|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Defend Your Dog and Stop that Hurting Paw!
Of course, we humans use shoes to protect our feet. We insist on it! But dogs usually don't have that luxury, and routinely walk over ice, rock, grass, cement and soil on their bare paws. Their paws' thick pads give them protection we don't have, and that's why they're less susceptible to cuts and grazes. But this doesn't mean a dog's paws are indestructible. In fact, the areas between the pads are very sensitive and can suffer from cuts, burns, and other ailments. One of the clues to a paw problem is when your dog comes back limping or favoring only one of its legs. The only way for you to narrow down the issue is to check his paw for any visible and physical signs of bleeding, swelling, redness or blisters. Some dogs are very protective of their paws and don't like people touching them -- and they'll let you know! Keep persisting. One of my dogs, who just hates having her paws touched, will usually relax when I gently reassure her that I'm only trying to help. Although dogs don't understand many of our words, they do just fine at detecting our emotions, and sometimes intentions, from our actions and tone of voice. If your dog has a cut, wash the wound with an antiseptic solution and apply a layer of antiseptic cream. Check the wound again the next day to see if it's getting better. If it looks infected, you should bring your dog to the vet. I was once shocked to discover maggots wiggling inside a paw wound on my dog -- ugh. Needless to say, we went to the vet immediately (she was fine after treatment). In certain breeds, hair mats may grow between the pads, which can cause irritation. In these breeds, it's essential to trim regularly between the mats to keep the paws in good shape. Even in other breeds, dogs that run outdoors can get mud trapped between the pads. Again, this will irritate the paw, so it's best that you clean up with soap and water when you see mud between the toes. Just as we humans get dry and cracked heels, dogs also experience dry and calloused paw pads. The solution for them is similar to ours -- apply moisturizers. In fact, you can even use your hand moisturizer on your dog! But there's a challenge involved: stopping your dog from licking it away after you apply it. A good trick is to apply the moisturizer right before your dog has his meal. This way, you can allow a little time for the moisturizer to settle in. Otherwise, you can play with your pooch to keep him occupied and restrain him if he starts licking his paws. Finally, you probably have seen dogs in dog boots and wondered if these boots would effectively protect your dog's feet. But your dog may be better off without them, as they can easily walk out of these boots -- active, athletic dogs in particular. In the end, your dog will enjoy himself more walking on his own paws, with some occasional care and maintenance from you. About the Author Blake Kritzberg is proprietor of Poodle-oo: Fashion for Toy Dogs. Stop by for toy dog couture and home decor, free dog postcards and the Toy Dog Blog.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Beds for the Pets: Sleeping in Comfort As we love to have a comfortable place to sleep so do the animals. So there are various types of beds for the pets to give them a comfortable sleep. How to Protect Your Dog and Family from Roundworms Nearly every puppy in the world is born with roundworms. This is because the roundworm's larvae are transmitted from the mother to the puppy while it is still in the womb. Pet Friendly Vacations - 10 Tips for Hassle-Free Travel with Your Pet Pet friendly vacations and travel planning make sense -- after all, pets are family members too! In the United States alone, over 60 million households have one or more pets. Pet owners in 15 million of those households travel with their pet, and the majority stay in pet friendly lodging. How Old is Your Pet- Really? Just how old is your dog really? More than likely you know the dogs age in years, or at least have an approximation of its age, but do you really have any idea how old it may be- chronologically speaking?I'm sure you've heard of the old "seven year theory". You know, the system where each year of a dog or cats life is the equivalent of 7 of ours. Dog Anxiety - Fear of Thunderstorms, and Other Dog Fears How to Deal With Anxiety in Your DogAnxiety in dogs can be caused by any number of things - illness, travel, thunderstorms, death in the family, separation, or they may develop unexplained phobic or neurotic behaviour, or barking or other antisocial behaviour.If you can identify the cause of the anxiety, then the best solution to the problem is to remove the cause. The Importance Of A Proper Correction There are headstrong dogs that know too well that a verbal "no" from you is the worst that they're gonna get and this will quickly lead to them ignoring the handler. In the wild when one of the pack is out of line, he is corrected by the Alpha. Essential Oils and MRSA Natural preventative pet care isn't a new thing but it certainly isn't fully mainstream yet. One of the challenges is being able to re-educate the public to think outside of the box. West Highand WhiteTerriers - Westies Dogs - Footcare Health Tips Westies dogs' owners delight in the companionship their dogs give them during long and leisurely walks. But this activity should be one that brings pleasure to both. Round Pen: The Great Equalizer Although many horsemen and trainers extol the virtues of the round pen, many horse owners still overlook just how powerful such a pen can be in developing or maintaining a relationship with a horse. This is a shame because it is truly what I call the Great Equalizer in a horse-human relationship. Guinea Pig History Their scientific name is Cavia Tschuldi and their nickname in South America where they were first discovered, is"Cavy.As you might have guessed Guinea Pigs are rodents. How to Housebreak Your Dog or Puppy Dogs are creatures of habit; and once they develop a habit, breaking it can be a long, frustrating process. Your dog needs guidance and encouragement from you to develop a toilet habit you can live with. No, No, No! Drop It, Drop It! Give It To Me Now! Puppies can be so exasperating! They know what we want, and what we don't want, yet they continue to push our buttons. Wait a minute! Maybe we can rewire our buttons and bring them out of reach of Puppy! Use the following tips to help prevent Puppy Theft and other hiccups in Puppy's road to adulthood. Teach a Dog To Swim You want your dog to swim?We're going to try to give some advice on how to teach a dog how to swim and some general safety issues. As always check with your vet on any medical questions. Dog Aggressive Training: Understand & Eliminate Your Dogs Aggressive Behavior Aggression behavior in a dog is a normal form of canine communication similar to human frustration or anger. Like human, aggressive behavior occurs in every dog. Telepathic Communication With Animals Animal Communication, or telepathy with animals, is as common an occurrence in some people's lives as it is an oddity in the lives of others. Telepathy is an energetic exchange between two sentient beings for the purpose of communication. Wisdom... Wolves! Wolves are magnificent and majestic creatures that have shared this planet with us for possibly as long as 12,000 years. They have a long history as one of nature's large predators. Is your Dog Malnourished? Americans are more concerned about health than ever before, so we should also have an equal amount of concern for our pets .. How To Use Horse Training Thinking To Solve Dang Near Any Problem With A Horse Horse training can be a relatively mysterious subject to people who have not studied it. Even more mysterious is a behavioral problem a horse has that causes his owner stress and frustration. How to Maintain Your Love Affair With Your Dog: Part One - Training Training Tips for a Happy and Healthy Relationship with Your Canine CompanionWhen I first laid eyes on my little ball of black fluff at an adoption fair, I knew there was no turning back. My husband and I had been looking for just the right dog for months, and all the research and networking had finally paid off. Positive Dog Training Methods Dog training can provide a tremendous amount of satisfaction. Every dog should know at least the basics for living with people: come, sit, stay, don't jump up on people, and so on.
|
 |
 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||||
| Pendle Writers .com © 2006 | |||||
