These days it’s common for many houses to have laminate, wooden or tiled flooring. Often people already have it in the house before they have got their dog or puppy home.
The trouble is dogs really struggle with slippery floors and have to work very hard to stabilise on them. For them it can be like walking on ice on a daily basis.
You may notice when asking them to sit their feet splay out or worse knees and hips and many end up lying frequently even when they don’t actually want to. This is a real risk with puppies that are still growing sustaining long term joint issues.
It can make dogs restless as they have to fight to stabilise constantly, making micro adjustments as they regularly walk across the floor, this can cause anxiety in some dogs and can impact other fear related behaviours.
More importantly it often causes nagging injuries, strains, joint problems and more. Now your dog may not be showing any signs of pain physically but remember dogs are stoic they often do not show any lameness or limping until their pain level is about a 6 and often only vocalise pain when it’s at its highest.
Tips to reduce the risks:
- Use anti slip rugs and runners strategically placed, when coming in through door ways at the bottom of the stairs and to break large surfaces up.
- Make sure there beds are anti slip too as getting on them can cause strains if they move, you can get anti slip tape to put on the bottom of them rather than buying new beds.
- Ensure bowls, snuffle mats etc are anti slip or on an anti slip surface like a silicone tray.
- Use paw wax this can help some dogs gain traction when walking across the surface.
- Have paw hair trimmed professionally, paw fur can make it very difficult to get any grip at all whilst walking.
- Do not play on slippery surfaces, play only on carpeted areas or in the garden.
- Keep the surface dry and thoroughly wipe dogs feet when it’s been wet.
- Do not ask them to sit on an unstable surfaces.
- You can get pet safe anti slip surface sprays this coats the flooring so there is more grip.
- If you can afford it for the long term replacing flooring with an anti slip surface would be ideal.
Jo Hinds 