Question to the snow-belt people

[JackieMaya]

I live in Minnesota, and even though we've had a way below normal amount of snow this year, we did have a somewhat decent snow cover for the yard.

We've had a few warm-ups and then back to below freezing, so half of my yard is dead grass and the other half is ice.

Jackie and Maya play and run around a lot outside, especially on the icy area. The pads on their feet (especially Maya) are red, but they're leaving them alone when they're in the house.

Do any of you have problems with your dogs' pads getting red from running around on the snow/ice all the time? I don't suppose there's anything I can do about it. The temps are in the 40s and 50s for highs this weekend, so hopefully the ice will melt. Of course, then I'll have mud! :-? If it's not one thing, it's another!

[kendalyn]

Buck's pads don't really get too red usually. Once in a while when it's really cold, he'll pick up his feet every now and again when we're on our walk.

I wouldn't worry about it if they're leaving them alone in the house. A little redness doesn't mean anything other then their feet are probably a little cold and beat up from running on the ice.

For snowfall, this winter has been pathetic for us too. Only about 50 inches all year. :-? I'm hoping we get dumped on at least once before spring.

[SizzleDog]

Ilsa always comes back into the house bleeding - not frm her pads, but from the tops of her feet, her pasterns... the ice layer beneath the snow simply cuts her up! I usually use booties, but dogbooties.com seems to have neglected to make me a new set! Corrie, sic 'em!

[DogPaddle]

Some specialty pet stores carry a "musher's wax" you could try that but you will have to wipe their feet when they come in.

Sizzle - Poor Ilsa, there doesn't sound like there is much that can be done about that aside from booties, nasty dogbooties.com for neglecting to send Isla some new boots.

[courtnek]

ice is nasty..booties help, but some dogs cant stand them. its especially bad if the ice is partially melted, so there are "crags" that cut the dogs feeties....this is a thought, altho its expensive. there are pet safe ice melts you can get, that will melt it, but I dont know if they will damage the lawn or not. my lawn is toast, so I really dont care, but it might work.

[JackieMaya]

Do you guys clip the long hair on the bottoms of your dogs' feet? I call them "fuzzy bedroom slippers"-LOL. I know some people do and some people don't. I leave it long this time of year because I think it helps protect the bottoms of their feet. But in the spring when it's muddy, I have them clipped.

Here's what Jackie and Maya's feet look like. This is Jackie's foot:

[JackieMaya]

Well, we got about 3 inches of snow today, so at least the ice in my backyard is covered up now. And so is the poop! LOL It's very pretty now.

Jackie and Maya were making snowpuppies in the snow. They didn't like being out in the rain earlier, but they were out for a long time while it was snowing out.