Tougher paws/pads

[stuffkez 6]

I've got 3 saluki x lurchers and they all suffer from their paws when I take them on the airfield near to where I live . Usually when they're chasing something down they cross from the grass onto the tarmac and it takes the pads clean off which can put them out of action for up to 5 days .

Being saluki Xs if they see something there gone and don't stop til they catch it , pads red raw or not I've stopped going on near the airfield for this reason . Are there any ways of toughening up there paws or is it a case of don't go near the tarmac ? They already get plenty of walking along roads and it's not as if they have soft paws .

 

Cheers

[diggermad 154]

hi mate been told you can stand the dogs in a bowl of salted water an hour before you take them out for about 5mins dont know how true it is but got to be worth a try cheers DM

[cocker 2,655]

hello mate,

 

the trouble is if they are running down the tarmac flat out after something it will wear any dogs pads and stoppers down, you wont stop that, but this might help harden pads and stoppers up, for normal hard graft,

get some surgical spirit from boots or a chemist, get some cotton wool aswell, soak the cotton wool with the surgical spirit, and dab it all over the pads, and in between the toes and nails, do it about 3 times a week, while your running your dogs,

 

cocker

[MissRhianL 70]

Hello, iv heard of a few cases like these, a few ppl have tried and swear by the following - 1. make sure there are no cuts first an soak their feet in a bucket wit a lil bit of bleach in. 2. In boots u can get purple tablets that u put in water an it will harden their feet just ask them they wil know what tablets your on about. 3. Run them on the road to harden their feet.

[MissRhianL 70]

Oh and also a good day down the beach is really good for the dogs pads also sort out any infections that u were unaware of

[rossi_j 99]

Bleach, so thats why so many lurchers have white socks

[shushycatcher 219]

i think miss rhi means methylated spirit

[123456 146]

I know the bull lads in the 80's used to use winter green oil/cream. Used it on my lurchers many a time and works well

[hogdog 61]

You can get proper solutions to toughen the pads. I use 'Tuf-Foot', you can get it from most Whippet and Greyhound suppliers, Husky racing suppliers or from Tack shops as they use it for Horses hooves too. A £10 bottle lasts forever.

Edited September 23, 2011 by hogdog

[skycat 6,174]

I doubt anything would toughen a dog's pads up enough to run hard on tarmac. Not just talking about trotting beside a bike. The force of pads hitting the ground at speed: well........... go figure: little chips of stone set in tarmac: no pads can withstand that, especially not when the dog is turning hard as well. Some exceptionally light footed dogs might get away with it occasionally, but rare.

[artic 595]

I have 3 airfields here, the dogs did manage to find a way of running prey on there, however I've stopped running my dogs on them.

 

Not good for their feet, and if you have dogs that really throw themselves, then the tarmac would not only tear their pads, but you'll find that other injuries will occur.

 

I just ferret/shoot on them for now.