Dog Paw Health - Why Dog Foot Care is Critical For Your Dog's Well Being

Your dogs paws are a critical piece of equipment so practicing good dog paw health care is vital for the well-being of your pet. Let's face it, dogs don't wear shoes to protect their paws so paying a little bit of extra attention to this area can help keep their feet working in tip top shape.

Doc's paws are actually quite a complicated part of their body. On the bottom they have several pads that act as a cushioning and springing mechanism. On the edges are the toenails which can be used to claw and dig and on the top is the fur which of course protects the foot. While not all dogs paws are created exactly equal, they are all pretty similar.

Taking care of your dogs paws should be part of your normal health and grooming routine for the dog. Here are a few of the steps you should take to ensure good dog paw health:

- inspect and the pads periodically for splinters or foreign material and remove it.
- keep your dogs nails trimmed.
- keep the fur in between the dog's pads trimmed
- don't let your dog walk in puddles that may have chemicals like anti-freeze in them
- always dry off your dog's pads after he has been walking in a wet area

While you may not think it because they walk on them, most dogs feet are very sensitive and you may have a hard time getting your dog to submit to having his paws inspected if he's not used to it. The best thing for you to do is to start touching the paws when he is a puppy. Every day spend some time just lightly touching the paws until the dog gets used to it. Then you can move on to a more thorough inspection gradually doing more and more as your dog will allow.

Try to make grooming and inspecting your dogs paws part of your weekly grooming routine. Check the nails to make sure they are not too long and cut them if they are. Some dogs have hair that grows out in between the pads and this can actually get quite long making it hard for them to walk because it can be slippery. If your dog is one of these breeds make sure you keep the hair trimmed down below the pads but be very careful when you have scissors near the pads of your dogs feet.

Every good dog owner wants to make sure that his dog is in the best health possible and having a good dog paw health regimen is just one of the things that conscientious dog owners need to do for perfect pet health. Educating yourself on the health and training needs of your dog and providing those for him will insure a happy, healthy and long-lived pet.

Would you like to have a dog that is perfectly healthy, happy and well trained? If you're ready to learn more about dog care and training, visit http://dogcareandtrainingtips.com and download our free ebook on dog care and training

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Dobbins