dog’s paws. You can use a sharp grooming scissors and if there are any mats between the pads, 

be very carefully when cutting the mat out. At this point getting assistance from a grooming venue is advised. Believe it or not sometimes pieces of rock salt and gravel along with the snow get stuck in the “snowballs”. When this happen the walk hurts.

3) WASH THEIR PAWS

Always wash paws with warm water and some organic dog soap after outdoor play and winter walks to minimize the chance to have crack paws.  By washing your dog’s paws you will get rid of any chemicals from the road salt and any other de-icers, as well as melting any snowballs.  If you prefer you can always use no-odour baby natural wipes. Although I am a big fan of the warm water instead. Your dog will enjoy it more!

4)DE-ICERS

Keep the de-icers in a safe place and away from your dogs. Ingesting rock salt or chemical de-icing products can have a toxic effect. You can get pet-safe ice melting but I like to have it sure so, just put the products were fido can’t have access to it.

5) PAW BALM

After washing your pooches paws, apply  a balm to  help with soothe irritated paws. If your dog has super sensitive paws, apply some at the beginning of the walk as well.  I started to use Pawstick on Mylo and now Chico.  I am very happy with it so far; it is very convenient to apply and it has natural peppermint ingredients.    

Now for the best part…*insert drum roll*..we are giving away a few  samples of Pawstick.

1) Head over our Facebook page and write on our wall “I want #HealthyPaws with @TailWaggersDIVA” or  

2) Tweet “I want #HealthyPaws with @TailWaggersDIVA” for your chance to win!! Contest ends December 08, 2015.