Protect Your Dog’s Paws From Hot Pavement and Rocky Trails

You know it’s summer in Colorado when you can kick off your shoes and walk around your yard barefoot.

The first couple of times you do that, though, your feet are likely to be sensitive.

Your dog’s paw pads are no different.

A dog that doesn’t spend much time on dirt roads or rocky trails can really feel it on those first few hikes.

And no matter how tough your dog’s paw pads are, hot pavements can burn, even on 70-degree days!

Friendly tips for protecting dog paws

Hot pavement:

• When walking your dog, encourage your pup to enjoy the grass, rather than walking on hot concrete or asphalt.
• Consider investing in booties. (We know some dogs may resist, but booties really can help.)

Dirt roads or rocky trails:

If your dog spends most of his or her time in the house, in a grassy yard, and/or on paved streets, a 10-mile hike on a trail can really tear your dog’s paw pads up.

(It can even lead to dog paw injuries.)

To avoid abrasions:

• Ease into your adventures in nature, so your dog’s paw pads can thicken up.
• Again, think about booties.