Dog’s feet

GW from Tenn

GW from Tenn

Member
What is the best solution to keep your dogs feet healthy enough to hunt everyday on a 2 week hunt in the Dakota’s? We’ve tried several ideas and none seem to be full prove
 
Get 2 more dogs and hunt each every third day! Seriously I don't think anything could prepare a dog for 14 days. I guide occasionally and it really takes a minimum of 3 dogs for a 1 week guiding gig (5 would be better).
 
GW from Tenn said:
What is the best solution to keep your dogs feet healthy enough to hunt everyday on a 2 week hunt in the Dakota’s? We’ve tried several ideas and none seem to be full prove
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If there are other dogs in your group you could rotate them.
 
I assume he means 10 days , but I’d want 2 dogs and a rest about every 4 th day. I couldn’t hunt 14 days straight and of course neither could my dogs
 
I went just me and my dog last year and we hunted 4 days straight late season. She was really tired by the end of the 4th day, and she was in good condition going into the trip. To answer the original question musher's secret always comes up every time for use of the pads. Bag balm also. Could try boots, although I've never used them so don't know much about them.
 
I've used boots on my Labs and they work IF you put them on the dog several times BEFORE the trip to acclimate his paws to them. After the hunt check the paws carefully for abrasions/cuts between the pads and toes, and clean each boot after the hunt because grass, burrs and grit will accumulate.. Another tip: Secure the boots with duct tape (on the boots, not the fur) or you can lose a boot. I bought mine from Ugly Dog but Scheel's, Bass Pro and Cabela's have them too.
And I agree--you can't hunt a dog 2 weeks straight; I've had to hunt mine 3 or 4 days straight and felt guilty doing even that.
 
My dog wears boots. I always carry an extra set for the inevitable when the fall off or wear out. Go through about one pair every season due to loss and wearing out. Never had to hunt her more than three days in a row. That was by myself for three days. So only needed nine birds.
 
Thanks for all the help. I'm good on the dog situation, I have 4 dogs. I'm just needed the best solution to keep they're feet healthy enough to hunt. I don't have the luxury of living close to the states that have an abundance of pheasants so we (my Dad and I) take a trip once a year. We've been doing this several years now and I've found it doesn't take but one outing to mess a dog's foot/feet up, so that's why I have the question. We've bought some boots and there hard to get to stay on and just hard to get on properly. I've got some of the Musher's and some other healing cream, both help but I'd still like to hear what other people think and use.
 
I've never had issues with the dog's feet getting worn out. Maybe it is where I hunt, or the type of cover, but after over 50 times out last year my female golden that made every trip had no issues whatsoever. With that being said, they are constantly out running fields/sloughs/dirt trails/etc. during the offseason, so maybe the pads are used to it? I'm definitely no expert, so take this as just my own personal experience with my golden retrievers.

Snow is a different story, and can really irritate my goldens if there is a lot of ice building up. Musher's secret seems to be the ticket for that.
 
I think part of it is a dogs hunting style. My Goldens dont seem to have many issues but my Springer does. She bounces left and right and is a manic in the field.
 
Yeah, I agree. My Lab had some trouble the first year I took her but my Springer has trouble every year. He's pretty high powered!
 
I bought some of the Lewis dog boots, I can't wait to try them out this weekend. I hope they will be the solution I've been looking for. They look like they could be just that, I may have to duct tape them to keep them from coming off but I think they'll work.
 
I use vet wrap for helping put on the Lewis boots, also with duct tape as needed. Never needed boots anywhere but Arizona and boy did we need them there. My wife and I rotate 3 with an old timer as an extra and routinely hunt several days in a row. We use a pad toughner that Clean Run sells every night on their feet starting 3 weeks before season. Really does help, seems border collies have foot problems and they are the go to breed for agility. How many days they can go depends a lot on the conditions. Dry and with brittle sticks not so good, damp light rain, could go forever, hunt in sloughs and they develop what we call mud rocks need wetting and removing every night. Seems we always have an injury that knocks one out of the rotation for a few days. And than some crappy weather days we just need to eat donuts until we hit the adult beverages later and every one takes a day off.
 
Alaskan swamp collies said:
I use vet wrap for helping put on the Lewis boots, also with duct tape as needed. Never needed boots anywhere but Arizona and boy did we need them there. My wife and I rotate 3 with an old timer as an extra and routinely hunt several days in a row. We use a pad toughner that Clean Run sells every night on their feet starting 3 weeks before season. Really does help, seems border collies have foot problems and they are the go to breed for agility. How many days they can go depends a lot on the conditions. Dry and with brittle sticks not so good, damp light rain, could go forever, hunt in sloughs and they develop what we call mud rocks need wetting and removing every night. Seems we always have an injury that knocks one out of the rotation for a few days. And than some crappy weather days we just need to eat donuts until we hit the adult beverages later and every one takes a day off.
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Thanks for the advice!
 
GW from Tenn said:
What is the best solution to keep your dogs feet healthy enough to hunt everyday on a 2 week hunt in the Dakota’s? We’ve tried several ideas and none seem to be full prove
Click to expand...
Lewis Dog Boots, you can get them from Gun Dog Supply. I live in SW ND and use them as SOP. They are a PITA to take on & off, and getting the duct tape residue off them is ever a bigger PITA, but nothing will protect your dogs feet better. There are lots of videos showing how to put them on your dog's feet so I won't go into that...
 
GW from Tenn said:
I bought some of the Lewis dog boots, I can't wait to try them out this weekend. I hope they will be the solution I've been looking for. They look like they could be just that, I may have to duct tape them to keep them from coming off but I think they'll work.
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Didn't ever try them out, thought it was just too hot. Not only for the dog, for us too!
 
There is a video on Gun Dog Supply showing how to put on Lewis Dog Boots. Here's the link:

www.gundogsupply.com

Lewis Vented Dog Boots

Lewis Vented Dog Boots. Protect your dog's feet from sand burrs, rocks, and brush, or protect an injured foot or sore pad. $52.99.Lewis Dog Boots protect your dog's feet from sand burrs, rocks, and brush, and can also protect an injured foot or sore pad. These are the most durable boots we have...
www.gundogsupply.com www.gundogsupply.com
 
I've only had trouble a few times - when the temp is below zero and sunny and the dog's paw hits the snow, snow melts onto paw, dog lifts up paw, snow instantly freezes and forms an ice crystal in their toes. A few times in south-south central SD I've run into some "sand burs" that my dog does not like at all.

My best advice is to condition their paws ahead of time - running on gravel roads.
 
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