As a Frenchie parent, it’s very important for you to know how to care for your French Bulldog’s paws. Dogs run, jump, and play daily on all kinds of surfaces. So over the years, their paw pads tend to wear out, which can hurt their nails.
If you’ve ever wondered how to take care of your Frenchie’s paws, here are some helpful tips that will show you how to keep your French Bulldog’s paws in good condition.
9 Tips to Care For French Bulldog Paws
- Safe outdoor temperature for Frenchie’s paws
- Be careful where your Frenchie walks
- Check and clean your Frenchie’s paw pads
- Moisturize your Frenchie’s paw pads
- Massage your Frenchie’s pads
- Cut your Frenchie’s nails regularly
- Trim your Frenchie’s hair
- Get your Frenchie to wear shoes
- Take care of your Frenchie’s dew claw
Safe Outdoor Temperature for Frenchie’s Paws
A thick layer of keratin covers your dog’s pads. However, they can still feel extreme temperatures when they touch hot or cold surfaces.
Hot concrete, sand, and stones can burn your French Bulldog’s paws in summer. Keeping your Frenchie cool during hot weather can be beneficial for your dog’s paws.
The winter affects your Frenchie’s skin and his paws, as they are in direct contact with icy surfaces.
They are likely to crack from the cold, which can get worse by the salt and de-icers that we use to melt the snow.
For this reason, you should take into account when and where you’re taking your Frenchie for a walk.
Once you get back home, make sure to wipe or wash your Frenchie’s paws to remove any chemicals that may get stuck in their paws (more on that below).
Be Careful Where Your French Bulldog Walks
The best way to take care of your French Bulldog’s paws is to check them constantly, especially after going for a walk.
It’s nearly impossible to thoroughly inspect the surface where your Frenchie will walk. However, you need to ensure there’re no thorns, toxic waste, or even pieces of glass in sight.
To reduce the risk of injury, keep your home and yard free of any objects that could damage your French Bulldog’s paws.
You should pay attention to your dog’s attitude, willingness to walk, and any signs of pain or discomfort. Watch it carefully if he’s reluctant to walk or keeps licking his paws.
Check and Clean Your French Bulldog’s Paw Pads
Checking and cleaning your Frenchie’s paws is a simple but important step in keeping his paws healthy.
You can use warm water and soap to regularly wash your Frenchie’s paws, particularly when coming back from a walk. This alone can reduce your dog’s paw licking and chewing habit.
It’s important to check for any small stones, pieces of glass, or other debris that might get stuck in between your French Bulldog’s paws.
Be careful when removing any object using a pair of tweezers to avoid causing any pain to your dog.
Moisturize French Bulldog’s Pads to Prevent Cracking
Your Frenchie’s pads are very sensitive and need care. You should keep them hydrated as they tend to get dry very easily.
Moisturize your Frenchie’s paws regularly to prevent cuts, cracks, or scaling, as these small wounds make them more susceptible to burns and other skin problems.
Also, some dogs have particularly sensitive pads and suffer from frequent dermatitis. For this reason, there are products you can use to harden the pads, which are usually used in dogs that do a lot of sports activities.
However, overhydrating the pads is not recommended as this can soften them too much and cause injury.
If your Frenchie’s paws are fine, there’s no need to moisturize them. Healthy dog paw pads should be elastic but hard and rough to the touch.
Massage Your French Bulldog’s Pads
No kidding! Just like human feet, your Frenchie’s paws can suffer from pain and fatigue. Relaxing massages will improve the blood circulation of your French Bulldog’s paws and promote healthy paw pads.
Gently rub your Frenchie’s extremities, starting with the pads and working your way up and gradually increasing to the paws.
You can also roll a ball on his pads and massage them with your fingertips. Additionally, you can brush them with a soft comb with flexible plastic bristles.
Cut Your French Bulldog’s Nails Regularly
If you notice that your Frenchie’s nails sound against the floor when he walks, it’s time to cut them. Your Frenchie’s nails should barely touch the floor when they walk.
Inside the root of your dog’s nail are nerve endings and blood vessels that grow along with the nail. So be careful not to cut them too short, as it can cause pain to your furry friend.
When the nails are too long, they can break or chip if they get stuck on something. They can also be uncomfortable and painful to walk on.
Additionally, they can even accidentally scratch you or damage your hardwood floor and furniture.
Ideally, you should get your Frenchie used to cut his nails without fear. If this is not the case, you need to learn how to cut an uncooperative dog’s nails. That way, you can get your dog to mentally get ready when it’s time to trim his claws.
Trim Your French Bulldog’s Hair
Trimming the hair on the pad is something that you should not miss. Cutting them out will help keep your canine friend from slipping when running on slippery surfaces.
In addition, hair tends to stay wet for longer periods of time, which in turn can cause fungal infections.
For this reason, it’s better to cut this hair if you notice it’s too long. First, you must comb the hair and then cut it.
Get Your French Bulldog to Wear Shoes
If you’re going to take your French Bulldog for a long walk on rough terrains, such as urban pavements that may be too hot or steep places with sharp stones, you may need to have your dog wear booties.
You can put on adhesive pads, shoes, or disposable boots, these can be a great help to your Frenchie in the following ways:
- Prevent your Frenchie from getting its legs wet or getting muddy on rainy days.
- It prevents your Frenchie’s paws burns on the hottest days or when it walks on snow or ice.
- Protect your Frenchie from injury when walking on rocky terrain if your dog is not used to it.
- Protect your French Bulldog’s paws if it has wounds so that they can heal sooner.
Take Care of Your French Bulldog Dew Claws
Dew claws are your French Bulldog’s short claws. They may be the equivalent of the human thumb.
Although they do serve a purpose, such as providing traction and stabilization to the carpal joint, this toenail generally can become a discomfort for your Frenchie since it can be torn when running at high speed.
So, it’s a delicate toenail, and it’s common to have it injured or with some other problem. For this reason, it’s important to keep an eye on it and apply healing creams if you notice any injury.
Wrap-Up: Tips to Care For French Bulldog Paws
Hopefully, these simple tips will help you keep your Frenchie’s paws healthy to make sure they maintain an excellent quality of life.
How do you take care of your Frenchie’s paws? Did we miss any tips that should have been in this guide? Let us know in the comments below.
