diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs.yml b/.github/workflows/docs.yml
index 25d88bc7bac..8e176994629 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@
 name: Docs
 
 on:
+  pull_request:
+    paths:
+      - '.github/workflows/docs.yml'
+      - 'cpp/apidoc/**'
+      - 'docs/**'
   push:
 
 permissions:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs_light.yml b/.github/workflows/docs_light.yml
index baf1d25dbd0..601a989a10a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docs_light.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs_light.yml
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     paths:
       - '.dockerignore'
-      - 'docs/**'
       - '.github/workflows/docs_light.yml'
       - 'ci/docker/conda.dockerfile'
       - 'ci/docker/conda-cpp.dockerfile'
@@ -29,6 +28,8 @@ on:
       - 'ci/scripts/cpp_build.sh'
       - 'ci/scripts/python_build.sh'
       - 'compose.yaml'
+      - 'cpp/apidoc/**'
+      - 'docs/**'
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
diff --git a/cpp/apidoc/Doxyfile b/cpp/apidoc/Doxyfile
index baf848ca237..9cff530791b 100644
--- a/cpp/apidoc/Doxyfile
+++ b/cpp/apidoc/Doxyfile
@@ -1096,7 +1096,8 @@ EXCLUDE_PATTERNS       = *-test.cc \
                          *_generated.h \
                          *-benchmark.cc \
                          *_codegen.py \
-                         *internal*
+                         *internal* \
+                         *.md
 
 # The EXCLUDE_SYMBOLS tag can be used to specify one or more symbol names
 # (namespaces, classes, functions, etc.) that should be excluded from the
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/flight/sql/odbc/README.md b/cpp/src/arrow/flight/sql/odbc/README.md
index c40ba3636e1..b8a971e4d4a 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/flight/sql/odbc/README.md
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/flight/sql/odbc/README.md
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ After the build succeeds, the ODBC DLL will be located in
 
 2. Register your ODBC DLL:
 
-   Need to replace <path\to\repo> with actual path to repository in the commands.
+   Need to replace `<path\to\repo>` with actual path to repository in the commands.
    1. `cd to repo.`
    2. `cd <path\to\repo>`
    3. Run script to register your ODBC DLL as Apache Arrow Flight SQL ODBC Driver