Wipe each paw with a damp cloth or an unscented pet wipe, working between the toes and around the pads where debris collects, then dry thoroughly — drying matters more than washing, because moisture left between the toes is what causes yeast overgrowth. After winter walks, rinse rather than wipe, since road salt is an irritant and is toxic if licked off. The whole routine takes under a minute once your dog is used to it.
Key takeaways
- Drying is the critical step. Damp skin between the toes is the main cause of paw yeast infections.
- Road salt and de-icer are irritant and toxic if ingested — after winter walks, rinse the paws rather than wiping them.
- Persistent licking or chewing at the paws is a signal, not a habit. It usually means allergy, irritation or infection.
- Check between the pads for grass seeds, grit and small stones; embedded grass awns can migrate under the skin.
- Handle the paws regularly from an early age. A dog comfortable with paw handling makes every future vet and grooming visit easier.
Paw cleaning tends to get treated as a floor-protection measure. It is worth doing for that reason alone, but the more important reason is what accumulates on and between the toes: moisture, allergens, grit, road salt and the grass seeds that cause a surprising number of veterinary appointments every summer.
The routine below takes under a minute and prevents most of it.
Why Paws Need Attention
Moisture causes yeast. The space between the toes is warm, enclosed and poorly ventilated. Leave it damp and Malassezia yeast multiplies, producing the musty, corn-chip smell many owners recognise, along with redness and persistent licking. This is the single most common paw problem and it is almost entirely preventable by drying properly.
Road salt is irritant and toxic. De-icing salt burns pads on contact and is genuinely toxic when ingested — and dogs ingest it by licking their feet afterwards.
Allergens ride in on the paws. Grass pollen, tree pollen and moulds accumulate on the fur and are then licked off or carried into the house. For allergic dogs this is a major and easily reduced exposure route.
Grass seeds migrate. Grass awns are shaped to travel one direction only. Lodged between toes they work through the skin and can migrate considerable distances, requiring surgical removal. Summer walks in long grass make this a real risk.
Small injuries hide well. Cuts, cracked pads, torn nails and embedded glass are easy to miss until they are infected.
If you remember one thing
Dry more carefully than you wash. Wet paws left to air-dry in a warm house are what causes most paw infections.
The One-Minute Routine
What to have ready, by the door:
- Two microfibre towels — one damp, one dry
- Unscented, alcohol-free pet wipes
- A shallow basin, for muddy days
- A torch, for checking between the pads
The routine:
- Look first. Before wiping, glance at each paw for cuts, embedded objects, torn nails or anything lodged between the pads.
- Wipe or rinse. Use the damp cloth on each paw, working between the toes and around the pads. For mud, dip the paw in lukewarm water instead — wiping just spreads it.
- Get between the toes. This is where debris and moisture collect, and it is the step most often skipped.
- Check the pads themselves. Run a thumb across each pad, feeling for grit, cracks or embedded stones. Use the torch if the light is poor.
- Dry thoroughly. Press with the dry towel, and work between each toe individually. Do not leave anything damp.
- Check the nails and dewclaws. Dewclaws sit higher on the leg and are easy to overlook; they catch and tear.
Once a dog is used to it, this genuinely takes under a minute.
Adjusting for the Season
Winter
The highest-risk season, because of salt and de-icer.
- Rinse, do not wipe. Wiping smears salt around rather than removing it. Use lukewarm — never hot — water in a shallow basin.
- Dry completely. Damp paws plus cold air causes cracking.
- Apply paw balm before walks as a barrier, and after walks to rehydrate.
- Consider boots for dogs that tolerate them, particularly on heavily treated pavements.
- Watch for ice balls between the toes on long-haired dogs. Trimming the fur between the pads helps considerably.
Road salt is a poisoning risk
If your dog has walked on treated surfaces, clean their paws before they get a chance to lick them. Ingested de-icing salt causes vomiting, diarrhea and, in larger quantities, more serious effects. If your dog seems unwell after a winter walk, call your vet. Our guide on vomiting in dogs covers when vomiting warrants urgent attention.
Spring and summer
- Check for grass seeds after every walk in long grass, between every toe and in the fur around the foot.
- Rinse after grass walks during pollen season. This is one of the more effective allergy interventions available at home.
- Check pavement temperature before walking. Press the back of your hand to it for seven seconds — if you cannot hold it there, it will burn paw pads.
- Rinse after beach walks. Sand abrades, and salt water dries the pads.
Autumn
- Wet leaves harbour moulds, a common allergen.
- Check for conkers, acorns and sharp debris hidden under leaf litter.
- Ticks remain active well into autumn — check the feet and between the toes. Our guide on safely removing a tick covers the correct technique, which matters more than most people realise.
Teaching a Dog to Accept Paw Handling
Many dogs dislike having their feet touched. This is worth fixing, because it affects vet visits, nail trims and grooming for the rest of their life.
Build it gradually:
- Touch a shoulder, reward. Repeat until relaxed.
- Work down the leg over several sessions, rewarding at each stage.
- Touch the paw briefly, reward, release immediately.
- Hold the paw for one second, reward. Build duration slowly.
- Introduce the cloth as an object to sniff and be rewarded near, before using it.
Keep sessions to two or three minutes, and always end while the dog is still comfortable.
Never force it. A dog restrained through a frightening experience learns that paw handling predicts being restrained. That association is much harder to undo than it is to avoid — the same reward-based logic that underpins leash training applies here.
Warning Signs Worth Acting On
Paw cleaning gives you a daily look at an area that tells you a lot.
See your vet if you notice:
- Persistent licking or chewing. Not a habit — usually allergy, yeast or pain.
- Red, swollen or thickened skin between the toes.
- A musty or yeasty smell, which indicates overgrowth. Our guide on why a dog smells bad even after a bath covers this in detail.
- Brown or rust-coloured staining on the fur, caused by porphyrins in saliva — a reliable marker of chronic licking. The same pigment causes tear staining.
- Cracked, dry or peeling pads.
- Limping, or reluctance to bear weight.
- Swelling or a discharging lump between the toes, which may indicate a migrating grass seed.
- Nails that are cracked, split or growing into the pad.
Do not wait on these
A rapidly swelling paw, a discharging tract between the toes, a torn nail bleeding heavily, or a dog that will not put weight on a foot all warrant a same-day appointment. Grass seed migration in particular is much easier to treat early.
Keeping the House Clean Too
Paw cleaning stops most mud at the door, but not all of it.
Use a proper doormat setup — an absorbent mat inside as well as a scraper mat outside.
Keep a towel by every door the dog uses.
Trim the fur between the pads. Long fur here traps mud, ice and debris and is a major contributor to what gets tracked inside.
Clean up accidents properly. If a dog with muddy or salt-covered paws has an accident indoors, ordinary cleaning will not remove the odor — urine needs enzymatic treatment. Our guides on cleaning dog urine from carpet and the best enzyme cleaners for pet stains cover the method.
Watch what they pick up outside. Dogs investigate with their mouths, and things eaten on walks account for a fair number of upset stomachs. Our guides on why dogs eat grass and on dog diarrhea cover when to be concerned.
What Not to Use
Human wet wipes. Frequently contain alcohol or fragrance that irritates paw skin, and dogs lick their paws afterwards.
Anything containing xylitol. Toxic to dogs, and present in some human personal care products.
Hot water. Pads are more sensitive than they look. Lukewarm only.
Harsh soaps or detergents. These strip the natural oils that keep pads supple and cause cracking.
Rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Painful on broken skin and damaging to healing tissue.
The Bottom Line
Cleaning your dog's paws after a walk is a one-minute habit that prevents yeast infections, catches injuries and grass seeds early, removes allergens before they cause a reaction, and stops road salt being ingested in winter.
The two things people get wrong are drying and frequency. Wiping and leaving the paws damp does more harm than not cleaning at all, and a routine only works if it happens every time. Keep the towels by the door, build the handling habit early, and use the minute to actually look at the feet — it is the most useful daily health check you will get for free.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to clean my dog's paws after every walk?
A quick wipe and dry after every walk is ideal and takes under a minute. It matters most after wet or muddy conditions, after walking on treated roads in winter, and during allergy season, when pollen carried in on the paws is a common trigger for licking and irritation. In dry summer conditions on clean pavement, a visual check for grass seeds and grit is often enough.
What is the best thing to clean dog paws with?
A damp microfibre cloth and plain lukewarm water handles most situations. Unscented, alcohol-free pet wipes are convenient when out. For heavy mud, a shallow basin of lukewarm water works better than wiping. Avoid human wet wipes, which frequently contain alcohol or fragrance that irritates paw skin, and avoid anything containing xylitol, which is toxic to dogs.
Why does my dog lick their paws constantly?
Persistent paw licking is most commonly caused by allergies — environmental or food-related — followed by yeast overgrowth, contact irritation from something walked on, embedded grass seeds, or pain in the foot or leg. It is rarely just a habit. If the licking is constant, or the paws are red, swollen, smelly or stained brown, see your vet rather than trying to stop the behavior directly.
Is road salt harmful to dogs?
Yes, in two ways. It is chemically irritant and can cause dryness, cracking and burning of the pads on contact. It is also toxic if ingested, and dogs routinely ingest it by licking their paws clean afterwards. Rinse rather than wipe after winter walks on treated surfaces, and dry thoroughly. Paw balm applied before the walk provides a useful barrier.
Should I use paw balm on my dog?
It helps in specific circumstances rather than as a daily routine. Applied before winter walks it provides a barrier against salt and ice; applied after, it helps rehydrate dry or cracked pads. It is also useful for hot pavements in summer. Healthy pads on a dog walking normal surfaces do not need it.
