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While canine paw injury prevention is key, it is also important to know how to deal with a paw injury if it does happen. Here are a few tips for identifying and treating sore and hurt paws.
Identify sore feet.
Being in tune with your dog’s activity level and personality can help you identify if they’re suffering from a paw injury. You should be able to tell if your dog is staying off his feet or favoring a paw. Look for the obvious – cuts, blisters, or in extreme cases a “sloughed” pad.
Customers often refer to our Grip Trex™ and Skyliner™ boots as “winter boots.” But did you know these boots were first created to provide paw protection on the trail year round?
There are major advantages to protecting your dog’s feet in the summer months. Among them, boots will prevent injury from over-exertion, new terrain, hot surfaces, and sharp rocks. If your dog has ever had a paw injury on the trail, you know that carrying a dog (especially a large one) back to the trailhead is no fun, so preventive paw wear should always be a consideration.
Go farther, longer.
As humans increase the number and duration of their activities, dogs are often not conditioned to do the same. Our gear-enhanced activities allow us to go farther, longer and on unusual terrain that unprotected dog paws are not equipped to handle.
There’s more to that snort than may be apparent. While dogs such as Bulldogs, Pugs, and St. Bernards are known for their nosy pant, snorting, and wheezing, the root actually stems from their rounded heads, flat faces, and compact bodies making them more susceptible to respiratory problems and heat exhaustion.
We take pride in our photography, but it’s no secret in the office that this great imagery is a product of many days, thousands of takes, a talented photographer, and the experienced dog-wrangling skills of our staff. Leanne Champion, Marketing Manager, recounts the events of last week’s photo shoot to give you a glimpse into the world of canine photo shoot management.
Day One:
7:30am – Arrive at first location. It’s already 80 degrees. Much hotter than forecast. Start scoping for the perfect set-up. I look a little crazy walking up and down the river trail (alone) stopping every 10 feet or so, squatting down to visualize the shot angle.
Sun shining but don’t know what to do? Here are ten ideas for summer fun with your dog:
1. Let the trail be your dog run.
True to the Ruff Wear culture, what’s better than spending time enjoying nature with your favorite four-legged friend?
Did you know dogs don’t sweat? Well, not really. Though they have a few sweat glands (mainly on the pads of their feet), their primary way of cooling down is by panting. So, the hotter the air, or the more physically demanding the activity, the less effective panting is at cooling a dog down.
A common scenario that causes heat stroke is leaving a dog in a hot car (anything over 72°F outside); but overexertion, humidity, lack of shade, and dehydration are also common culprits.
