Hi
I know this may seem a strange question, but should you cut the hair away that is sorrounding a dogs pads if they seem to long. I've only just noticed it, but both my Collies have really long fur on their pads and just recentely they have been really biting it and I was wondering if maybe it's irritating them. Also mud tends to get stuck on their feet more because of this.

How would I go about trimming it, if I need to??

Thanks for your help

Jo

Hi Jo, yes it's very easy to trim off the hair from between the pads. I do it with both my breeds. Irish Setter and American Cocker. Just pick up the foot and turn the pads uppermost. Take a pair of sharp, plain scissors and trim the hair off level with the pad. It will pick up less muck and mess and is less likely to get knotted up causing discomfort.

Dawn R.:)

Thanks Dawn, I'll try that

Jo

Preferably use a pair of scissors with rounded ends rather than pointed, then if your dog jerks it's leg it wont get stabbed!!! Mud balls collect in the fur but more importantly ice and snow can also freeze into it. It is best trimmed out.

Regards, John

I do this once a month with my breed, as he looks like he is wearing a pair of fluffy slippers if I don't ;)

I use baby scissors as they are rounded at the end, like John suggested. But it takes me forever and a day to cut as his hair is so thick, scissors get easily blunted and his paws are bigger than my hands, I wonder if somebody does bigger round ended scissors just for dogs?? Would be interested to know.

This is the problem with rounded scissors I have never found any sharp enough.  I prefer to use very good quality hairdressing scissors as they cut cleanly and do not pull at all thereby keeping your dog on board :) inevitably, though, they are pointy ended but as the dog is likely to be more compliant I find with a little care it works out.

As isabel I have always used pointed as they are sharp enough. I have to do it every couple of weeks...for the grooming competetion I had to let sonja's hair grow and I left it for 6 weeks...looked like she had feet the size of a dane, her ears looked a mess, and she had lost all her body coat, but as normal kept her knickers! She was an embaressment to be seen with till after the competition! :D

We use professional grooming scissors!

I don't normally have to worry about doing my boys feet as they are done by his groomer, but she has moved away and he can't be done again until after Xmas by the person that she recommended. So I do him on an inbetween/ needs must basis. He is NOT a show dog so I don't do it for the pomp and circumstance, I do it for his comfort as his breed are renouned for getting uncomfortable feet because of the length and thickness of the hair in the feet. Unfortunately infection can be common ;)

Alas, I won't even consider using sharp scissors on my boys feet as he is particularly sensitive around the foot area, not just my boy but most Briards, including my breeders show dogs :D makes life very difficult for them. I used to be a hairdresser by trade and have some very sharp, expensive, scissors and have been tempted to use these but just won't risk it as they are like razor blades

On a different note, I pluck the hair out of his ears as it gets so long and smelly and if left, gets itchy and infected. I always do it by using clean fingers, how does everyone else cope with long hair inside the ears?

I strip long hair in an aussies ear and then use the thinning scissors...however after nipping the edge of sonja's ears I am abit worried about using them again....

Need my confindence back by march...

Paranoid describes me when it comes to using anything sharp on him, anywhere! Particularly privates :D :D
you know, to keep it clean and odour free. ;)

I have a steady hand when it comes to cutting my kids hair, but my dog, OMG    Had to cut round his eyes yesterday so that he could at least see shapes, talk about a nervous breakdown, had to have a medicinal tincture afterwards :D

Oh I can cut the bum fluff, paws, toes etc easily, but I can't touch the ears anymore :(