Puppy pad strength training

[Calle Roo]

Quella was 9 weeks old when I brought her home from her breeder. She was not fully vaccinated until 13 weeks old; therefore she never touched cement or asphalt until 14 weeks. I live in AZ and it's above 90 degrees from 9am and 100 degrees from 1pm until 9pm and in a few weeks, add 20 degrees to those figures. I have a small window where I can take Q out before 9am or in the evenings around 7 (which the ground is still an inferno). She jumped on a metal grate on the ground and burnt her feet once... I didn't have time to pick her up, I just yanked her leash and drug her from the metal. Luckily my community has huge grassy patches wrapped around all of the sidewalks, so as much as she tries to stick to the path, I always guide her towards the grass to keep her pads cool(er). I've been walking Q every day 2-4 times. We have to run across asphalt during the walk and I even try to walk her through gravel to hopefully strengthen her pads. I rub Q's paws and pads several times a day and they're still very soft with the exception of a small crack on one of them. Well, last night she started licking one of her paws, so I saw on the bottoms and they appear to be a translucent pink colour. I'm attaching a picture, which is hard to tell from, but better than nothing...

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to continue to strengthen her pads i.e. walk on different terrains, amount of time, time of day? Is there an ointment or lotion I should put on to keep them healthy?

XoXo from Quella La Roux and her mommy too!

 

[lkclark]

This might be silly...but alternatively you could try having her wear socks of some kind during the heat waves. Lol.

Look!

http://www.petflow.com/product/pawz...DRKljxqry6remOJstBYDYdKAN6WNGFOBiIeM2X_PD_BwE

 

[2bullymama]

Not sure there is anything to do.... but i tagged Lisa as she has puppy experience and is also in AZ

 

[davidh]

She is still a pup and their pads stay soft for awhile. i would carry her across any hot surface and not let her walk on it, so she will not get her pads burnt. Even an adult dog can get their pads burnt. I tell people, if it's too hot for you to walk bare foot on the surface, it's too hot for them.

 

[bullmama]

Poor baby, yellow mustard will help the burn if it happens again.

Time is the only thing to help get them tougher. And lots of walks this winter on the rough surfaces. Either way though, when it's blazing hot out I will carry my EB bully, all 50lbs, across a hot surface if needed.