Last Updated: November 2025
Your dog's paws deserve the same care as any other part of their body. Dog paw care is essential for preventing pain, infections, and injuries. Whether it's hot pavement in summer or ice and salt in winter, proper dog paw care keeps your pup comfortable and active all year long.
Why Paw Care is Necessary
7 Tips for Healthy Paws
Seasonal Paw Care
Grooming Your Dog's Paws
Essential Paw Care Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Please make your pet's paws a priority. Temperatures, surfaces, and conditioning are all important to keep your dog's paws in tip-top shape. If they are scratchy, rough, itchy, or have open sores, your dog is in pain.
Why is Paw Care Necessary?
There are several critical reasons why taking care of your dog's paws is essential.
Protection from bacteria and germs - A dog's paw pads constantly come into contact with all sorts of bacteria and germs. If paw pads are cracked or torn, germs can easily enter the body.
This is why it's important to keep them clean and healthy. Try wiping your dog's paws with aloe vera juice and paper towels after walks or playing in the yard. Aloe vera juice is a natural antibiotic, antifungal, and antiseptic. However, it does need to be kept in the refrigerator.
Preventing dryness and cracking - Paw pads can become dry and cracked if not adequately moisturized. This leads to pain and discomfort.
Find a paw conditioner you like that is safe for your pet to lick but seeps into the pads quickly to start working immediately.
Nail health matters - If your dog's nails are not trimmed regularly, they can grow too long. They may begin to curl under or crack, which causes your dog pain.
Taking care of your dog's paws is just as important as taking care of any other part of their body!
The story of Babylon
Babylon went into the mountains to play in the snow and came back unable to walk—her paws were frostbitten and painful. After just a few applications of PawPurity Intensive Paw Conditioner, her paws healed completely. The frostbite disappeared, and she was back to running and playing like nothing ever happened!
How to Keep Your Dog's Paws Soft and Healthy
In this section, we've listed seven essential tips for dog parents. These will help you understand how to protect your dog's paws effectively.
1. Trim Nails Regularly
Your dog's nails need to be trimmed regularly for proper paw care. Long nails can make it difficult for your dog to walk, run, and play like they usually would.
Trimming your dog's nails can help avoid all of these problems. It ensures their paws stay healthy and your dog happy. Here are the steps to follow, recommended by the American Kennel Club:
Step 1: Pick up a paw and firmly place your thumb on your dog's pad of one toe. Your forefinger should be placed on top of the toe on the skin above the nail.
Step 2: Push your thumb up just slightly and backward on the paw pad. At the same time, push your forefinger forward. This will extend the nail so you can clip it.
Step 3: Clip the tip of the nail straight across. Make sure you also clip the dewclaws on the inner side of the paw.
Step 4: Don't clip past the curve of the nail. This would put you at risk of hitting the quick (the pink area of the nail that contains blood vessels). A nick there is painful and causes bleeding. With dogs that have dark nails, look for a chalky white ring as your guideline.
2. Use Balms & Paw Healing Conditioners
Your dog's paws need extra protection during extreme summers and winters. That's where balms and conditioners help.
When your dog's paw pads are healthy, they are better protected from injury, salt, snow, and ice. A good paw balm heals cracks and dryness. It prevents future paw problems by keeping them moisturized and supple.
If you're looking for an all-natural paw healing conditioner for dogs, try PawPurity Intensive Paw Conditioner.
It contains a proprietary blend of organic plants, minerals, and pure high-grade tallow. It is loaded with antibacterial and antiseptic agents that keep paws free from infections. These could be picked up along outdoor walks.
Its softening agents work on paws and nails to keep them supple yet strong. This protects them from abrasion. Additionally, PawPurity's Intensive Paw Conditioner promotes cell regeneration. This helps keep your pet's paw pads healthy and resilient year-round.
What makes PawPurity Intensive Paw Conditioner special:
✓ Formulated with nourishing botanicals and essential vitamins
✓ Contains powerful moisturizers and antioxidants
✓ Includes natural antibacterial and antifungal properties
✓ Enriched with omega-rich oils for deep hydration
✓ Features anti-inflammatory ingredients to soothe irritation
✓ Safe if licked and fast-absorbing
✓ Promotes healing of dry, cracked, and yeast-prone areas
✓ Protects the paw pad barrier from environmental damage
3. Protect Paws in Winter and Summer
During winter, ice, snow, and salt can take a toll on your dog's paws. They can become cracked and sore, burned, or frostbitten. This is painful for your pup.
In summer, hot pavement can burn their paw pads. Keep them clean and dry in winter. Apply a paw balm or cream daily.
Avoid walking your pooch during summer's hottest part of the day. Put booties on their feet if necessary.
4. Schedule Regular Grooming Sessions
If you're unsure how to groom your dog's paws, don't worry! Start by wiping down each foot with a wet towel.
You can also use a cotton ball soaked in warm water to clean the paw. Once you're finished cleansing the paw, dry it off completely. Apply a healing paw balm. Make sure to use one that is safe to lick.
5. Inspect Paws Daily
Check your dog's paws daily for cuts, sores, or foreign objects. Early detection prevents minor issues from becoming serious infections.
Look between the toes and pads for debris, thorns, or signs of irritation.
6. Keep Paw Fur Trimmed
Long fur between the paw pads can collect ice, snow, and debris. This causes discomfort and matting.
Trim the fur carefully with blunt-tipped scissors. This keeps paws clean and prevents slipping on smooth surfaces.
7. Moisturize After Bathing
Bathing can dry out paw pads. Always apply a moisturizing paw conditioner after baths.
This restores natural oils and prevents cracking.
Paw Care in Winter and Summer
Seasonal changes require different paw care approaches.
Winter paw care:
- Apply paw balm before walks to create a protective barrier
- Rinse paws after walks to remove salt and ice melt chemicals
- Use dog booties for extended outdoor time
- Check for ice balls between toes
- Moisturize daily to prevent cracking from cold, dry air
Summer paw care:
- Walk during cooler parts of the day (early morning or evening)
- Test pavement temperature with your hand (if it's too hot for you, it's too hot for paws)
- Stick to grass or shaded paths when possible
- Apply paw balm to protect from hot surfaces
- Rinse paws after beach or pool visits to remove salt and chlorine
Regular Grooming Sessions
Establish a weekly paw grooming routine. This keeps paws healthy and helps you spot problems early.
Your paw grooming checklist:
1. Wipe paws with a damp cloth or pet-safe wipe
2. Inspect for cuts, cracks, or foreign objects
3. Trim nails if needed
4. Trim excess fur between pads
5. Apply PawPurity Intensive Paw Conditioner
6. Massage the conditioner into pads and nails
Regular grooming sessions also help your dog become comfortable with paw handling. This makes vet visits and nail trims easier.
Must-Have Tools for Paw Care
Here are essential paw care tools that can help during your pup's pedicure sessions:
Dog nail trimmer - A must-have for any dog owner. You'll need it to keep your dog's nails short and healthy. Choose between guillotine-style or scissor-style based on your comfort.
Dog paw balm or conditioner - Protects your dog's paws from the elements and keeps them looking their best. PawPurity Intensive Paw Conditioner is formulated with 100% natural ingredients that are safe if licked.
Dog paw brush - Helps remove dirt and debris from your dog's pads. Especially useful after muddy walks.
Blunt-tipped scissors - For safely trimming fur between paw pads.
Styptic powder - Stops bleeding quickly if you accidentally cut the quick while trimming nails.
These paw care tools can help keep your dog's paws healthy and happy.
💚 What Our Customers Say:
"My dog's paws were so cracked and rough before using PawPurity Intensive Paw Conditioner. Within just a few days, I noticed a huge difference. Now her paws are soft and healthy, and she's not limping anymore!" - Jennifer T., verified customer
Frequently Asked Questions About Dog Paw Care
How often should I moisturize my dog's paws?
Apply paw conditioner daily during extreme weather (hot summers or cold winters). For mild weather, 2-3 times per week is sufficient. Always moisturize after bathing or swimming.
What are signs my dog's paws need attention?
Watch for excessive licking or chewing of paws, limping, visible cracks or dryness, redness or swelling, reluctance to walk, or bleeding. Any of these signs warrant immediate attention.
Can I use human lotion on my dog's paws?
No. Human lotions often contain ingredients that are toxic to dogs if ingested. Always use pet-safe products like PawPurity Intensive Paw Conditioner that are formulated to be lick-safe.
How do I know if the pavement is too hot for my dog?
Place your hand or bare foot on the pavement for 7 seconds. If it's too hot for you to keep your hand there comfortably, it's too hot for your dog's paws. Pavement can reach 145°F on an 87°F day.
Should I use dog booties?
Booties are excellent for extreme conditions like very hot pavement, icy sidewalks with salt, rough hiking terrain, or if your dog has injured paws. Introduce them gradually so your dog gets comfortable wearing them.
Keep Your Dog's Paws Healthy Year-Round
Keeping your dog's paws healthy requires little work. Keep them clean and moisturized. Check them often for cuts or sores. Remember, they are always going barefoot!
Give your dog the paw care they deserve with PawPurity Intensive Paw Conditioner. Formulated with organic botanicals and healing ingredients, it provides fast relief for dry, cracked paws while protecting against future damage.
Safe to lick, fast-absorbing, and effective in all seasons. Your dog's paws will thank you.
Trusted by thousands of pet parents for natural, effective paw care solutions.
