# SALT(for those in snowy/Icy areas) - be careful



## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

Just read a post on a sports forum...one of the guys lost his Dog who licked a bunch of the salt they had thrown on their driveway or sidewalk for the ice. 

I knew the salt wasn't good but I didn't know it could kill our Dogs. 

Someone else will have to explain why its so bad. 

I do know they make a salt that isn't dangerous for Dogs...at least that what it says. 

anyhow, just wanted everyone to know. Be careful. 

thanks


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

Yep we use SafePaw at my house. Though it is hard to avoid the rock salt that is around everywhere else. You can protect your dogs' paws by using booties or by putting vaseline on their paws before heading out into the snow/salty roads. Most importantly, be sure to wipe their paws before the dog gets a chance to lick the salt off of their paws. 

Rock salt erodes the paint from our cars...just think what it does to our dogs!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

It definitely burns their feet. I avoid all salt or de-icer at all costs with my girls!


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

Some companies make a dog safe salt for your sidewalks and such. they have them in colored salts so you can see where it is which is really nice. You can get Morton's salt products which has a plant based material in it that is safe for dogs. I know Petco sells some safe pet friendly salt too. Washing the feet is a must after a nice winters walk!

You can get those cute but ~whew~ expensive doggy boots for your dog too! Someone in my area when they walk their dogs has this wax they apply to the pads. I have to ask her where she ordered it or bought it. I pretty much think she had to order it because I have not seen it around me at least! I guess you could just look it up and probably can find it too!


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

wags said:


> Some companies make a dog safe salt for your sidewalks and such. they have them in colored salts so you can see where it is which is really nice. You can get Morton's salt products which has a plant based material in it that is safe for dogs. I know Petco sells some safe pet friendly salt too. Washing the feet is a must after a nice winters walk!
> 
> You can get those cute but ~whew~ expensive doggy boots for your dog too! Someone in my area when they walk their dogs has this wax they apply to the pads. I have to ask her where she ordered it or bought it. I pretty much think she had to order it because I have not seen it around me at least! I guess you could just look it up and probably can find it too!




Wags, thanks. 

Yes, I've seen the "dog safe" salt in stores. 

I don't use much salt.... I enjoy slipping and biting it at least once per year :wink:


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

SafePaw - that is the brand we use. It is blue and safe for dogs. It really works too. It IS expensive though but I ordered some in bulk from amazon and it was quite a bit cheaper. $63 for 35 lbs. Amazon.com: Safe Paw Ice Melter 35 Lbs/Pail: Kitchen & Dining Still costly but we use it on our porch and anywhere the dogs might walk. We still use real salt if necessary on the driveway but we keep the dogs off of the driveway and just walk through the grass instead.


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## Little Brown Jug (Dec 7, 2010)

We haven't had much of a winter here yet and even then we don't have sidewalks on a lot of the roads. Even so, just in case the spray does land on the gravel side I walk the dogs way off in the slush or snow to avoid it or just walk them in the woods. I find bigger cities were horrible with it and there was no way to avoid it. You had to take extra care for walks.


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

kevin bradley said:


> Wags, thanks.
> 
> Yes, I've seen the "dog safe" salt in stores.
> 
> I don't use much salt.... I enjoy slipping and biting it at least once per year :wink:



Ha, I use alot of salt! :smile:Your in Michigan so it can get pretty bad out there I know! Here in Illinois its not to pleasant either! And I do not like slipping and sliding at all! Especially when I walk the dogs I am so leery of everyone else's sidewalks! Mine look great ha ha! And dog friendly!!!! Take care though in that Michigan winter they are harsh!


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

Salt in large quantities is toxic if ingested I only use it when we get a bad noreaster and my driveway becomes an ice skating ring. I use yaktrax on my boots and have managed to cut down on salt quit a bit. I don't think I even used a 50lb. bag last year. The good thing is I can still hike in the winter:biggrin:


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## Katie Chumlee and Shorty (Oct 22, 2010)

The city gives away free sand here. You just have to bring your own shovel, bucket, and flashlight if you are shoveling at night. They have it located in various locations for pick up. I am in MN and you can go through a ton of salt before you can go through a few 5 gallon buckets of sand. I use Aquaphor for the paw rub and Natural Dog Snout Soother for crusty nose. 

NATURAL DOG SNOUT SOOTHER - the nose balm for dogs that is guaranteed to work!


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## stajbs (Jun 5, 2010)

We use sand. Picked up that little secret going to events in the Adirondaks in NY. Since they can't use chemicals there they plow and sand. People who live there also use sand. Usually buy a 50 pound bag of sand each year at our local farm supply, and find I can be very generous and not usually run out. Plus I wouldn't trade my Yaktrax for anything in the world when it comes to slippery snow and ice. Yaktrax are the bomb!! You can walk 98/99 percent normal on sheer ice and not have an issue.


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

Believe it or not my driveway is so screwed up, that sometimes I still slip with yaktrax on I even have chains on the snowthrower ahahahaha I demolished one of my cars with my truck. I have to laugh about it:smile: I'm not the only one on this road that it happened too. We all have steep driveways. I still think yaktrax are the bomb though. 

I've tried sand before, but went back to salt. The sand wasn't giving me enough traction and it was real messy. I did seal the driveway with a sand mix, which helped out alot. I also scrape the hell out of the driveway with a shovel. As long as there's some sun, I don't use salt. I really only use salt when we get ice storms. I love snow. I hate ice Looks pretty though.


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## stajbs (Jun 5, 2010)

Yeah cast71, I'm still a bit cautious with my Yaktrax on, but so far no wipe outs. lol Our driveway isn't steep, but my husband slid/slammed into my truck last winter too, in an ice storm. Cost of the repairs is something we refuse to discuss. It was frustrating but comical too. You and your neighbors are not alone.

Sand can be messy, and since he is the "house hubby" who cleans while I work full time, he complains a bit about the sand if we track it into the house, but we wipe off the dogs paws and try to clean our boots, but sand still gets in. Thanks heavens for the mud room. It's the place we try to leave the sand and mud, but alas, sand, mud, and dog hair are his major nemesis. I hate cleaning and am blessed to have a hubby that is OCD about cleaning to some extent or we would be buried in siberian hair if I was the chief cook, bottle washer and cleaner.


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

If you don't already have them, you should have snow tires on all your vehicles. I recommend Bridgestone blizzak. They have great ice traction and stopping:biggrin: On a four wheel drive vehicle, there a beast

I use to get sand in my house too;0(


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## stajbs (Jun 5, 2010)

Oh yeah, we have snow tires, and both vehicles were 4 wheel drive, but we all know even if you are cautious you can still slide in 4 wheel drive. This incident happened in slow motion, and it was like "noooooooo" bang. He was very upset with himself, I was not happy, but later we saw the humor in it. I'll have to look into those Bridgestones. We just put new tires on, but not Bridgestones.


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

stajbs said:


> Oh yeah, we have snow tires, and both vehicles were 4 wheel drive, but we all know even if you are cautious you can still slide in 4 wheel drive. This incident happened in slow motion, and it was like "noooooooo" bang. He was very upset with himself, I was not happy, but later we saw the humor in it. I'll have to look into those Bridgestones. We just put new tires on, but not Bridgestones.


I know exactly what you mean about slow motion. I saw my truck start to slide and I grabbed the bumper. Like I was really going to hold a 4500lb. truck back ahahahahaha You should look into the blizzaks for future snow tire purchases. There like having yaktrax on your tires;0) More important than traction is stopping and there very good at that.


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## lmgakg (Jan 1, 2011)

danemama08 said:


> It definitely burns their feet. I avoid all salt or de-icer at all costs with my girls!


If it's absolutely terrible for some crazy reason and I can't get by with just the shovel....I will sprinkle a tiny bit, and once I finish shoveling the rest, the salt has usually helped melt the ice enough that the shovel can break it up and I can shovel the snow, ice pieces and salt into the street and out of reach of my boys! I live in Michigan, and have a 5lb bag for the last 2 winters, it's not even half way gone yet, and I live on a corner with twice as much sidewalk! NOT fun when shoveling!!!!


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## stajbs (Jun 5, 2010)

Wow cast71, that is funny, trying to grab the bumper. Although, earlier this year I was driving the old economical jitney(1992 Ford Escort Wagon) and returning the office keys to our township building to his house. He was not home, I parked and set the handbreak, not thinking much about being on a hill. It started to drift back as I was getting out, and I experienced the whole flash before your eyes thing where a person tries to stop a car going down hill. I was 3/4 out of the car when it happened and tried to get my foot inside and on the break and hit the gas pedal instead, finally got my butt back in the seat and foot on the break. After the event I figured I was lucky he wouldn't come home, find me lying there probably somewhat smashed and the car way down the hill in darkness. 

We've never used salt because of the dogs, plus we don't have a macadam or concrete driveway or much sidewalk, we have a stone driveway. Just lots of grass and we didn't want to kill that also.


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

I finally found out that wax my neighbor (well technically I call everyone my neighbor ha if they are walking their dog in my area ~just clarifying this becasue she reallys not that close to my home haha!) who walks her dogs uses for her dogs feet!:smile: 

Paw Wax for Dogs

and I see amazon sells it!



Amazon.com: Musher's Secret - The Invisible Shield - 200 gm: Kitchen & Dining


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

Vaseline works too! I just took Millie for a 25 minute walk in the snow, around my neighborhood, and I coated her paws with vaseline. I still try to stay on the snowy, untreated sidewalk and avoid the salted roads if possible, but a few steps here and there are unavoidable. I just always make sure to wipe her paws with water when I get home.

The vaseline/paw wax is also good because it helps moisturize dry/cracked paws that have braved the elements :biggrin:


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