# Musher's secret/Vaseline



## Montana's Mommy (Mar 10, 2009)

Never heard of this - can't wait for responses.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Vaseline is a petroleum product so I wouldn't want mine licking it. Don't know anything about the snow balls.


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

I use the Mushers Secret but I think Vaseline would help protect and moisturize the pads too. There is no problem with a pup injesting small amounts of Vaseline. 

I bought a large size tub of Mushers Secret a few years ago and still have a lot left so a little goes a long ways. I only put it on the dogs paws if the snow is very sticky or if there are large accumulations of salt on the roads.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Oaklys Dad said:


> I use the Mushers Secret but I think Vaseline would help protect and moisturize the pads too. There is no problem with a pup injesting small amounts of Vaseline.
> 
> I bought a large size tub of Mushers Secret a few years ago and still have a lot left so a little goes a long ways. I only put it on the dogs paws if the snow is very sticky or if there are large accumulations of salt on the roads.


I can't speak to anything preventing snow and ice balls in a dog's paws since I don't live in a snowy area; however, I did want to point out that Musher's Secret is more like a thick wax, much more than petroleum jelly. MS is almost like furniture wax. 

Once I asked about abrasions on my Toby's paws and someone suggested Bag Balm, which is used on cow's utters for irritations. I don't know what its ingredients are, but maybe it is safer if ingested? It worked, though I also put disposable booties on him to prevent licking.


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## K9 Passion (Jan 2, 2009)

Musher's Secret forms an invisible boot over the pads that is breathable - not the whole foot. It is applicable for the pads in the summer & winter. It is manufactured in Canada, & said to be safe if dogs to happen to lick it. 

You cannot purchase it directly from the manufacturer's website, so this should not be considering "advertising" for the product it self:

Here is the manufacture's website:
http://www.musherssecret.net/index1.html


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## Mighty Casey and Samson's Mom (Jul 16, 2008)

I use vaseline. Most is worn off by the time we get back from our walks, so if Casey is ingesting any, it can't be much. I also trim his paw fur as short as I can get it, so the vaseline is only to protect the paw pads when there is lots of salt on the roads and walkways. Cutting the paw fur really eliminates the snowballs between toes.


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## Maya's Mom (Apr 13, 2009)

Mighty Casey's Mom said:


> I use vaseline. Most is worn off by the time we get back from our walks, so if Casey is ingesting any, it can't be much. I also trim his paw fur as short as I can get it, so the vaseline is only to protect the paw pads when there is lots of salt on the roads and walkways. Cutting the paw fur really eliminates the snowballs between toes.


I really tried to cut the fur as much as I could, but she still got bad snow balling on her paws. Do you just use scissors to trim the paws? I tried to get in between the pads on the bottom of her feet, but it was hard to really get in there, and I started to feel bad because Maya was giving me a pathetic, sad, resigned-to-torture look. Do you have any tips for trimming? I also trimmed some of the fur on the top of her feet. Does that help? Usually she just gets the snow balls between the pads on the bottom of her feet, but at one point, she had visible balls of snow between each toe on the top of her paws. It looked like it was forcing her toes to splay.  It has happened to her at several temperatures, as low as maybe 20 degrees. We like to walk in the woods, so she does walk in the snow quite a bit.


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## MillysMom (Nov 5, 2008)

Does this eliminate the snow balls getting stuck in their pads? I usually keep Milly's trimmed up nice, right now they are mega-grinch feet though, but I thought if this is good for snow and ice balls in the pads I'd get some for my parents for their big move to Vermont. The link won't load for me.

Also, does it leave marks in the house after you put it on?


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## Maya's Mom (Apr 13, 2009)

MillysMom said:


> Does this eliminate the snow balls getting stuck in their pads? I usually keep Milly's trimmed up nice, right now they are mega-grinch feet though, but I thought if this is good for snow and ice balls in the pads I'd get some for my parents for their big move to Vermont. The link won't load for me.
> 
> Also, does it leave marks in the house after you put it on?



Yes, musher's secret is supposed to eliminate the snow balls on their feet. I've never used it, but have heard it works well. I don't know if it leaves marks in the house, but I think someone might have said you have to wipe it off after walking before coming inside.


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## MJS (Dec 27, 2010)

Please don't use vaseline on your dog or yourself. It is a petroleum product and is toxic to living organisms. This is absorbed through the skin (a human's largest organ) and the pads of a dog's feet. So the dog doesn't have to lick himself to get the toxin in his system: over time this adds up in an organism and it is very hard for a body to deal: it is very sticky and oily after all. Having said that, I emailed Musher's Secret for a list of their ingredients as they do not post it even on the container they sell. I tried Musher's Secret-- I live in MN and we've had record snowfalls-- and the snowballing on the dog's feet was decreased by a lwhole ot and when the snowballs occurred, they were easy to pull off unlike before w/out Musher's Secret. I had the stuff on my hand and unlike vaseline, it came off a lot easier. left my hand soft, and did not leave grease marks anywhere. I believe it has lanolin in it which is from sheep's wool and not toxic. One could just buy lanilin and use it directly but it is too hard (as in hard like a rock). I may 'cut' my Musher's Secret with a whole tub of cheaper lanolin to make it last. But, before I use anymore Mushers Secret, I am waiting for the reply from the company on the list of ingredients.


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## 1wdmcdonn1 (Jul 18, 2014)

My guy stays mostly in an area with wood floors and slips quite a bit. Was hoping to find something to give him more traction. What about using a small amount of lip balm?


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## livduse (Dec 14, 2019)

Maya's Mom said:


> I really tried to cut the fur as much as I could, but she still got bad snow balling on her paws. Do you just use scissors to trim the paws? I tried to get in between the pads on the bottom of her feet, but it was hard to really get in there, and I started to feel bad because Maya was giving me a pathetic, sad, resigned-to-torture look. Do you have any tips for trimming? I also trimmed some of the fur on the top of her feet. Does that help? Usually she just gets the snow balls between the pads on the bottom of her feet, but at one point, she had visible balls of snow between each toe on the top of her paws. It looked like it was forcing her toes to splay.  It has happened to her at several temperatures, as low as maybe 20 degrees. We like to walk in the woods, so she does walk in the snow quite a bit.


Do you have thinning shears, straight scissors, and curved scissors? The paws are fairly easy to trim if you have the proper tools. I’d be happy to explain how to do it


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## 1wdmcdonn1 (Jul 18, 2014)

Yes, I do, but he is almost as resistant to that as he is to having his nails clipped. I could try treats...


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

I use this





Amazon.com: Aquapaw Slow Treater Treat Dispensing Mat Suctions to Wall for Pet Bathing, Grooming, and Dog Training


Find Aquapaw Slow Treater Treat Dispensing Mat Suctions to Wall for Pet Bathing, Grooming, and Dog Training and more at Amazon.com



www.amazon.com




It really helps with paw and nail trims. I stick it on the back door with peanut butter or tuna smeared on it.


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## Dunmar (Apr 15, 2020)

I have a paw trimmer, it gets in between the pads really easy. 
I also use Mushers. It doesn't stain floors and it soaks in well.


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## 1wdmcdonn1 (Jul 18, 2014)

I see there are quite a few on the market. Which one do you use?


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## Dunmar (Apr 15, 2020)

This is the ones I bought, but I'm now able to get in there pretty far with her regular sized clippers


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## Dunmar (Apr 15, 2020)

And they are for dog and cat.. not just cat lol


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