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Probably something similar on the shanty here somewhere, but had a question - I often times take my lab (best fishing buddy and hard working birder) out on the ice with me to get her some running/exercise in her off-season. On the real cold days (19F or less), I often put dog boots on her paws to avoid problems associated with the cold and frostbite. Has anyone else had dogs develop frostbite and/or cut pads while on the ice A fellow shantier was busting my nuts for pampering my pooch (believe part of the response was, to paraphrase: she's a DOG - how do you think huskies get pull dogsleds in winter in Alaska, they don't wear booties) - but I value her as a working dog and companion and believe I am simply doing my part to keep her safe and healthy. I'm guessing this person busting me on this probably has a mangy mongrel (no fault of its own) chained to a blocked up rusty truck in his yard year round with an inadequately insulated dog house too boot. But that's just a guess.My thoughts - 1. She's not a husky, coyote, or wolf. 2. Being on the ice/slush (wet, uninsulated and sharp) is different than running in the snow (I've had no problems with her in the snow bootless). and 3. I do believe I've seen a LOT of dog boots during the Iditarod.Thoughts?
they got boots for them
ok so your dog is important to you then why don't you condition him/her to the outdoors. Put em up on concrete so they're pads are tuff and if they are in danger of freezing leave em home? I have a dog he's very important to me. So much so that I won't subject him to dagerous situations in which he might get hurt/frozen/drowned. He's a dog! Yeah it was me, say what you like if you treat your dog like a human i.e. inside all the time feed em treats till they are pudgy and let him sleep on the couch thats fine just don't expect him to be an animal conditioned to be out in the cold and when its cold leave him home. My thoughts are you just couldn't deal with the guilt of goin fishin and leaving the pooch at home and looking into those big lab eyes made you feel guilty. By the way you even said she kicked off the boots right away. Walk her more and she'll be better off, and so will you.
Contrary to what some people believe, "toughening up" a dogs pads by running them on concrete and asphalt will actually make the pads MORE susceptible to cracking and tearing, and will also give them LESS traction on ice. So you have a couple options. First, you could use the boots. But it appears your dog likes them about as much as mine did. He would kick them off as soon as he had the chance, and then I was searching for them. I'm sure that if I were more persistant, I could get him used to using them, but I decided to go with option 2. I talked with my vet about it, and he said proper care will do just as much as the boots will, and my dog won't run like he's constantly trying to jump over his own feet. So he recommended that I keep the hair between the toes trimmed as short as possible so that the hair will not wick moisture up into the soft tissue and freeze there, and to apply a quality paw wax. The paw wax keeps his paws soft and pliable so they are less likely to crack or split, and he has much better traction on both ice and on slimy rocks than he did before.
fish boy, your the nut buster? Speak your piece.
they lick they're butts, eat cat crap and roll in dead stuff for fun. They're dogs !
Its a free country and I'm over 21. You don't have to ask but when ya put it out there I'm free to comment on it just like you are.
ok so your dog is important to you then why don't you condition him/her to the outdoors. Put em up on concrete so they're pads are tuff and if they are in danger of freezing leave em home? I have a dog he's very important to me. So much so that I won't subject him to dagerous situations in which he might get hurt/frozen/drowned. He's a dog! Yeah it was me, say what you like if you treat your dog like a human i.e. inside all the time feed em treats till they are pudgy and let him sleep on the couch thats fine just don't expect him to be an animal conditioned to be out in the cold and when its cold leave him home. My thoughts are you just couldn't deal with the guilt of goin fishin and leaving the pooch at home and looking into those big lab eyes made you feel guilty. By the way you even said she kicked off the boots right away. Walk her more and she'll be better off, and so will you.Do you sleep on concrete to toughen yourself up?? Lemme see, if you don't put a dog in a situation where he could get hurt/frozen/drowned....you must never take him out of your house, so why make him sleep on concrete?? >>Walk her more and she'll be better off, and so will you...here's an idea...try interacting with people on a less harsh note..you'll be better off and so will we.... I'm over 21 also....you laid it out there, remember? Esox
jeffcrow he loves water even frigid water because he's a dog not a human esox where in my post does it read sleep on concrete? an outside kennel with a concrete floor and a doghouse are what a dog needs. Especially if your gonna take him out in harsh conditions. Please don't put things in my posts that are not there. and no i don't live on concrete I'm a human not a dog. You know, opposable thumbs, deductive reasoning, ability to drive a car, tie my shoes, don't go around sniffing other human's butts, don't eat cat poop.
Doesnt mean we are treating the dog like a human, it means we are treating the dog humanely.
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Topic: Dogs and foot issues on the ice (Read 4769 times)
