Chuckar hunting and Cactus

[jagermiester]

How do you guys protect your dogs from these buggers while Chuckar hunting? I found a great area for Chuckar but there are a fair amount of cactus. I want to go this weekend but I am nervous for my dog.

[JLS]

You can boot your dogs if the cactus is really bad.  I've done it before.  In general, I don't worry too much about it.  Carry some forceps or a Leatherman to pull spines out while you're in the field.  A pair of leather gloves isn't a bad idea either.

[wildweeds]

My vet turned me onto a great trick for cactus removal, cooking tongs from the dollar store, they work great.

[ribka]

Have not had much luck with boots

I just bring henostats

You would be surprised how few a dog will pick up

[jagermiester]

I guess the coyotes have learned to avoid them? I stuck my hand in one after crawling up on a deer. It looked like my hand was sprinkled with pepper. I'll never do that again!

[joe_dumy]

When I first got my dog on the way back home I stopped by powder river Montana and let Pam stretch her legs and all of a sudden she endoed and then laid down. Had to go get her and carry her back to the truck. She hit a catus real hard pulled out as much as I could and then went to the vet to get the big one that broke under her skin. She hasn't ever hit another one. She got a hold of one porky pine as well and now just points them out for me.

[scottr]

My dog only runs into prickly pear out in the sage but he manages to largely avoid the little ground growing ball cactus you see in chukar country. Needless to say the basalt is hell on his pads early season so I may look into boots.

Below is dew pads had fur on them before the chukar hunt

[JLS]

scott,

I have been using Tough Foot on my dog this year, and I think it definitely helps with pad wear.  That said, if I am going to hunt an area with lots of basalt for several days, I will boot my dog.

I've had mixed success with the inner tube method.  It saves their pads, but I'm having a hard time getting the vet wrap to stay in place, which in turn creates a lot of chafing on his knuckles.

[10Key]

I ordered a set of Lewis rubber boots for this exact reason (and for crusty snow). I'll be sure to post on their effectiveness when we have had a chance use them.

[JLS]

I ordered a set of Lewis rubber boots for this exact reason (and for crusty snow). I'll be sure to post on their effectiveness when we have had a chance use them.

The Lewis boots work well, just make sure you tape them on well.  I do a wrap of athletic tape, put the boot on, tape one of the flaps with duct tape (taping to the athletic tape), then the other flap with duct tape.

[scottr]

scott,

I have been using Tough Foot on my dog this year, and I think it definitely helps with pad wear.  That said, if I am going to hunt an area with lots of basalt for several days, I will boot my dog.

I've had mixed success with the inner tube method.  It saves their pads, but I'm having a hard time getting the vet wrap to stay in place, which in turn creates a lot of chafing on his knuckles.

I tried tough foot last year and it just made a mess and to dog licked it off.

Might to the inner tube trick to start and see how that goes. Do you wrap all four feet? it seems like his front pads take the worst of it. 

[scottr]

I ordered a set of Lewis rubber boots for this exact reason (and for crusty snow). I'll be sure to post on their effectiveness when we have had a chance use them.

keep us posted on how they work out.

[JLS]

I have done just the fronts and I've also done all four.  It's steeper than Hsdes where I hunt, so back feet take a beating too.

I think as s result of the steep terrain, the vet wrap rides up his feet.  Maybe I need to wrap it tighter, but I'm reluctant to go too snug.

On flatter terrain I'm sure it would work very well.  I do bet wrap on the foot and up the ankle, followed by athletic tape on the ankle, inner tube taped with duct tape.  There is a good YouTube video on the process.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[scottr]

Some videos on making inner tube dog boots

Applying the boots

Booting a dog

Good article on the subject

http://www.chukartalk.com/boots.html