Preventing cocker 'snow balls' top tips could be useful!

[lindseyp]

Seeing as we rarely need this information down south, just wondering peoples best tips are for preventing the build up of snow balls on cockers furry bits when out in snow? 

I understand vaseline applied to legs/ feet is a good method so will probably give it a try today but wondered if anyone else had the best kept secret they would care to share 

Joking aside, this can be quite an uncomfortable problem for the dog when out on walks in the snow, as the build up can turn to hard ice, impacted around their feet etc & can cause the dog to become quite stressed because of it   

ta muchly for any tips
Lindsey x 

(sorry MODS - not sure if this should be here, in grooming or general discussions perhaps? ...please move as required  )

 

[GeoW]

We found with George that a spray of velvet Coat, (coat conditioner) helped a lot to prevent the balling of snow around his feet and featherings.

Young William is about to get his very first experience of snow any moment now so we shall see.

Always the disclaimer of wrong sort of snow

[LottieLu]

Thanks Lindsey. We've had our first venture out this morn and it's pretty deep already in N Dorset.

Despite Vaseline she came back with huge lumps on her paws, legs, armpits. She loved the walk but ended up looking pretty uncomfortable.

I've just rinsed her legs in luke warm water to get them off gently because there was no way they were going to release with fingers.

I've got to go out again later so am putting the Hurtta with legs on her this time. It worked well last year.

Watching this one with interest for more tips.


Edited to add. she's now standing by the door begging to go out again   

[lindseyp]

oh poop ..so vaseline's not as good as suggested? 

go on, let her out meanie mum    get your camera out Nina - we don't get this opportunity very often do we   

[JulieNicholds]

Best thing I've found for our girls when they out shooting is that spray olive oil!!  Don't laugh it really works. Some "bloke" was very dismissive a couple of years ago so I offered to spray one of his springers legs to prove a point and after a days beating in drifts that leg was wet but "clatterball" free! Don't use the garlic one though really difficult for them to walk while everyone else trying to lick off the nice smelling stuff

[Helen]

yep spray oil or olive oil is good - you need to 'sacrifice' a towel when you get home to get any remaining oil off.

It's only today when it will be really bad as it's so powdery - tomorrow we deal with ice 

[MaggieR]

Yep just tried olive oil this morning on bottoms of her feet and it worked a treat.... should've thought it through and done the rest of her legs tho.... they were like little snow pylons! 

[Patp]

I have just come in from our morning walk and have had to dunk Jinleys feet in a bucket of water before I could get her equafleece off!!

Does the Olive Oil wipe off easily enough, or am I going to end up with it on my sofa?  On that note, is Olive Oil good for leather??

[JulieNicholds]

I usually wipe any residue off straight after shooting with kitchen towel, then once home with normal towels. It comes off fairly well. Girls are all kennelled so getting it on my sofa not an issue but once they all snuggled up together I can see they spend alot of time washing each others legs just in case.   If you can get it sprayed between their toes before you go out it stops it getting between their toes too which is where it can cause alot of discomfort, all up legs and around tails too.  As I said I have had to use some with garlic in which has caused a few comments in the beating trailer while Florin (the clumber) sits there all dignified wondering why people sniffing her!!  But if it works .............

[Flickabella1]

I put olive oil all over beaus legs and ears but it didn't help at all, he cold barely walk because of the snowballs stuck to him so I had to carry him home!

[leisl]

Spray cooking oil!  The "lite" variety works best.  You then need warm soapy water on your return otherwise you get oil marks everywhere.  Works a treat.

[lindseyp]

olive oil it is then ...thanks for the tip everyone   

[JennyBee]

I use a doggy conditioning spray, seems to work very well with Brodie and doesn't leave her coat slightly greasy like the olive oil does (plus she doesn't spend ages trying to lick it off )

[supergirl]

I use a doggy conditioning spray, seems to work very well with Brodie and doesn't leave her coat slightly greasy like the olive oil does (plus she doesn't spend ages trying to lick it off )

Yes, I use conditioner too - slightly diluted so that I can put it in a spray bottle.

[Lovely]

I didn't have spray olive oil so just put it on with my hands. No trouble with icy pads or snow balls on our walk today and i have nice soft hands! I didn't put loads on, just enough to make fur look glossy. Can't see any marks on carpet or sofa but i have so many marks already i've forgotten what the original carpet looked like!