How do I check my dog's paws after a walk?

Spread each toe apart and look closely at the webbing between them, a common spot for grass seeds and small debris to lodge, then run a finger over the pads feeling for anything embedded, cracked, or unusually warm. A quick glance at the nails at the same time covers most of what matters in under a minute total.

Walks through long grass, gravel, building sites, or areas with broken glass or litter deserve a more thorough check than a stroll on a familiar park path. In summer, checking for anything embedded from hot pavement damage, and in winter, checking for ice balls forming between the toes or salt residue, are both worth the extra attention.

Doing the check right as you come through the door, perhaps while removing a harness or lead, folds it naturally into your existing routine rather than becoming a separate task you might skip when short on time. A dog used to this from puppyhood usually stands calmly for it without any fuss.

The first few times you do a thorough paw check, it might take a full 2 to 3 minutes per session as you learn what normal looks like for your specific dog, but most owners find this drops to well under a minute once they know their dog's paws well and can quickly spot anything out of the ordinary.

Doing the check while your dog is still slightly damp or muddy from the walk, rather than waiting until fully dry, also makes debris more visible and easier to feel, since dried mud can sometimes mask smaller items caught underneath it.