Does gravel hurt dogs’ paws?
Well, yes. Gravel can hurt a dog’s paws, although they are thick. Different dogs have different tolerances, which means there is a breaking point. It is even more painful if the pebbles get stuck between the toes or under the paws. For this reason, you need to keep a close eye when you expose your dog to gravel.
Is Gravel Safe For Dogs?
There are different kinds of gravel. A good example is pea gravel, which has smoother sides and is round. For this reason, they are easier on the dog’s paws. Other gravels are sharp and pointy, which makes it uncomfortable for the dog to walk on. I mentioned that you should keep an eye on your dog to ensure that he is not hurting. It is easy to know if the dog is having trouble walking on the gravel. You will notice them limping or walking lightly. It should tell you that her paws are not thick enough, and they need to toughen up. You can help your dog by taking the dog on more walks on gravel. A few minutes should be enough every day. It will help in strengthening the paws. After a few days, the dog should walk normally on gravel that was tough for her.
What Type of Gravel is Good for Dogs?
Word on the internet is that pea gravel is the safest type of gravel for dogs. But the city of Toronto adopted this method in many of its off-leash parks and the results were disappointing and led to an injury.
Many dogs suffered scratches, a badly injured nail, or a severely scraped paw, so although pea gravel isn’t supposed to be sharp, it’s quite jagged and can lead to injuries.
Pea gravel may be safer than other forms of gravel due to its rounded edges, but I still wouldn’t recommend it for a dog run as it could cause injury to your dog’s paws.