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Preventing Snowballs – The Ruffwear Way

  • Ruffwear
  • •

As snow lovers, we often find ourselves running joyfully through endless hills of white powder without a worry in the world…until…it happens. The inevitable cosmic reaction to fluffy snow when it makes contact with fluffy fur – “Snowballs.” For those of us who charge through winter with extra fluffy four-legged companions, preventing the painful and uncomfortable snow build-up is crucial to keeping those carefree powder moments fun for everyone.

Dog licks snow covered face on sunny snowy day.

There seems to be a wide range of remedies, ranging from homegrown concoctions to simple planning and protection that can go a long way. We’ve listed some of the top tips and prevention methods that for many of our fluffy dog-loving friends, seem to be working the best. Now all you have to do is determine which one is right for you and your dog.

Paw Protection

  • Winter boots can help prevent unwanted snow build-up in between the paws. For powder and deep snow, we recommend our Polar Trex Winter Boots.
  • For optimal boot fit, or even for a cleaner surface to prevent snow from sticking to, we recommend keeping your canine’s toenails trimmed. Additionally, you can help prevent build-up by keeping your canine’s extra paw fur trimmed. Simple trimming scissors or shears can be used in between your dog’s toes and around the paw.
  • Mushers Wax can be a good solution if boots are not available or ideal. We recommend a brand called Musher’s Secret that is made from safe and natural food grade waxes. The semi-permeable shield forms a barrier between the snow and the paw.
  • Bag Balm is another safe option to use on your canine’s paws and can perform similar to a Mushers Wax.

Dog in Cloud Chaser Jacket with Polar Trex boots.

Belly Protection

  • Both our Cloud Chaser jacket and our Climate Changer offer the most protection in the snow and can even act like a shield of armor as dogs bound and jump though powder.
  • Using a cooking spray to coat the fur can also reduce the snow-build up on the exposed fur
  • Trimming the hind quarters of fur and under the tail can also help keep the excess fur to a minimum giving your pup an excuse to have a new svelte look.

Dog jumps for hydro plane dog frisbee while playing in snow.

Overall, these are a few ways for us to keep our extra fluffy dogs enjoying every pounce into invisible mounds of snow squirrels or tree tigers. Until next time, get outside and live it up!

Further Reading