The paws of your dog are subject to an awful lot of wear and tear, even in their normal daily routes. Would you walk barefoot over the terrain your dog just passed through? (I'm thinking of the "poop lot" in our neighborhood, a big, grassy, empty lot where all the dogs love to visit and leave messages. Yuck!) There are many other dangers to your dog's paws such as thorns and stickers, rocks heated by the sun, sticky pine tar goo, and even sheets of ice. Dog's paws are tough and thick, but between the pads is a very sensitive area.

If your dog is limping or favoring a foot, it's time to take a look. Most dogs I have worked with will sit down and stick a sore paw right up in the air for me to see. It's not always that obvious, though, so pay attention to your dog's gait so you can quickly intervene if there's a problem.

Get down on the floor with your dog, give him a soothing rub across his belly, and tell him you are going to look at his foot. Don't ask. Tell. If your dog has a hurt paw, he wants you to fix it and be the one in control. Lift the suspect paw and check for any redness, blood, swelling, or matted fur. Press very gently on the paw, and let your finger - without any long nails - go between the pads gently. Watch for your dog's wince, pulling away, or cry. Be prepared to back off if you hit a sore spot. Dogs can be very funny about their paws, and even your gentle retriever might nip without meaning to. If you find a tangled burr, you can probably pull it out, or carefully trim the fur so it releases with scissors that are not extremely pointed. You can also use vegetable oil to make a burr release from the fur. If what you find is simply mud, use warm water with a little mild soap to clean it out.

After you wash your dog's feet, be sure to dry them thoroughly. Paw pads are not supposed to be wet. You can use soothing ointments, mild ones that you would use on your child, for your dog's paws. Know that they are going to lick it off as soon as they can, so don't use anything that they might react to if ingested. The trick to keeping a dog from licking off medication is to apply it right before dinner, and distract them with eating something they like long enough to let it soak in.

Check your dog's paws regularly so you develop a good rapport around this, and your dog will thank you for taking good care of his paws.