# Gray Paws - please help!



## Kimmzi99 (Apr 10, 2012)

I live in NYC and take my white/cream Lucy out 3 times a day for walks. I take her on the sidewalk only and usually just for a block or so. I'm finding I have to wash her paws/legs and sometimes belly almost every single day because she becomes entirely gray! Does anyone have any suggestions? I know it's not good to wash them everyday and wipes just don't get the dirt out. I've read about products like the "Paw Plunger" or the "Paw Wash" does anyone know if they work or if there is anything else I can do?! I'd rather not buy her boots but I am getting tempted!

Please let me know, thanks!


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Well, you can trim some of it off, Gucci's paw hair grows really fast, seems like I am always trimming it every other week.

One thing that I have found to work the best (besides professional bleaching products) is a mixture of 1/3 hydrogen peroxide, 1/3 milk of magnesia and 1/3 corn starch (or enough to make it pasty)

Put that on their stains for as long as they'll stand it without trying to lick it, or I've also left it on for 30 or so minutes before bath time, but its better if you can get 45min to an hour, or do 20 min a day for 4-5 days. It does work really well, its also gotten rid of mouth water stains and tearing stains for us.

Kara


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## Carefulove (Mar 20, 2009)

NYC is pretty dirty, other than wear doggy shoes I don't see any other solution. Unless of course, you can move out of NYC.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

wow!! Tillie is also white/cream and we don't have sidewalks at all in our area, so she always has to walk on the asphalt! (ick) From her very first walks we always picked her up at the front door and I carry her to the sink and wash her paws and the hair all around. rinsing well, and Honestly, I just use the hand soap I keep at the sink! LOL She is SO good about this now that she will NOT even come IN the house and will wait patiently for someone to pick her up!! LOL

Where did you hear that it isn't good to wash thier paws!?? I'd MUCH rather have her with clean feet than tracking in who knows what from who knows where all over her feet and then LICKING them!!


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## Kimmzi99 (Apr 10, 2012)

Yeah I definitely understand. I heard it wasn't good to wash dogs too often because of their coat, it takes the natural oils out. Thanks!


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## Jplatthy (Jan 16, 2011)

No advice but she sure is a cutie even with her gray paws!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

as far as the natural oils, most of us wash our havs on a weekly basis. They have HAIR, not fur. As long as you are using a mild soap and rinsing thourouly your pup will be FINE! We have beige carpet, so dirty paws is NOT an option for us! 
And personally, I think Tillie is healthier and happier with clean paws... at least I know I am! 
If you really don't want to wash her paws, then I think booties is your only other option.


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## Kimmzi99 (Apr 10, 2012)

Thanks! Lucy gets a weekly bath regardless of her paws, I was just concerned about washing her more than that. I might try some disposable booties and see how she likes them if not I might invest in the Paw Plunger, it seems easier than putting her in the sink every day.

Thanks


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Kimmzi99 said:


> Yeah I definitely understand. I heard it wasn't good to wash dogs too often because of their coat, it takes the natural oils out. Thanks!


As long as you use a mild shampoo and condition regularly, you can bath them as often as you want... just like washing human hair!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

TilliesMom said:


> as far as the natural oils, most of us wash our havs on a weekly basis. They have HAIR, not fur. As long as you are using a mild soap and rinsing thourouly your pup will be FINE! We have beige carpet, so dirty paws is NOT an option for us!
> And personally, I think Tillie is healthier and happier with clean paws... at least I know I am!
> If you really don't want to wash her paws, then I think booties is your only other option.


I often just rinse Kodi's feet off and don't even need to use soap unless he's really muddy. Then I dry his feet with a Sham-Wow and let them air-dry the rest of the way!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Sham-wow! awesome idea Karen! LOL

What is a "Paw Plunger"?? When I wash Tillie's feet, i do not put her in the sink, I actually hold her, run her paws under the water(one at a time), get some soap and rub each paw, then rinse each one off. She kind of balances with 1 front paw on the faucet and drinks from it once I am all done. LOL and dry them with a hand towel (but now want a Sham-wow! Thanks karen. enabler. LOL) and then she gets down and gets a special treat. and THEN she gets the zoomies. every. single. time. Total time is about a minute, MAYBE 2 minutes, tops.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

I practice heeling in our down town area it is dirty! Misty has white paws, I some times use a lose shirt for the tummy, for the feet and legs I spray with a silicone spray, such as Ice on Ice, Bio groom has a coat polish, they all keep the stains from setting in. I always wash when we get home and reapply the spray.


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## rokipiki (Oct 15, 2010)

I have the same problem but I guess NYC is even dirtier than my city. I once met mayor and showed him Roki's grey feet asking him to wash streets regularly. 
In the morning and in the afternoon I wash Roki's feet with wet microfiber wash cloth. It takes out a lot of dirt. But in the evening I have to wash them properly. I buy Vetoquinol Dermilen shampoo which is extremely mild hipoallergenc washing gel. I dilute it 1:10 ratio with water and put it in spray bottle. I put Roki in the tub, spray his feet with shower and with shampoo/water mixture, wash them and rinse them really well. i also use shammy like Karen and dry microfibre cloth. He usually does his RLH after that and his feet are completely dry. 
Vetoquinol's Dermilen is Canadian/French stuff and it is very good because it actually restores skin oil so you can wash whole dog every day. One 300 ml bottle lasts for couple of months. I just checked - they sell in US!

Marina&Roki


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

TilliesMom said:


> Sham-wow! awesome idea Karen! LOL
> 
> What is a "Paw Plunger"?? When I wash Tillie's feet, i do not put her in the sink, I actually hold her, run her paws under the water(one at a time), get some soap and rub each paw, then rinse each one off. She kind of balances with 1 front paw on the faucet and drinks from it once I am all done. LOL and dry them with a hand towel (but now want a Sham-wow! Thanks karen. enabler. LOL) and then she gets down and gets a special treat. and THEN she gets the zoomies. every. single. time. Total time is about a minute, MAYBE 2 minutes, tops.


We got zillions of them at a big fair a few years ago... "But wait! There's MORE!!!"ound:


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## CrazieJones (May 28, 2011)

It's spring time here, so Roshi gets pretty dirty on our walks. However, since my house faces north, my yard is still covered in snow!!! So after our walk, I just have Roshi walk in the yard for a while, and let the snow collect the dirt. ound: Then he gets a quick rinse afterward.
If he's in the office with me... well, the dark carpet at work can take the dirt. 

In the summer, he just gets the garden hose. Wahahahaha. He seems to like the coolness of the water.


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## gelbergirl (Jun 9, 2007)

She might had "cleaner" walks if we would get more rain here. Otherwise I would just wipe her down after the walks. In the summer you could also apply that gel since the sidewalks get so hot.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

my sister in law has always been really good at washing her dogs paws. She leaves a bowl of water out and sticks each paw in. Zoey and maddie get so dirty and collect all the twigs and leaves like Velcro. I just wipe then off and vacuum more if they are really bad its to the sink we go. We also have a small wading pool that works good.


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## Kimmzi99 (Apr 10, 2012)

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I tried the little Pawz disposable booties the other day but they were just too hard to get on, I think I'll stick to wiping her feet off.


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## My2Havs (Jun 5, 2009)

Kimmzi99 said:


> Thanks! Lucy gets a weekly bath regardless of her paws, I was just concerned about washing her more than that. I might try some disposable booties and see how she likes them if not I might invest in the Paw Plunger, it seems easier than putting her in the sink every day.
> 
> Thanks


I have two white Havs and they get gray feet almost everyday too. I'd never heard of the Paw Plunger or Paw Wash so I checked them out and watched their videos. Honestly, I don't think they're going to save much time over putting the dogs in the sink. In the sink, I use a plastic container about the size of a soft cream cheese tub, add a little soap and swish their feet in it one at a time. Then I rinse off the soap which neither of those devices do, so I don't like that idea too much, leaving the soap on their feet?? It's just something you have to put up with when you have white dogs. It's made me swear I will NEVER have a white dog again though!!
Monica, Dooley & Roxie


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