Paw Balm for Dogs.
Many people may already know that salt, used to grit wintery roads, is bad for dogs. Rock salt contains nasty chemicals that can irritate a dog’s paws and, worse – if they ingest the compound by licking their feet or fur – it can make them very sick. Holidays4Dogs offers a few hints and tips to help owners protect their dog’s paws. Here you can also find a DIY recipe for dog paw balm, as well as suggestions for products to buy. This can be rubbed into your dog’s paws before you go out in wintery weather.
Home made dog paw balm;
2 tablespoons of olive oil (ideally organic).
4 teaspoons of beeswax
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
1 tablespoon of shea butter.
All of these ingredients can be bought from natural health food stores.
Method.
Put all the ingredients into a small bowl and place in a pan of hot water to melt the contents.
Stir well.
Pour the mixture into suitable containers made of glass, or metal – (you could re-use small food jars).
Allow the containers to cool.
You may want to consider labelling this as ‘dog paw balm’ in case you mistake it for your own lip balm! Try adding a couple of drops of lavender oil to the mixture, as this can discourage some dogs to lick it off.
You can rub the balm into your dog’s paws before he goes out into the cold. However, it is also good for year round use, especially if your dog is prone to cracked paws.
The oils absorb into the paws really well and the beeswax leaves a protective layer which helps to form a barrier between the skin and the ground.
Favourite products.
WILDWASH Healing Paw Balm
You can, of course, purchase ready made dog paw balm and there is plenty of choice.
Holidays4Dogs likes the look of this natural product from Wild Wash Natural Pet Care. The balm is made from 100% natural oils and contains no synthetic fragrances, sulphates, palm oils, or PEGs.
Keeping your dog’s paws well moisturized will protect his feet in all weathers but is particularly helpful during icy and snowy weather when the pavements and roads are covered in salt.
There are other steps you can take, such as washing your dog’s feet in warm soapy water when he returns home. Alternatively, you could invest in some dog boots which will completely protect him when walking on salt covered surfaces.
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