Doggie boots?

[hikergirl1120]

Does anyone use these? I am considering getting a pair to try out with my dog but I am not sure if they will be too annoying for him. I think they might be useful in the winter but again I am not sure if he will tolerate them. I am just curious if other dog owners out there recommend them or if they are a waste of money.

[Two Tents]

I did not think my dog would wear them either. Now he sits patiently when I put then on. You must get the proper fit. Granite gear has a great measuring system for their boots. I did not believe the my big doggie has xs feet but they fit perfect. REI carries them so I felt I could exchange if needed-I did not need to. You must re do the straps after a few minutes or they will come off. I still have to adjust every time and the are almost form fitted to his feet after so much wear. I have the Griptex for summer and the tall winter boots for snow. You could prob get by with just the summer Griptex and use the liners too in winter.
Edit-I meant Ruff wear not Granite gear. I'm not certain they even handle dog boots. Man I don't know where my thinking was on that! The Griptex part was correct.

[Gray Blazer]

They are useful on parts of the FL Trail. One sandspur will take my dog down.

[canoehead]

I use the in winter with my dog. He did not like it at first but got use to them after he ate the first pair.

[hikergirl1120]

I haven't encountered a real need for them yet but they seem nice to have for longer hikes or in case of injury. I mostly wanted to try them for the winter. Thanks for the feedback I think it comes down to just giving it a try.

[stonedflea]

we flip flopped at the nj/ny line and my dog didn't need boots until we hit maine. dogs' pads toughen up as they walk, so her pads were fine, but the granite rock in maine acted like a constant nail file, and her toenails began to bleed.

i bought two pair of ruffwear's boots and i do not recommend them at all. i would try out another brand of dog boots. i believe granite gear just came out with a set, or google "hunting dog boot reviews". a lot of hunters apparently use dog boots in the winter time (who knew?), and there's a website (although i can't recall it now) that did reviews on quite a few brands, ruffwear included. while REI and most other outdoor gear product websites show the ruffwear boots as 4*s, the hunting website gave a more accurate review, imho.

[Ironbelly]

They can be useful during certain conditions. I use mine a handful of times a year. I strongly suggest you buy them from this site(www.affordabledogsleds.com (http://www.affordabledogsleds.com)) or another sled dog website they are very functional, and WAY cheaper than ruffwear etc.

[shelterbuilder]

I use the in winter with my dog. He did not like it at first but got use to them after he ate the first pair.

Only ONE pair?? Wow - I'm impressed!

Some dogs tolerate booties better than others - some dogs try to eat more booties than others! It just depends on the dog.

Many mushers will use duct tape to over-wrap the tops of the booties to keep them from being pulled off by the dogs (NO, they don't tape the booties to the dog's fur!). But - with or without tape - the booties need to fit the dog's paws correctly, so that they don't slip around too much.

For other bootie retailers, check sleddogcentral.com - many, many mushing suppliers are listed here. Do NOT buy "fleece" booties - they will not hold up on the A.T. Look for "ballistic cloth" or "cordura nylon" - they will stand up to more abrasive conditions.

Suggestion - buy one set first - if the dog likes them, THEN buy him another "helping"!

[lostinfflood]

I only use the booties in the snow to prevent the build up of ice on the dog's paws. When I first used them it was as if gravity was suspended, Scout just seemed to levitate. Once we got going he was fine and they didn't bother him. I hike every day in the woods over tough terrain and both of my Border Collies paws are tough and I would never feel the need to use booties at other times. I like these booties since they are cheap, it the dog loses one it is not a major expense to rplace it. https://www.dozenbooties.com/store.htm