Toughen Up

Did you know that a product used by barefoot runners to toughen their feet and by basketball players and rowers to toughen their hands can also be used on your dog? Tuf-Foot has long been popular with bird hunters whose dogs run hard on rough terrain and sometimes come back with bruises and abrasions. The product works both to thicken the skin to guard against soreness and injury and to help heal when injuries do occur. Your dog doesn't have to be an athlete to benefit; Tuf-Foot also helps condition paws to withstand icy terrain, gritty parking lots and Sierra trails composed of abrasive granite. A similar product, Musher's Secret, was developed in Canada for use with sled dogs. It's a barrier wax that's absorbed into the paws, forming a semi-permeable shield between skin and ice. Both products are non-toxic, so your dog can lick to his heart's content.