# Elbow Callouses



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Jax will choose to lay on the hard floor rather than anything soft 9 out of 10. Now she has callouses on her elbows. I think she just gets to warm and prefers the coolness of the floor. She seems to like the kitchen the best and that is the coolest room in the house.

Any ideas on how to get her to lay on something soft? Is there any mats out there that stay cool?


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

There are cooling mats like the Canine Cooler which keep a dog cool. However most of my dogs haven't really liked the one I had, they still chose the floor over it.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

hmmm...so you just deal with the callouses? Jax likes to find the tightest corner she can and sleep there too so I'm wondering if she will even use it if I can find one I like.

I'm thinking of just going and getting some batting and material to make her something I can wash easier than the beds they sell. If I keep it thin enough the coolness from the floor should still go through.


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## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

My first thought was the Kuranda beds. I think I'm spelling it right. They use them in some off the shelters for dogs and they are quite breathable, and they prevent elbow callouses.


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Michelle, Drs Foster & Smith has a "Deluxe Orthopedic Pad" in all twill. That's the only bed Grimm will lay on-- he's like Jax, he'll otherwise always choose a cold hard floor. Sigh!


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I just deal with the callouses since I was never able to get my dogs to stop laying on the floor... I had a Canine Cooler bed which my previous dogs didn't like much and Bianca would not use, and now I also have a cot bed which Bianca won't use either... I also have some foam-filled mat type beds and I used to have an orthopedic dog bed which they did use sometimes but when they got too warm they'd still move to the floor.
I put moisturizer on their elbows to try to keep them soft so they wouldn't get dry or cracked. Bianca just has a small callous on one elbow, but my Golden Retriever got larger hairless calloused areas on her elbows as she got older.

The only other thing I could think of is-- you can buy these elbow coverings which protect their elbows. Those are more for dogs with elbow arthritis or hygromas(fluid buildup due to the repeated impact of the elbows on a hard surface) though...
Here's the link: http://www.dogleggs.com/files/adjustable.cfm


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## jenedge24 (Dec 5, 2009)

My husband just mentioned that our guy, Bo had callouses too. silly dogs! I was thinking about just rubbing some olive oil on them once in a while...is this a bad idea?? When we first brought him home I went to a fabric store and bought a 3or 4 inch thick peice of foam that was about 3 ft by 2 feet (aprox). I looked at dog beds and decided they didn't give the support needed for bigger dogs hips. If they did they were WAY to expensive! K if that's not crazy enough...I then folded up an old down comforter and laid this on the foam. To finish this LUX bed off I made a duvet like cover out of fabric used for outdoors so it would wash easier. I used to put it were I wanted the bed to be but now I'm not against moving it next to the front door,Bo's favorite place. he loves his bed! I promise it sounds like I put a lot of work into this bed but not really! if you want to see pics I can show you!


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

hmmm...maybe those will work. I have some wrist bands around here somewhere. I wonder if she would chew it off....


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## kelso (Jan 22, 2007)

bag balm or something similar also helps callouses as well. Kelso chooses the hardwood floor most of the time, drives me nuts, I bought two of the kuranda beds which are excellent but they have not taken to laying on them much...sigh..they are good beds, expensive too..


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

we have beds and the boxers will take them over. she lays wherever I am or finds a closed in corner to lay in. So unless I can teach her to drag her bed with her I doubt it will work. 

I don't like the idea of filling a mat with water because Sierra chews things up. I see disaster happening there.

Now I'm more concerned about the elbow arthritis or hygromas that she can get. She hits the floor like a ton of bricks!


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