Dog Fur Between Toes: Why Size Matters

You measure your dog's paw and immediately doubt the number: this cannot be right. Often the answer is not a wrong measurement, but the dog fur between toes that adds to the figure. If you do not trim it short, you shift up a size without noticing.

Why fur throws off the measurement

Dense hair between the toes literally adds thickness to the paw print. On a smooth coated dog you measure the skin itself. On a dog with a lot of fur you partly measure hair. That hair pushes the tape measure open a bit further than the actual paw width. In a borderline case that difference is exactly enough to end up in the wrong size.

Dog fur between toes: test it yourself in ten seconds

Gently push the fur between two toes aside with your finger. If you feel skin right away, fur plays only a small role in the measurement. If your finger first disappears into a thick layer of hair before you reach the skin, you are likely measuring half a centimeter to a full centimeter too much without trimming.

Which dogs are affected the most

Poodles are the clearest example. It is immediately a breed where the size varies enormously: a Toy Poodle lands on size XS, a Miniature Poodle on size M and a Standard Poodle on size L. In all three the fur between the toes keeps growing if you do not trim regularly. Doodles, Bernese Mountain Dogs and Golden Retrievers deal with it to a lesser degree too. For poodle sock size that difference is exactly why you should never use your dog's weight as a rule of thumb.

Want the full explanation for this breed? Read dog socks for poodles and doodles.

Trim paw fur: how to do it safely

Use blunt tipped scissors made specifically for around the paw pads. Lift the paw gently, comb the hair between the toes upward and trim only what sticks out. Work in small steps. Trim paw fur goes wrong faster with sharp scissors that get too close to the skin than with a blunt pair you need to pass over twice.

A trimmer with a fine head works faster but takes more practice. If your dog does not yet lie still for the scissors, it is better not to start with a trimmer: the buzzing tends to scare a dog off faster than the sound of scissors.

Trimming fur on a dog that does not sit still

Pick a moment when your dog is already tired, for example after a walk. Work at a table or on your lap so you stay stable too. Trim in short sessions of a few toes at a time. Reward with a treat in between. If your dog stops cooperating after the first two paws, it is fine to leave the last two for another day. A half finished trim is better than a dog who refuses to hold still the next time entirely.

Prefer to have the fur trimmed by a groomer?

That works fine, especially for a dog that does not sit still at home. Ask the groomer specifically to keep the fur between the toes short, since that part sometimes gets skipped during a regular grooming session. Grab the size calculator once you are back home and measure again, even if you did nothing to the fur yourself. A professional grooming session often changes fur length more than you notice at first glance.

Measuring again after trimming

Measure only after cutting, not before. Set your dog with full weight on the paw and measure at the widest point. Did you land on a different size than last time? Trust the new measurement. Enter the numbers into the size calculator for instant size advice.

More of an issue in winter

In dogs with a double coat the undercoat grows thicker in autumn. A sock that fit perfectly in June can already feel too tight by November. If you trim twice a year along with the coat change, in spring and in autumn, the size keeps matching without needing to buy a new set.

Still unsure after trimming and remeasuring? Check the Dog Socky socks and enter the new paw width into the size calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Do I always need to trim the fur before measuring?

Not on a smooth coated dog. On a dog with dense hair between the toes, yes, otherwise you quickly measure half a centimeter to a full centimeter too much and pick a size too large.

Which scissors should I use?

Blunt tipped scissors made specifically for the paw pads. Those trim the fur just fine but not the skin if your dog moves unexpectedly.

How often should I maintain the fur between the toes?

For most dogs every 4 to 6 weeks. Breeds with fast growing fur, such as the poodle, need it more often, especially around the autumn coat change.