Cleaning your dog's muddy paws not only helps to keep your home clean, but it also helps keep the dog's paws healthy.
How to Clean your Dog's Paws
As all dog owners know, there are an infinite amount of ways for your dogs to get their paws dirty and keep your house clean.
From walking through spills in the house to tromping through the mud outside, your dog’s paws are probably dirtier more often than they are clean.
Muddy paws can be bad news for your house, as your dog can track dirt all throughout the house.
This can lead to more messes for you to clean, or even ruined furniture and carpet. Not to mention the germs that come with tracking dirt in, especially if you have kids running around.
It is incredibly important to stay on top of your dog’s muddy paws, lest they run amuck in your house leading to more stress.
Following are some great tips to clean your dog’s muddy paws before they become a problem.
Inspect The Paws First
Before you clean your dog’s paws, it is always important to check each of them over first.
Dogs can sometimes have dirt and debris stuck somewhere in the paw, and careless cleaning can lead to objects being shoved into the paw.
This, of course, can be quite painful or even hazardous for your dog.
Before you start cleaning, make sure you give the paw a good inspection, and even feel around and see how your dog reacts. Of course, if your dog gets antsy this can be difficult, but it is an important precaution to take.
Check Between Your Dogs Pads
Likewise, always check between the pads of your dog’s paw.
Not only can debris get in there, but so can dirt. Thoroughly cleaning out in-between the pads of your dog’s paw prevents dirt from being spread around the house.
It also reduces the chance of infection, should your dog get a cut on their paw. Always be sure to inspect between the pads for the best possible cleaning.
Simple Cleaning
Simple cleaning means dampening a towel and wiping off your dog’s muddy paws when they are muddy or using a muddy dog cup to dip your dog’s feet in to get the dirt off.
This method is best right after your dog comes inside, and when their paws are not too dirty.
Be sure to use a softer towel, and it is recommended to use a smaller hand towel as it is easier to clean with.
If your dog’s muddy paws are too dirty, it can lead to more work, which can be a hassle. When using the towel, you will want to be gentle and only apply force when necessary.
Baby/Puppy Wipes for Muddy Paws
Baby wipes are perfectly safe for use on your dog’s paws, and you can even buy wipes specifically for pets.
Wipes are perfect, as they can be easily transported and do not require a lot of effort or supplies.
Further, they are disposable so you do not have to worry about washing them or carting them around once they are dirt.
To use a wipe, simply take your dog’s paw and begin wiping it down and cleaning it. Like the towel, it is important to remember to be as gentle as possible as you do not want to hurt your dog.
Once you are done, simply throw the wipe away and you can let your dog return to their affairs.
Soap & Water
Sometimes your dog’s paw can get very muddy, or caked with mud.
In that case, it might be best to simply draw a bath for them, or grab a bucket. Once you have the water prepared, add some pet-safe soap.
Stir it around a bit and dampen a towel or washcloth and begin washing your dog’s paws. It is best to do each paw several times to ensure that you get all the mud off of it.
Once you are done, simply throw the towel into the laundry and empty the bucket.
Create A Routine
The best way to consistently keep your dog’s paws clean is to establish a routine.
It is recommended to clean your dog’s paws once they come inside, as to pre-emptively eliminate the chance of them spreading mud around the house.
The method with which you clean their paws will depend on how dirty they are, and how much time has passed since they got dirty.
Mud that’s allowed to dry is much harder to clean, so again it is best to clean their paws as soon as possible.
It might also be a good idea to clean their paws before you go to bed, as to remove any dirt before starting fresh the next day.
This will also mean that they cannot spread mud or dirt around furniture while you are asleep and is very important if your dog is allowed to be in the bed with you.
Invest In Dog Booties
The easiest way to keep your dog’s paws clean without having to clean them is to invest in dog booties.
Dog booties are little shoes that you put on your dog’s paws that prevent them from getting dirty.
Just make sure you periodically wash your dog’s booties to prevent them from being ruined. When you start your dog off wearing them, you should put them on your dog inside and allow them to adjust.
Wearing booties can be a novel experience for dogs, so allow them some time to get used to it before letting them roam around outside.
Once they are used to it, however, it can really help keep your dog’s paws, and your house, clean as a whistle.
Keeping your dog’s paws clean is no easy task. Dogs always seem to find a way to dirty their paws, and staying on top of the cleaning can be difficult. However, if you establish a schedule and use the appropriate method, it is easy to keep your dog’s paws clean.
Not to mention that keeping your dog’s paws clean is an important hygienic move to keeping your home clean and healthy.
With some practice, and some careful scrubbing, you will not need to worry about your dog messing up your floors or furniture again.
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