[NAGDU] hot pavement concerns

[Raul Gallegos (NFB)]

Hello everyone. A while back I had posted a question regarding how to best handle hot pavement for the dogs so that the paws do not get hurt or damaged. Of course, the best solution is to not expose your dog to the hot pavement to begin with. However, we have to travel sometimes and sometimes there is no choice. I did my best to get my dog to use the Ruff Wear boots that were given to me from guiding eyes. However, no matter what I did, no matter how positive I made the experience, it stressed him out something awful. Long story short, I have started using moshers secret. If you do not know what this is, basically it is a wax salve which you put on your dogs paws and it will help protect them from various different things out there. While the things they protect against are listed as cold-weather, Salt on ice, and various types of broken asphalt, it also mentions that it will help against hot pavement. After trying out the wax for a couple of weeks, I have gotten him a lot more used to me putting things on his feet. While traveling in areas where the the pavement is a bit hot, I have noticed a difference in his behavior. This still is not something that I would recommend you using if you will be traveling with your dog in the hot weather for a long period of time. Therefore, you will still need to use appropriate caution and take care do not expose your self or your dog to the extreme heat

Thanks for reading.

—
Raul A. Gallegos
Vice President: National Federation of the Blind Houston Chapter
Treasurer: Texas Association of Guide Dog Users
Board Member: National Association of Guide Dog Users

E: rgallegos at nagdu.org        H: raul at raulgallegos.com
M: 832.554.7285               O: 832.639.4477

"Blindness is a characteristic, not a handicap." - Kenneth Jernigan