How to Groom Dogs' Paw Pads

Dogs are even more reliant on their feet than are human beings. Left ungroomed, the hair that grows between the toes of a long-haired dog̵7;s foot can pick up debris and become matted, potentially causing spreading toes, which may invite sores and other injuries. This hair can also form a layer between the pad of the foot and the floor or ground, leading to insecure footing and falls. Failure to properly groom a dog̵7;s paws can even lead to damage to the paw pads.

Things You'll Need

  • Curved nail or cuticle scissors
  • Fine-toothed metal greyhound comb
  • Coat detangler spray
  • Blunt-tipped scissors, like children̵7;s craft scissors
  • Vitamin E moisturizing lotion
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Instructions

    • 1

      Inspect your dog̵7;s feet for any obvious debris that might be caught in long hair between the toes. After removing any debris, look closely for any tears or sores between the toes and at the edges of your dog̵7;s paw pads.

    • 2

      Use the curved nail scissors to trim the excess hair from between your dog̵7;s toes. Excess hair is anything that causes the toes to spread, catches debris or grows up over the surface of the pads.

    • 3

      Use the greyhound comb to pull the hair away from the surface of the pads and hold it in place.

    • 4

      Cut the hair between the comb and the surface of the dog̵7;s pads. According to Stacey Hughes Hammond, breeder of old English sheepdogs, trim it down to where the tips of the cut hair are even with or slightly lower than the surface of the pads.

    • 5

      Soften any dry spots or calluses using a vitamin E-based moisturizing lotion.