How to Clean Your Dog's Paws

Taking our dogs for a walk is necessary. As for cats, it is not advisable to walk cats on the street , but there are many who enjoy outings outside the house. In both cases, they then go home and sometimes climb on sofas or beds. Their legs will have accumulated dirt, bacteria, etc. that will remain on the surfaces where we rest. So it is very important to clean the dog's paws when they return. We explain how to do it!

How to Clean Your Dog's Paws

You can disinfect and clean the legs in several ways:

Hygiene wipes

It is the fastest and most practical solution .

There are specific pet wipes on the market that are ideal for superficial cleaning, although they are quite effective.

The skin of animals is not the same as human, that's why it is so important that they are hygienic wipes for animals.

These are made with them in mind, the sensitivity of their skin and hair. They do not contain alcohol or perfumes and are hypoallergenic.

Since babies' skin is very sensitive, the composition of their wipes is also very delicate. In an emergency you can use one of those with your pet, but remember that the most recommended for your dog or cat is that you use the specific product for him.

When using them, take one for each for and another by the tail and clean well between the fingers and the pads.

A damp cloth

You should also clean the paws of pets even if your furry has not gone outside, if you know that he has stepped on an area of ​​the house that was not completely clean.

Since it is not excessively dirty, you can moisten a clean cotton cloth with a mixture of water and a very small amount of neutral soap and run it over its pads.

To avoid leaving soap residue on them, then use another clean cloth but moistened only with water.

Deeper cleaning with soap and water

If the use of wipes or wet cloths falls short, ideally you should use soap and water directly to clean your dog's paws well.

There are two ways to do it:

With a spray bottle, water, soap and a towel. In one of the sprays, introduce water with a few drops of its neutral soap or shampoo. Spray the legs of your furry and let it act for a few minutes. Then rinse with water and pat dry.

Directly, if you have more space, take a basin large enough for your dog to enter and fill it with a few centimeters of water and a little of its soap . Gently rub your feet with your hands to remove dirt. Then rinse and dry it very lovingly.

You can do the same with his tail, since it is another part of his body that gets very dirty.

But remember that, whatever option you choose, you should treat your dog with love when you go to groom him!

Care Required by Dogs in Winter

We have to take care of our pets every day of their lives and pay special attention to seasonal changes. With the cold the defenses of our little hair fall and we must take certain precautions. These are the care we must give our dogs in winter

Attention that dogs deserve in winter

These are some of the precautions you should take during the winter if you have a dog.

Protecting his body from the cold

You know that one of the ways to protect dogs from the cold in winter is to put on special coats for them. However, you should know that they are not always essential (for example, if the dog is inside a house near a radiator) and not all dogs need them.

Dog coats are especially important during street walks. You can also protect your pet's paws with a pair of size boots if you're taking him out in the snow to avoid cracks and cold burns on his pads.

Also, during this time, avoid cutting your pet's hair to make it a natural coat.

Taking care of your pet's diet

As always, we have to offer our dog quality food. However, in cold weather you have to pay special attention to how much you eat.

Dogs in winter should take all the food they need to maintain their energy and this will help them to conserve body heat, you can even consult your vet if it is necessary to increase the dose or give some kind of supplement or vitamin.

However, if they take more than their fair share they can end up with an overweight problem, so keep an eye on the quantities. It's best to ask a professional first.

Vaccines a day throughout the year

This is not just during the winter: your dog's vaccinations should ALWAYS be up to date. This will prevent the spread of diseases that are characteristic of this time or anyone.

Warm resting place

This is one of the most important care we should take with dogs in winter.

You can place your dog's bed near a radiator, but without sticking it to it. In addition, it will always do him good to have a blanket in which to curl up.

And remember to wash your mattress and blanket frequently to avoid bad smells!

On the other hand, if your dog is on a terrace or garden, he should have a shelter with a roof to protect him from the cold, as well as a mattress and blankets.

However, if the temperature is very low, you should let him sleep at home. The nights are very hard in winter and your dog could die of cold. It's better to set up a space inside the home so he can spend those hours than to lose it, don't you think?

Watching his water

It's always important for your dog to keep his bowl of clean water close by. It should be cool, so don't place the bowl next to the radiators and don't leave it near drafts because it can freeze.

Take precautions on the walk

Cold can't be an excuse not to get your dog out on the street. They need to exercise every day and, for your sake, take care of their needs outside. However, there are a few precautions you should take.

One of them has already been mentioned: the coat. You can put a coat on your dog to take him out on the street or a raincoat if it's raining. Also, special dog boots will come in handy if it's snowing and also to protect your dog's pads from defrosting products being thrown on the streets.

These products are often very toxic and could cause serious damage to your pet if they lick their legs afterwards. So if you don't take it out with boots, clean the pads well when you get home.

In addition to this, we recommend that the walks are not excessively long. You can always start exercising and playing with him inside the house and spend less time in the street.

And remember that if it rains or gets wet for any reason, the first thing you should do when you get home is to dry it well.

Christmas Precautions

During the winter Christmas arrives and certain precautions must be taken during these dates.

To begin with, you have to watch what he eats. Our tables are full of food at Christmas, but many of these foods are toxic to dogs: seafood, grapes, sweets, nuts and alcohol should be out of reach.

In the same way, you should not give the bones left over from the meat if they have been cooked or roasted, as biting them can splinter and cause tears in your dog when swallowing.

Also be careful with the Christmas decoration. Leaving small decorations near them can cause them to be put in the mouth, causing intoxication and choking. Also, the Easter flower is very toxic to our pets, so it's best to put it away.

And finally we find the problem of pyrotechnics. Dogs fear the loud sound of firecrackers and fireworks, so it is advisable to protect them from them by moving them away from windows, playing with them to entertain them or putting them to appropriate music.

For the same reason, we recommend that you take your dog out on a leash during the most important days of the holidays. In this way you will prevent him from running away if he hears a firecracker very close to him during the walk.