Slip and Slide for Dogs

Trends for our homes come and go but have you thought about how it effects the health of our four legged friends?

Flooring for example is a great example. To make it easier for us or to look fashionable

we are placing  timber, lino and tiles in lots of our living spaces. Its great for us humans with spills easily wiped up and cleaning a breeze but for our canine friends it’s a nightmare. The surface area of a paw where it grips is not as big as our feet and to get traction they need to spread the paw pad and stabilize muscles which in turn means  that the muscles can be over stretched and issues can occur. Not to mention if the paws of legs slip the muscles are pulled in directions they are not meant to and the fibres in muscle can be torn or strained.

So before you start ripping up the flooring what can we do to help our doggies and have a nice floor. Rugs are a great solution with a  rubber under mat for stability. If you place it in key entry points and places our doggy is bound to go then it makes it easier. You can also now buy doggy booties but again for me it can alter the way a dog walks and in turn but strain on muscles.  I did come across and have used toe rings for dogs. I had to get them in from overseas but you place them on your dog’s claw. This means it gives a tighter grip and they get replaced every one to two weeks. My border collie didn’t mind them and it did give her better grip than nothing.

Ultimately if your doggy does injury itself, seek assistance with a vet, massage therapist or physio.