dogs pads

Question
i have a catahula that loves to run. i take her to places that have grass, water, very little concrete. she will run and run. i've never seen her stop to lie down and rest. she'll go on for hours.

problem is, she ruins her pads. the first layer wears away and falls off. she can barely walk for several days after.

her sibling is usually with her, but her feet are always ok.

why does one dog ruin her pads while the other, who is just as active and in the same surroundings, have no problems?

her toenails are clipped short.

what can i do to prevent this? this dog HAS to have her times to be out and play. we have a house with a large backyard. i try to take her out at least once a week.

she's a hunting dog. how do hunters keep their dogs from having this happen when they go on day-long hunts?

Answer
Thge footpad is actually a huge, thick callus.  IF she is wearing off her foot pads, she may have a skin problem that makes this foot pad softer.  There are some nutritional problems like zinc deficiency that can cause that.  Ask your vet to look at the pads to make sure they are not infected.  Obviously, resting her more will allow the footpad to re-grow.  This happens very slowly, so expect about a month for healing.