Cat Trees and Pet Supplies

If you’ve recently invested a lot of money into getting hardwood floors, you’re probably still in the stage where you’re asking people to take off their shoes before entering the room. This is completely understandable. You spent a lot of time, energy, and money to get your floors just the way you want them, and that can all be destroyed if one person with stiletto heels walks heavily across your newly installed hardwood.

But what do you do about pets? If you have a large dog, you can’t exactly banish them to the outside. But their nails are just as likely to destroy your new floors as any pair of spiky high heels. And it’s equally unrealistic to get rid of your dog altogether. Your dog is a part of the family, and you can’t in good conscience choose the floors over your dog. If you want your floors and your dog to live in harmony, just purchase a simple pair of pet shoes. These booties fit over your dog’s paws and protect the polished wood from overgrown or sharp pet nails.

Dressing your pet can be a lot of fun, but it can also be practical. Pet shoes for example, can protect your dogs feet from some harsh climates.  From household surfaces to hot blacktop outdoors, pet shoes can be very useful.

Certain breeds have more sensitive pads on their feet and can be more prone to freezing. Look for comfortable pet shoes, with leather soles.  Leather soles are usually non-slip, and protect paws from a variety of harmful substances.

Winter is officially here.  Snowstorms and frigid temperatures have already begun for many of us, depending on where you live.  Here’s some friendly reminders for pet owner’s during the cold months ahead.

Don’t leave your dog or cat outdoors for long periods of time.  No matter what the temperature, you still have the windchill to worry about.  You can still take them for walks to get exercise, but maybe shorten the walk so their paws don’t freeze.  If your pet will allow it, you can try pet shoes or boots on their paws for longer walks.  Short-haired dogs may be comfortable wearing a sweater. 

Wipe your pets paws when they come in from outside.  Salt and other chemicals used to melt snow and ice may irritate your pets feet.  You also do not want them licking those chemicals off of their paws.  Wiping the snow and ice off your pet’s paws will also help to avoid frostbite.

If your dog or cat insists on staying outside, they must be protected by a dry, draft-free house that gives them enough room to to sit and lie down comfortably.  However, it should be small enough to hold his or her body heat.  The floor should be raised up off the ground, and covered with straw or cedar shavings.  If the house does not have a sturdy door on it, the doorway should be covered with heavy plastic or waterproof burlap.  Try to face the house away from the wind.  Outdoor animals will also need more food to keep them warm, and their water must be checked frequently to make sure it hasn’t frozen.  Plastic food and water bowls should be used to avoid your pet’s tongue sticking to metal bowls.  If the wind chill gets below 0- bring them inside.

There are many other things to consider with your pets during the cold, winter months.  Just use common sense, and remember they rely on you, their caretakers, to make sure they are safe and healthy all year long.

When it comes to a dog’s feet, you can never be too cautious.  Though dogs have pads on the bottoms of their feet, you can think of them as walking around barefoot all the time.  If a dog steps on a thorn or a sharp piece of glass, the protective layer preventing this from penetrating their skin is only about a sixteenth of an inch thick.  Humans wearing shoes or sandals often have more than half an inch of rubber or plastic protecting the bottoms of their feet.  It’s important when your dog ventures outside to protect their feet with pet boots or shoes.  In addition to offering protection from sharp objects, in winter months these can prevent serious conditions like frostbite; imagine if you were walking around barefoot in the snow.

Pet boots and shoes come in several styles designed to suit your favorite canine, and are available from most stores which sell dog apparel.