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36 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2003 : 08:53 AM
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Hi all, we've come across our first bout with sore pads. We've taken our 6 year old female wire hair fox terrier hiking with us many times before. We usually do a two mile loop (due to time constraints) but have done the complete 7 mile trail at Devil's Backbone in Loveland Colorado. The trails are loose dirt with some rock. the first time she did the entire trail with us, it was mostly off leash, and no pad problems. I inspected her feet for stickers and wear and there were no probs at all. For some reason that we can't yet figure, this time she got sore pads. I applied some A&D ointment last night after cleansing them, and before bed. This morning, some had bled a little, and the don't look infected, just raw. I cleaned them again and applied temporary bandages so she could go out to go to the bathroom. I know air is the best thing for them right now but does anyone have any insight as to why this happened this time? Any help is appreciated, and will her pads toughen up with more hiking or are we limited to just some hikes with her? We really don't enjoy hiking without her, as a matter of fact, we haven't ever gone with out her! any suggestions or comments, if you'd like to email them to us at crystalmtn@aol.com, please put Club Tread int he subject line so we don't mistake your email for spam, thanks!
Edited by - taranwalt on 04/13/2003 09:41:34 AM |
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 Kootenay Bud
2695 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2003 : 2:43 PM
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Buy or make some dog booties. If you have a sewing machine they are very easy to make from cordura with a velcro wrap around attachment. I make a batch of about 8 pairs at a time and they last quite a while (depending on how rough the terrain is). Your dogs pads may also toughen up in time too.
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Port Hardy, BC
58 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2003 : 2:03 PM
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Time may eventually be the answer for your doggie. Our dog suffered from injured pads on many occasions when he was younger. He is 5 years old now, and can do a 12K hike over all kinds of nasty stuff, including rocky beaches, with no problem. His feet has definitely adjusted. If it sounds cruel (him getting sore feet so often), it really was not... he adores outdoorsy stuff, and I think his sore feet hurt me more than it hurt him. He is the reason I started going on longer hikes! He is my little "extreme athlete"....
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 Big pack hiker who sleeps with bears in tent and falls on slippery logs
Langley, BC
Canada
7677 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2003 : 2:19 PM
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What's the max distance you'd want to take a dog? I've been wondering this alot lately as I have been taking my dog on hikes that are greater than 20Km.
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Port Hardy, BC
58 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2003 : 2:55 PM
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Good question... most probably depend on the dog's fitness? The 12K is the most Julius (my dog...) has done. He did have some joint stiffness the next day. The hike did have many very steep ups and downs, and I think that caused the stiffness. He was fine on the second day. I am impressed with your dog doing 20K plus. If someone knows more please do tell....
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North Vancouver, BC
Canada
153 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2003 : 3:35 PM
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I think this is both a breed issue as well as a adaptation issue. Our dog (Australian Shepherd) is now able to go 50 kilometers (30 miles)of hiking trails without any issue. However, I started her out slowly and worked her distance up (probably the first run I took her on was only an hour) to where she is now.
I guess the breed issue comes in because some breeds are just more active and are able to run/hike longer. I chose a herder as I knew she would be able to handle the distance.
As for the pads, could have the temperature been high? Or was it just from the rocks? I know the only time we had a problem was when we were hiking in Hells Canyon and the temp was 90+. The dogs pads got burnt. If it was not heat I agree with sandy...time is the answer as your dogs pads will toughen up.
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Slo mo sno shuin' Great Wall trekkin' triathalon doin' pale ale drinkin' all Patrick, all the time, smoothie
2497 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2003 : 6:48 PM
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Here is how to get your dog into shape: 
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Big pack hiker who sleeps with bears in tent and falls on slippery logs
Langley, BC
Canada
7677 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2003 : 7:13 PM
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Hahahah nice one Pathfinder...
My dog is a 4yr old black lab. She does quite well on the hikes. I've had her up to nearly 30kms in a given day and she's seemed to go the distance each time. She was dragging her ass a little on Monday, but after she jumped in the water it was like she was instantly rejuvinated and was able to tackle the last 4k with renewed vigor.
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 challenge seeker, bagless sleeper, bare bones, trail trooper
Abbotsford, BC
Canada
1957 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2003 : 9:40 PM
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I'm sure I saw Shadow snicker after giving Todd a friendly shower for the "after canine swim" event.
"Life must be lived and curiosity kept alive." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt |
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Big pack hiker who sleeps with bears in tent and falls on slippery logs
Langley, BC
Canada
7677 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2003 : 9:49 PM
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hehehehe she was grinning from ear to ear after the soaking...
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San Antonio, Tx
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2003 : 10:16 AM
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Hello! I'm surfing around getting info for my BC trip this summer and thought I'd respond to this thread. We live in south Texas, trails are poured rock and stone... We hike with a 3 year old golden retriever. After a 10 mile+ day her paws were killing her. We purchased Paw Protectors (terry-cloth inside, rugged leather outside) and haven't experienced any more problems. Cheers!
Anxious to learn more before my journy |
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Concrete dwelling mountain hopper who hides in bushes with boom stick
Surrey, British Columbia
Canada
168 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2003 : 1:16 PM
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I agree with trailrnr. Start off slow and increase the hiking distance. I have a boxer/pitbull cross and he does great now. The only problem I had was the stamina, which looks to have been increased greatly as I am sure he could do the WCT if he wanted.
"Eventually, all things merge into one. And a river runs through it." |
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36 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2003 : 07:11 AM
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Just wanted to thank everyone for your advice. Due to certain factors and unforseen things coming up, we haven't yet picked up her booties yet as we haven't been hiking in a while (hubby had surgery so we have backed off a little on the exercise part0. Instead, I traded in a gas guzzling dually and my harley for a 99 Jeep wrangler so we can take our babies out with us everywhere (couldn't afford the gas for the truck, can't put two dogs on a harley, and Mesa was getting too big for my Honda!) So, priorities took over and now we have the jeep. We take them up to the river and the mountains every weekend if we can and Mesa has been enjoying the water. Funny, I clipped my Fox Terrier for the summer and Mesa didn't recognize her, she actually thought she was a new chew toy! We'll be back to the hiking soon, but right now there are too many snakes on the trails and I don't want to risk an incident. Hope all of you are well, sorry i haven't been around, insanely busy at work and then having fun on the weekends with the dogs!
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Sore Pads
