This Natural Dog Paw Balm is the perfect way to soothe cracked, dry paws on your four-legged friend. It’s made with natural, pet-safe ingredients and is great for the health of their paws!
Homemade Paw Balm is The Best
When it comes to your pet’s health, it’s good to know exactly what ingredients are in the products you use on them.
Luckily, you’ll know exactly what ingredients is in this dog paw salve because you’ll be the one making it!
Aside from using this homemade paw balm on your own dog, you can make these and gift as gifts. What dog owner wouldn’t want some of this soothing balm for their pet’s paws?
Want more dog-friendly recipes? Try our Air Fryer Dog Treats
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is easy to make – It’s as simple as heating up some ingredients, mixing them together and then pouring into containers and allowing it to harden.
- It is soothing for your dog’s paws – Whether your dog’s paws are dried, cracked, or scratchy, this balm is soothing to them.
- It is cheaper than store-bought – Dog paw balm can be expensive. With this recipe, you can make a large batch that will cost just pennies on the dollar compared to store-bought balm.
- It is made with natural ingredients – Again, you control the ingredients in this recipe so you know it’s pet-safe and all natural.
How to Prepare Pet Paws for Salve
Simply wash your pet’s paws with a gentle cleanser and dab them dry. This will help remove any debris, dirt and bacteria from their paws.
What You Need to Make Homemade Dog Balm
- Coconut Oil – I like to use the organic kind but any will work (Dollar Tree also sells some)
- Vitamin E Oil – You can also use olive oil, avocado oil, etc.
- Beeswax – I find the small pellets are easier to melt (I like these organic beeswax pellets here)
- Raw Shea Butter
- Water
Helpful Tips
- I do not add any essential oils to this paw balm as many essential oils are not safe for dogs and it’s truly unnecessary since this paw balm is amazing without added essential oils.
- All ingredients used are safe for dogs, based on veterinarian advice. If your dog has an allergy or medical condition, it is best to ask your vet if this product is safe for them to use. Just because a product is all natural doesn’t mean your furry friend can’t have a reaction to it.
- If you have dog socks or booties for their feet, it’s handy to put them on after putting the balm on their paws because they will be tempted to lick it off. It’s perfectly safe for them to lick the balm and is actually good for their skin and tummies, but we want it to help their paws and if they lick it off, it won’t get time to soak in and do its job. Having booties or socks for their paws isn’t necessary at all, but helps if you have a hyper licker like I do.
- Raw shea butter is the best option for both the consistency of the balm and the efficacy of the ingredient itself. Although this balm has a pretty long shelf life, it’s shorter than it could be because of the raw shea butter, but it’s worth it for the benefit. If desired, you can always keep it in the fridge so it lasts even longer, but I would warm it up a bit between your fingers before placing it on your dog’s paws so as not to startle them with such a cold item.
- It’s vital that you only use pure ingredients that don’t have any added ingredients as the added aspects may not be safe for your dog.
- This is safe for cats as well!
- This salve actually works great for hotspots and itchy skin as well, but if your pet is having issues with this, you want to take them to the vet to diagnose the underlying problem. In the meantime, this will help soothe those spots.
- Jojoba oil can be used in place of vitamin E oil, if desired.
The Best Natural Dog Paw Balm
How to make an all natural dog paw balm at home
Materials
- 2 ½ Cups Water
- 2 Tablespoons Vitamin E Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Beeswax
- 1 Tablespoon Raw Shea Butter
Instructions
- Be sure to set up the container you’re using in the spot you want it to rest for the four hours it needs to harden before starting. The contents of the measuring glass will be very hot once they’re ready to pour into the container, so you won’t want to have to handle it once they’re poured in.
- Add the water to a 2-quart saucepan.
- Add all the ingredients to a 2-cup heat-proof glass measuring cup and place the cup in the saucepan and water, with the handle outside the pan.
- Heat the pan on the stove over medium heat, do not go any hotter.
- The ingredients will slowly start to simmer. Stir randomly to keep ingredients moved around, but it doesn’t have to be stirred constantly.
- Simmer until all ingredients are melted (this usually takes about 10 minutes to achieve).
- The handle of the measuring cup should remain cool enough to handle, if not, be sure to use an oven mitt.
- Pour the contents of the measuring cup, slowly and gently, into the containers of your choosing. Be sure these containers can handle the hot ingredients before using them. I tend to use two 2-ounce tins so drying time is lessened.
- Only fill the tin or container ¾ of the way full then leave your containers to sit for at least 4 hours or until fully set.
- Keep covered and stored in a cool area for up to 2 months.
- To use on your dog, simply take a bit on your fingers (a little goes a long way) and rub it into their paw pads that have been freshly cleaned and dried. Best if used once a day for rougher pads, or 1-2 times a week for maintenance.
Did you try this project?Mention @simplisticallyliving or tag #simplisticallyliving!