Jogging on concrete

[hyperbole]

Anyone else take their mutts jogging on concrete?

Poplin and I will go for 8 miles or so a few times a week; we live in the middle of the city.... We go late at night after the concrete and air have both cooled from the summer heat..... Everytime we get home after the run, his pads are BLACK. Sometimes (about as often as not) he licks them a bit because they're sore. One time he managed to cut a pad open, maybe stepping on glass or something? I'm not sure. I fixed it up for him though and it healed right up.

Anyway I'm an active guy, and Poplin LOVES going on these runs with me.... He freaks out whenever he sees me get my skates out.... "We're going for a jog?!?!?!? WAHOO!!!!!"

.......but I don't like seeing him in that kind of pain every other night.

We've been doing these long runs for about 4 weeks or 5 weeks now.... (started out shorter)...

Will he continue to build up callouses on his pads as we do this or should I look into protecting him somehow? I've seen the little "doggie booties" and I'm not convinced of a few things...

1) I don't know if they're worth the price.
2) I don't know how well they would actually hold up with the kind of running Poplin does
3) I don't think Poplin would enjoy wearing them, let alone RUNNING in them.

Any advice you super active owners could give would kick some serious booty.

[moto1320]

Daisy will walk on concrete over grass if given the choice. When I used to take her on long jogs/walks I would try to stay on the grass part but she wouldn't. I know grass is better by far. Dogs that spend too much time on concrete will end up with splayed feet. There is this pad protector that is kinda like that liquid skin stuff from what I gather, but I've never used it. I haven't had any problems with mine besides a cut paw from glass once but it wasn't bad at all.

[mnp13]

Try a product called 'Pad Heal' to keep the pads soft and supple. He will get used to the booties if that means he gets to run with you.

Michelle

[JB]

His pads will toughen up. I'd maybe rest him when they're still cut or tender, but he should be fine after a couple months of it.

[hyperbole]

He gets plenty of rest and I won't take him out if his feet are sore or if he's limping... Usually they're just sore for a few hours after the run, he's usually fine by morning.

As far as the Pad Heal goes.... The problem is that his pads are TOO soft and supple... I'm hoping he will build up some good callouses so that his pads aren't as sore after the runs.

I'll check out the pet shops for the pad protector liquid, Moto. Anyone have any actual experience with this stuff?

As for the booties....besides the other reasons I listed above, to be 100% perfectly frank, they look stupid. Seriously, I don't want him to wear those if he doesn't have to. I'll do it if it comes down to that, but buying jogging boots for him will be my last resort.

[hyperbole]

BTW Moto: Can you explain the "splayed feet" term? Do the dog's paws actually turn outward, or do they just get wider or what? How does this happen from walking on concrete?

[JessaNGizmo]

You would have to get some good booties if you ever went that way, The ones at like petsmart/petco are crap. They work fine if they are only inside but as soon as they go on concrete they just disappear. Gizmos did and I just tossed them. If you did get them I think you would have to put something like leather on the bottom or something. But think about it this way dogs sweat from thier feet so if they were in a bootie then they probablly would get hotter faster! Good Luck on what ever you find.
Jessa

[pocketpit]

The pad tough spray I would guess wouldn't work for the distances that you go with him. But then the only experience I have with it is in the show ring. Hardly enough time for it to wear out

[hyperbole]

But think about it this way dogs sweat from thier feet......

Really?



I had no idea....

[raebo]

I wish I could help you hyper but Finnegan and I run on a combo of asphalt and trail. I avoid concrete for my own sake (too hard on the joints) so we run on the road facing the traffic. Luckily I'm in a small town and run on side streets. Where you are downtown, that is probably not an option.

Also with me recovering from a nagging injury and it being the hottest part of the year, we have limited our runs to 5k. No half marathon for me this fall. Hopefully though, Finnegan can run in a small 5k race with me in September.

I have been checking her feet after each run and they look fine. I haven't noticed any problems at all.

Rae

[JessaNGizmo]

But think about it this way dogs sweat from thier feet......

Really?



I had no idea....

Yup thier paws and under thier legs. If you ever want to cool a dog off spray their paws and under their body thats where they cool off from, and of course panting but you cant do anything to help them that way!! LOL Good luck with what ever you do. Ever try a highschool track? Not sure what it is there but here they allways have grass in the middle and just train poplin to run in the grass....Good luck

[moto1320]

BTW Moto: Can you explain the "splayed feet" term? Do the dog's paws actually turn outward, or do they just get wider or what? How does this happen from walking on concrete?

You have see dogs with feet where they are all very spread out like duck feet. Thats splayed. You want them nice and tight. That is encouraged by running on something natural for a dog.

[concreterose]

I'll check out the pet shops for the pad protector liquid, Moto. Anyone have any actual experience with this stuff?

I have this stuff for Vicki's pads...we go biking often, though more on a dirt trail now than concrete.

http://happyjackinc.com/animalhealth/catalog/?mode=leaf&id=266

It works well, but it's very messy. I found out the hard way to put it on outside. It's like ink, will stain your floors and hands so use gloves if you don't want to walk around with blue hands. It also works well for itching feet too, it has cod liver oil in it. You can actually feel the coating it puts on their paws, very cool (smells like tar though).