trimming the hair between the pads

[dewyboysmom]

How important is it to trim the hair between Dudley's pads. I know it should be done in the winter to prevent problems with ice but how about in the summer. Dudley is none to keen on letting me do it and if DH tries to help Dudley squirms even more. To do Dudley's ears, he just got over an ear infection, I used the ole"smear peanut butter on the fridge door" routine. That worked great. Maybe I should try the ole"smear peanut butter on the deck" routine and while he is laying there licking ways I can be clipping away. Wha do ya think?

[CanadianGolden423]

I did the peanut butter routine for trimming my dogs' nails and paw hair. It's not that important but I think they look SO much neater and sharper with them trimmed that I do it. Dogs that are untrimmed look unkempt to me. Trimming nails IS important because if they get too long, especially as puppies, it can cause the bones in their feet to splay.

Samra

[Scorpio118]

:lol :rollin :lol OMG!!!! NO WAY!!!!!!!!! I never would have thought about that!!!!

I'll have to remember that..........

[ldpusateri]

Keep doing it...if for nothing else then for Dudley to get used to it and make it easier on you.

Holly is at a point now where she has figured out that the scissors aren't a threat and I don't have to do the PB on the floor trick anymore. I can also clean her ears without a fight now and take her Temperature (ear themometer!)...now if she would just sit while I try to cut her nail.... It's like wrestling an alligator to the floor! and NO amount of PB makes her hold still:jump2

[ChicagoCanine]

I guess it depends on your floor type and where you take your dog... If you don't trim the hair under the feet, it can cause them to lose traction so they might slip if they're on a tile or linoleum floor (or other low-traction surface.)
I keep Ginger's trimmed mainly because I like how it looks when she has neat little 'cat feet' :) but also because she encounters many different surfaces and she needs all the traction she can get!



http://www.chicagocanine.com/photos/catfoot1.jpg
Pretty little "cat foot" (the groomer always does a good job- much better than me!)

[meeahbear]

I was told by me breeder that it is very important to trim underneath foot hair. If you dont it can cause your goldens foot to become splayed. (spread apart) This can affect the way your dog walks.

[timberwolfe13ca]

The hair can cause splayed feet????

Are you sure it wasn't the nail they mentioned?

[honeyhunter]

I keep Honey's trimmed because she is in the pond and in the woods so much in the summer and iceballs form on them in the winter. She can get burrs and twigs stuck in the hair and irritate her pads. The hair can get so thick between the pads that it does affect the way they walk. I trim them even with the pad in the winter and shave them almost clean in the summer. She also hates this!!! Just think how uncomfortable it is when your sock is wadded up a little in your shoe and you have to walk on it!:\ That's how I imagine they feel with the hair on their pads.