On Monday, Brian Marrin of Lewes played ball on the beach -- brrrrr! -- with his dog Daisy Duke while taking a walk in Rehoboth. When they got home, Brian probably had to brush the sand out of Daisy Duke's paws.
But if you're out walking your pooch, especially on sidewalks, streets and roads that are likely to have been salted, rinse your dog's paws with warm water when you get back inside, then wipe them dry. Lime rock salt and calcium chloride salt can irritate the foot pads. And dogs are likely to lick those paws if you don't rinse them clean, and that can lead to vomiting or diarrhea.
Tip one: To help protect those paws, try coating them with cooking spray before walks in very cold weather.
Tip two: If you dog's paws are irritated by the cold or if the pads are cracked, apply Vaseline or Bag Balm to foot pads to soothe those paws.
Or another option: Get your pooch some booties.
What other tips do you have for protecting your dog during winter? Share them here or e-mail me at jfredel@delawareonline.com
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