Snow Paws

Like many of the Corgis out there, Monty LOVES the snow. Fortunately for him DC area has gotten over 45 inches in the last week. I keep our outings to 15 minutes so he doesn't get to worn out because he would stay out for hours if I left him. I have been putting Musher's Secret on his paws several times a day but not every time he goes out. I noticed tonight that the hair between his paws seems pinkish. Is that from just continually getting wet in the snow or is it because his toes are getting chapped? Is there anything else I can put on him to keep his paws from getting sore? No time to buy booties but if we have another winter like this it would be worth the investment!

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Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on February 10, 2010 at 8:44pm

Musher's secret is good stuff! I would recommend Paws, try walking Monty in the snow instead of pavement, stay away from salted road. Next year you can try a pair of Muttluks.

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Permalink Reply by Monty'sMom on February 10, 2010 at 9:57pm

Thanks guys. We haven't seen pavement in over a week. Seriously. I don't mind because that means no salt to worry about and this just started today so I thought maybe his paws are snow weary. I will try to make sure I get the Mushers in between the toes too. I will look into the Paws as well...not sure if he will keep them on though.

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Permalink Reply by Julia on February 10, 2010 at 11:59pm

Fur can turn reddish if it's licked a lot. If snow is collecting on the fur and he's licking it off, or if he's just licking his paws to remove the ice or the Musher's Secret, the saliva could discolor the fur. Unless you see any bleeding abrasions, I think that would be more likely. Just getting wet won't affect the color. Make sure you keep that fur trimmed short. And if he's going our for fifteen minutes at a time, I don't think he would need the Musher's Secret. Corgis are good winter dogs. Are his paws really sore? Or do you want to prevent it. If not, I wouldn't worry if he's just on snow, not salt/chemicals.

My Spaniel gets huge ice balls between the toes even with trimmed hair. I've had no success with Musher's Secret or Paw Wax. If you spray with PAM, as some suggest, the dog will lick even more to get the oil off. My Corgi does not collect ice. I'm told that most Spaniels need boots, at least at certain temperatures, unlike Corgis. Maybe different kind of fur? I think the temperature is also significant. If it's warm enough to snow, maybe it's warm enough to collect between the paws.

PAWS, a disposable/reusable boot which Sam recommended are inexpensive. This is an unusual winter, so you may not need to deal with real boots in the future. Spaniels may wear boots, but they are a very different type of dog. My crossword dictionary listed "spaniel" under "sycophant". Not exactly a Corgi quality.

Sofapup, from the frozen tundra of Wisconsin

Now that I'm thinking about it, I take Lilli to the dog park if it's 25 degrees or more (my comfort), and we stay for 45 min. to an hour, cut short because of the old Spaniel and lack of playmates. No salt, just ice and snow and cold. She's never been too cold, or showed any foot discomfort. Corgis are pretty hardy!

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Permalink Reply by Alex on February 11, 2010 at 3:30pm

Try PAWS! They are awesome! I doubt your doggy will be able to get them off. They are pretty tight around their feet. Just make sure to take them off after every walk though. They seem to collect sweat (moisture) since they are rubbery, like balloons! But they would be perfect for you since this is unusual weather for you guys & PAWS are inexpensive. :) I'm sure my dog Dee Dee is there with you guys to play in the snow! Here in Sacramento, CA, no snow... at all...