Dog boots

[KenBlocksPants]

Hi All,

Thinking of getting some 'boots' for my pooch to wear in the garden while going to the loo.

Our garden is really muddy at the moment and its a nightmare each time we let him out as it gets everywhere! A toilet break ends up being a half hour event which is frustrating for us, but also not idea for the dog to have to sit there for so long getting him clean.

So far i've tried:

Tie Freezer bags.... came off within seconds
Carrier bags with elastic bands... off within seconds
Old socks with elastic bands... more successful, but at least 1 off each outing.

When I say 'off' I mean fell off rather than taken off, they dont seem to bother him being on, he gets on with what he needs to do.

I wonder if anyone has any experience or thoughts on those dog boots such as these:



Thanks!


ETA, thats not my dog, hes a much more manly Lab Collie cross

Edited by KenBlocksPants on Tuesday 4th January 09:07

[scirocco265]

I'd be interested if anyone has any experience of these. My JRTx has two infected paws which I have to keep dry and no matter how hard I try, I cannot get anything to stay on him. Most successful have been freezer/sandwich bags with surgical tape but without fail at least 1 comes off every walk.

[geordieracer]

http://www.ruffwear.com/Barkn-Boots-Grip-Trex

Market leaders.

[GKP]

These are very popular for domestic pets in the colder parts of Canada.

[KenBlocksPants]

Excellent thanks both, any personal experiences of them?

[Mrs Grumpy]

I've never found any boots that stay on for any length of time. Plus, you need to add in the time it takes to get them on and off.

[y2blade]

is this a wind up?

[KenBlocksPants]

Afraid not y2blade.

Has been recommened by the vet too!

[KenBlocksPants]

Mrs Grumpy said:

I've never found any boots that stay on for any length of time. Plus, you need to add in the time it takes to get them on and off.

I think thats my worry, i dont want to be spending £40+ on a set that come off just as easily as the socks we tried.

Time to take on and off isnt an issue as it cant possible be as long as it taked to current clean each paw / nail.

[y2blade]

KenBlocksPants said:

Afraid not y2blade.

Has been recommened by the vet too!

fair enough

for mine we just keep a big rough towel (old beach towel) by the back door,and dry his feet with it when he has been out....takes about 2mins MAXIMUM

[KenBlocksPants]

y2blade said:

KenBlocksPants said:

Afraid not y2blade.

Has been recommened by the vet too!

fair enough

for mine we just keep a big rough towel (old beach towel) by the back door,and dry his feet with it when he has been out....takes about 2mins MAXIMUM

Thanks, thats what we do at the moment. But its not wet feet, its mud and clay in our soil.

Its hard to describe but imagine a garden with about 20% grass and 80% clay / mud borders. A simple wipe with a towel isnt enough and we end up having to get in under each nail to get the clay out otherwise its straight in the house all over the place. And as its clay it takes ages to dry as oppose to just falling off and hoovering up.

Tried all sorts, so this is a last resort really other than a landscape of the garden!

[y2blade]

KenBlocksPants said:

y2blade said:

KenBlocksPants said:

Afraid not y2blade.

Has been recommened by the vet too!

fair enough

for mine we just keep a big rough towel (old beach towel) by the back door,and dry his feet with it when he has been out....takes about 2mins MAXIMUM

Thanks, thats what we do at the moment. But its not wet feet, its mud and clay in our soil.

Its hard to describe but imagine a garden with about 20% grass and 80% clay / mud borders. A simple wipe with a towel isnt enough and we end up having to get in under each nail to get the clay out otherwise its straight in the house all over the place. And as its clay it takes ages to dry as oppose to just falling off and hoovering up.

Tried all sorts, so this is a last resort really other than a landscape of the garden!

In our garden is mud/grass ratio is the other way round so it really is a case of just dry his feet off and let him in

good luck with the boots, I must admit the more expensive ones in the link looked worth a try

[geordieracer]

If Ruffwear did boots big enough, my parents would have had them on their Old English Sheepdog in the snow. Frozen fur between his pads did not make for a happy dog.
I used to have to sell the Ruffwear boots. Actually, I didn't have too, they sold themselves and I only ever heard positive feedback from customers. I know one of the SARDA teams kit their dogs out in them from November to March because of freezing conditions.
The boots themselves are pretty difficult for dogs to get off, but humans seem to manage fairly well!

[Waugh-terfall]

Oh excellent, these would be perfect for Hester!

[Superficial]

We bought some for our cocker spaniel and to be honest they were put on her once then chucked in the dog cupboard. She just 'walked' in the like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD5o6xvhdws&fea...

[PaulG40]

I remember buying some for our husky when she was a puppy for walking on the promenade in case of glass etc. Had to take them off her, as seeing her freak out like she had flippers on her feet and trying to 'flap' them off, made us roll around the floor in hysterics!

[y2blade]

PaulG40 said:

I remember buying some for our husky when she was a puppy for walking on the promenade in case of glass etc. Had to take them off her, as seeing her freak out like she had flippers on her feet and trying to 'flap' them off, made us roll around the floor in hysterics!

bless her

dogs can be so funny at times, I can imagine my boy doing that too

[shoebag]

scirocco265 said:

I'd be interested if anyone has any experience of these. My JRTx has two infected paws which I have to keep dry and no matter how hard I try, I cannot get anything to stay on him. Most successful have been freezer/sandwich bags with surgical tape but without fail at least 1 comes off every walk.

When my Greyhound had a toe removed and the dressing had to be kept dry I bought him a medipaws from the vets. You can also buy medipaws online. It was a waterproof sock/boot with 2 velcro straps and stayed on while he went outside and for walks.

[evolution666]

theres a very good use for the boots, and like most, i cant see the point in them outside, but, and its a big but....

We had our lab pass away over xmas, and we have wood floors through out the dowstairs, now, im not certain about most breeds, but labs i know for sure, theres a problem with hips through out the breed. AAn excitable dog on hard flooring such as wood can lead to initial damage of a dogs hips, or if the dogs hips were bad to start with like ours was, preventing a slip is essential.

Ruff ware boots are xxx pounds, let me say that drugs such as painkillers for your dog would be a dam sight more.

We are seeking another pup, and im pretty certain that from a very early age, she will be brought up with these with a view to getting the dog used to them in the house. Outside a dog needs to be walked on hard ground and the likes of for many reasons, to keep there claws in check for one

[geordieracer]

PaulG40 said:

I remember buying some for our husky when she was a puppy for walking on the promenade in case of glass etc. Had to take them off her, as seeing her freak out like she had flippers on her feet and trying to 'flap' them off, made us roll around the floor in hysterics!

Yep, they all do that! Quite frequently we'd have customers dogs that'd been brought in to the shop to try the boots on, laying on their backs refusing to walk with their paws skywards, very entertaining.

Ruff wear themselves say that it can take up to three weeks of your dog wearing their boots on walkies to be used to them. In the long term, its got to be worth having a dog whose walking is daft for a few weeks, rather than years of issues?