Musher's Secret - Application Tips?

[moosikins]

I picked up some Musher's Wax yesterday since we finally had our first snowfall and Cal is loving it. She keeps asking to go outside and she can't get enough of the fact that she can really run in the snow now (I'll upload some pictures of my snow-derp later, she's hilariously clumsy out there).

 

We did the first application last night, a light layer on each paw pad so that she gets used to it. I read an article that said to layer it on slowly, letting the dog get used to it and it would result in silky soft pads. Any additional tips?

 

How often do you apply it? How do you keep your carpets clean? Do your dogs lick it off?

What do you do about the fur in between the pads? Do you recommend that I get it trimmed short or will her "slippers" protect her toes better? I'm worried about snow getting packed in there and causing problems, even though we wipe her feet when she comes in.

 

The salt trucks went through this morning and spewed the chemicals everywhere. We buy the animal-friendly stuff for our driveway, but we can't keep her from walking on the salted sidewalks and street. Will the wax protect her from that?

 

So many questions...Help!

[Gloria Atwater]

I've only used it occasionally - not that much snow out here in Nevada. But I've always rubbed it thoroughly into the pads and into the fur between the toes. That way the ice and snow won't cling between their pads and toes.

I saw it really make a difference when we had a very WET snow last winter and my Aussie kept getting snowballs between her toes. The Musher's Secret worked like a charm, no ouchy ice balls between her toes and we stayed out for about three hours.

So, I don't put it on unless we're going outside. There's no need for it when indoors and as I use it, the point isn't to soften pads, it's to protect the pads. Also, putting it on when going outside doesn't give the dogs a chance to fuss with it, w just apply and go.

I'm not sure it would help with road salt. Maybe consider a set of booties for the times you're on the salted roads?

~ Gloria

[kingfisher7151]

I've never used it, our Colorado dogs have done just fine! And we're no stranger to snow!

 

Are you using it to avoid cracking?

[dsmbc]

I started using it when my dog was tearing pads, and it helped toughen up the pads. We applied it daily for a week and then switched to weekly. now we use it about once a month. it helped the pad heal and help prevent additional problems. I do trim the fur between to toes of my dogs as that fur encourages the snowballs between the toes. never have a problem with my smooth coated dogs, only my rough coated dogs.

[moosikins]

Cal is a big baby and starts lifting her paws up one by one and looking at me pathetically after about ten minutes outside in the snow, regardless of how cold it is. She refuses to play or walk but then asks to go out again and again if we go inside. I think it hurts when snow and ice clumps between her toes, so I want to avoid that and protect her pads because they cracked and felt rough last year. She's young so they're not calloused yet, especially because we've been really cautious about hot asphalt in the summer. Perhaps we've done her a disservice by babying her and protecting her feet too much from injury (we've literally carried her across black top parking lots to let her run in the grass instead...A friend of mine had her dog get 2nd degree burns from a parking lot, so I'm neurotic about it).

 

We do have booties but she walks like a drunk with them on. Between my inability to stop laughing hysterically at her absurd walk and her lack of traction in every boot we've tried (we settled on the fancy ones that stay on even though she has a hard time running in them on the sidewalk), her outside time is pretty short. We also don't let her wear the boots while she's outside in the yard by herself because that just leaves her with FAR too much time to chew them off and/or lose them.

[Vermont_BC]

Hello from Minnesota (I know my username says Vermont lol). I use Musher's Secret in the winter when the conditions aren't so cold/harsh as to need booties. Yes, you want to trim the hair that grows between paw pads, but only cut it flush with the paw pad. This will help with excess snow build-up between the pads. Apply a liberal coating of the was on all paw pads before going out into the snow/ice. It will protect the pads from ice burn or super cold snow, as well as salt/deicer. That's what I use it for, not as a conditioner for the paw pads. I haven't heard of it being used to condition the pads or toughen them up or soften them up. I would use something like udder cream for that purpose. Since I only apply it when going outside for long hikes, I don't have the problem of my dog licking his paws. If you do have salt/deicer used a lot in your area, be sure to wipe down your dog's feet with mild soapy water when you get in. If they lick the deicer off their paws and injest, they can become very sick. (Depending on where you live, some townships use nontoxic chemicals for deicing roads. Others do not. I choose not to risk it and just take my dog on hikes out in the country and not on roads). If conditions are harsh, wear booties. Keep yourself moving forward and go for a half hour or more duration. She/he will settle in and soon ignore the booties.

 

Hope that helps! Just info on what I do.

 

Danielle

[Islanddog]

I've used vaseline in the past. Slather on just before a walk, pads are clean of gunk by the end. It protects from salt and reduces the snowballing. I'm just guessing that Musher's Secret is somewhat similar in concept, though.

[Euphoria]

I love musher's secret! My border collie does not, my senior dog doesn't care. Border collie I have to leash him like he's going to be groomed since he's sensitive about his feet after his boarding fiasco last year. (Don't worry he gets lots of treats and praise and love during feet touching events) we put it on once a week and right after romps where their feet get really wet to prevent cracking. We use it during the summer too to protect from tears from gravel and burns from hot cement. Love the stuff! totally worth spending $25 on on amazon.