Play Time vs Ripping Pads

[SullyBear]

Hey there,

My boy is famous for playing "hard." He works a lot for me so I find it is so important that he is able to do all that he loves to do as a dog. I truly believe in balancing a working dog's opportunity to play, sniff and have time to enjoy fetch.

The one thing I am having a difficult time is that he plays so hard. Even on the grass. He does mad dashes, he is very hard on his body. I have to be extra cautious of this because this week alone, Sully has successfully scared the crap out of me when he started to limp as I was being loaded into patient transfer for an appointment that morning [it was so hard to see unless you had a proper light which the vet had - honestly it wasn't red or anything but slight pinkish and very sensitive]. Out of no where he started to limp on the gravel road. I told my daughters to bring him up and strip him of his gear. We came back and we had an emergency appointment with our amazing vet. Turns out when I put his shoes on he was fine, but he wasn't find without them. It wasn't hot that morning either [leaving at 8am].

So....
How do I do this? I can't have him ripping his pads. How do you prevent this from happening. We did try with shoes on and the friction was still the same.

I am really at a lost here.

He loves catch, frisbee, swimming and other fun stuff. Oh and he is fast! I would love some feedback, suggestions and ideas.

[SunDance]

I didn't have hard players (to this extent, anyhow), but my last two (mother/son "unique blends") had paws as soft as a baby's bottom. Extremes of temperature and anything scratchy to walk on (gravel, mulch) really bothered them.

I used a product called Tuf-foot that you can get on Amazon. It hardens the paw pads without making them dry out. If I recall correctly, you apply it twice a day for...one week?...and eventually three times a week for maintenance. My two had no issues with paws after that. It's designed for hunting dogs walking through brush, thorns, etc. Here's a link:

Tuf-Foot - made to toughen sore and tender foot, paw and hoof conditions (tuffoot.com)

I'd bought it from Amazon and Gun Dog Supply and Jeffers Pet...whoever had it cheapest at the time. Hmmmm.....Canada. Hope that doesn't complicate things for you...the stuff is really good.

If you get it, I'd highly suggest putting a plain cap on the bottle instead of the sprayer (really messy to use spray on a paw without getting it all over and it's yellow) and shaking it with a cotton ball over the opening, not the cap (the cap it used to come with leaked). And dab it on with the cotton ball and let Sully stay on his side till his paws dry (practically instantaneously).

[SullyBear]

I didn't have hard players (to this extent, anyhow), but my last two (mother/son "unique blends") had paws as soft as a baby's bottom. Extremes of temperature and anything scratchy to walk on (gravel, mulch) really bothered them.

I used a product called Tuf-foot that you can get on Amazon. It hardens the paw pads without making them dry out. If I recall correctly, you apply it twice a day for...one week?...and eventually three times a week for maintenance. My two had no issues with paws after that. It's designed for hunting dogs walking through brush, thorns, etc. Here's a link:

Tuf-Foot - made to toughen sore and tender foot, paw and hoof conditions (tuffoot.com)

I'd bought it from Amazon and Gun Dog Supply and Jeffers Pet...whoever had it cheapest at the time. Hmmmm.....Canada. Hope that doesn't complicate things for you...the stuff is really good.

If you get it, I'd highly suggest putting a plain cap on the bottle instead of the sprayer (really messy to use spray on a paw without getting it all over and it's yellow) and shaking it with a cotton ball over the opening, not the cap (the cap it used to come with leaked). And dab it on with the cotton ball and let Sully stay on his side till his paws dry (practically instantaneously).

Thank you. It's very hard to get apparently. I have a place here in Ontario that is getting more on the way. info@canadiangundogsupply.com - so I emailed them this morning to see when they will get their stock in so I can purchase some. I really appreicate you answering and reaching out. I have hope that we can definitely help Sully!

[Snowshoe]

I wonder if you can be sure if that limp wasn't a strained joint or ligament, after hard play? I've seen them do that, run, turn hard, limp for 5 minutes and then better. Not pads at all? The foot stuff sounds good anyway though.

[SullyBear]

We checked him thoroughly over with our awesome vet. He's totally fine. We will definitely keep an eye out. Better to be safe than sorry. I need him ❤️

[SullyBear]

Hey there I ordered some Tuf-Foot. I was able to get a bottle from that dog gun shop I was telling you about SunDance. It's on the way. Thank you again.

[smartrock]

Two of our 4 labs have seemed to have comparatively tender feet, the other two not so much. Walking on a gravel driveway especially seemed to make them appear to be limping even though on exam afterward, nothing is obviously wrong. They have all been rough players in the yard. I think they sometimes kind of tweak something that makes them look a little limpy for a few steps and then they walk through it. It's hard to know though, since they're pretty stoic dogs on the whole. One of them developed a problem with tendonitis in her shoulders, actually tenosynovitis, which caused some pretty bad limping and required a fair amount of vet care. We checked and rechecked her feet and paw pads initially. Sometimes it's not their feet.

[SullyBear]

Thank you. That's good to keep in mind for Sully too. The Tuf-Foot came yesterday so we will be trying that out.

[SunDance]

Thank you. That's good to keep in mind for Sully too. The Tuf-Foot came yesterday so we will be trying that out.

Glad to hear it came so fast...hope it's all Sully needs.

[SullyBear]

Thank you!