I've been thinking about America's fascination with reality shows: American Idol. Survivor. Dancing With The Stars. That last one got me thinking about the names of dances with animal names: The Fox Trot. The Alley Cat. Pretty fun names, huh? Well, there's a few doggy inspired dance names that are not the least bit humorous ... in fact, they're doggone painful. I'm talking about the Tailwagging Tap Dance ... The Bow-Wow-OW Waltz ... the Hot Dog Hustle.
The dog days of Summer are upon us. The temperature is rising, and so must our awareness about how our dogs are affected. To ensure your four legged friend never has to become a furry Fred Astaire, here are a few important tips to keep your tailwagger's tootsies pain free:
Keep Fido and Fluffy off surfaces such as blacktop, asphalt, leather seats, truck beds, and beach sand which conduct the high temps and can quickly burn and blister your dog's pads. This is especially true in parking lots when oblivious owners ... not any of YOU, of course ... stop to chit chat with friends while their uncomplaining but adversely afflicted fur friends rhythmically lift their paws to alleviate the singing stings from blistering hot surfaces. Whenever possible, opt instead for walking on grass or less solid surfaces such as wood chip paths. When this is unavoidable, keep four-on-the-floor contact to a minimum, moving quickly and deliberately from one location to another.
Apply a paw care product to reduce abrasion and protect paws year-around from sand, hot pavement, ice, and road salt. Look for products that contain vitamin E to moisturize, keep paws healthy, and help heal wounds. Protective booties are a wise investment. Your dog may look like a Clydesdale the first few times, but soon will get the hang of it and stride less awkwardly.
Keep the paws dry and neatly trimmed. Too much moisture can irritate the skin and even attract mosquitoes and fleas. As your dog's feet can stay damp for hours, it is worth towel drying his feet whenever they get wet. Pay particular attention to the area between the toes, which moisture is most likely to accumulate. Your dog's hairy feet are perfect traps for burrs, irritating moisture, or jagged pieces of ice. Hair on the feet also traps moisture and prevents air from circulating so be sure to regularly trim the fur around the pads.