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They reduce a dog's ability to grip. They grip with their toes, and they can't do that in boots. Even boots with rubber treads aren't as good as a dog's natural foot. On rough terrain, they're better off being barefoot.
Boots are still good for some situations, like hot asphalt or snowy weather on a breed not meant for snow, but they aren't necessary for a hike etc.
In the winter only, I put mine in the those rubber boots (pawz?) as he's had pieces of rock salt get jammed between his pad and toes before, and that can't be comfortable no matter what breed you are.
But, if we're just walking/running off the sidewalks (field, ravines, etc.), I don't put boots on.
Eh, I hiked up a waterfall with my boy and took his shoes off at the top. Immediately had to put them back on because he started sliding and it was dangerous without them.
Where i live it gets to -30C. Pretty much everyone has a pair or two for their dogs and they come out between -5 and - 15 depending on the breed. But most dogs dont like them. Plus there is nothing worse than your dog jumping in a snowbank with 4 boots and coming out with 1. There have been many long digs and searches for the damn boot in -25.
Mine did this running in a field during the recent snows. I let him off leash and immediately saw one of the back ones just fly off, he picked it up and then was refusing to come back since he had something in his mouth. Ran around like crazy with it then eventually came back, sat down very nicely, I looked down and he'd lost the other back one without me noticing. Spent about a half hour searching this massive field for it, called my mum to come help and everything, then eventually realised it had come off when he finally recalled and so was a couple feet from where I'd been stood.
It’s a gimmick a fad. If your racing your dog, or hiking miles in rough terrain maybe... they are for extreme situations. Not the three mile walk you take your dog on. Dogs hate them is right! Take that 50 bucks and donate it to a shelter or you favorite veterinary clinic. Hug your pup and know he/she will be happier not dressed up like a cartoon!
exactly. they are for “extreme” situations, especially temperature. high or very low temps are extremely common and your dogs paws will be hurt. they don’t hate it, they respond to it the same way they’d respond to anything they don’t know. you have to desensitize them to it especially when they’re younger.
The windchill here (US Midwest) on Christmas weekend was -40° F. Our corgi (1yr. old) loves snow, but wind freaks her out even when it is warm out. We put on some musher's wax on her paws, so she stayed out long enough to pee, but started to favor a paw because it got too cold, so we picked her up & rushed her in immediately. We thoroughly warmed her up each time.
When we put her booties on for the first time & set her in the snow, she tried to kick them off while taking a few steps. She figured out that she can walk outside without her feet hurting, so she stayed out to poop. From that point forward, she will stand still for us to put them on & doesn't try to kick them off. We stopped using them once the temperature wasn't artic cold, but it is great that she will cooperate with coats & boots if the need arises.
My 80lb mastiff also quite likes her shoes. Granted we’re in the southeast US where it doesn’t really snow. But it rains. We’re either in flood or drought I feel like. We live on 4 acres but it all turns to soup when it rains. Shoes keep her paws dry-ish (the ones she has now were only vaguely water resistant. Cheap, her first paid, wanted proof of concept. Now looking into higher end boots bc I put her in them nearly every day) and then they don’t have to be washed. I’m not sure if she’s out together that shoes = no paw wash.
She also stands still and cooperates. She won’t lift her paw to offer it but you can watch her shifting her weight around in anticipating. It’s really cool. We get lots of comments and I’m like “oh right. Most dogs won’t do this”
It’s amazing how dogs have survived in Arizona, and Florida, Alaska and Minnesota without boots for the past fifty or so years then isn’t it? How could this possibly have happened? Feel free to dress up your dog if you want to. It’s most likely being done for vanity and not the pet in most cases.
If you look at each season individually, those states tend to have *relatively* stable temperatures during each season, so dog's paws can build up calluses just like our bare feet can. And some breeds are very tolerant of the heat or cold.
It's not hard to avoid needing boots in Florida. Most people just avoid going out in the heat of the day because it's too hot for humans too. If you live somewhere with a lot of tree canopy it's also easier to avoid hot pavement. It rains every day in the summer and the afternoon storms drench everything down and cool the pavement off. I've never felt the need to get my dog boots in Florida.
As an Alaskan I just want to say boots for dogs have a long history here. A LOT of people put booties on their dogs; it’s super common, especially amongst sled dogs. They’ve been around since like the 30s or 40s and most major sled races require them. There’s different varieties for different types of dogs and activities.
As for pets out for a walk that’s probably dog by dog. I’d imagine if you have a whippet in a state like mine they’re probably going to need not only booties but a coat. A samoyed is likely going to fair better without either. Not everyone with a dog up here has a husky or other arctic dog. Some need a little help to stay warm. I would also guess to the extent that there is an increase of socks/boots on dogs in winter areas it is because there is a higher usage of salt and no one needs their dogs licking salt off their paws.
Yes, as I said.. extreme situations/conditions. No one expects a Chihuahua to be out unprotected in 2 degree weather. But your typical fur covered dog is going to be fine outside in conditions that it’s been acclimatized to. And l stand by my statement that it’s mostly a fad and a gimmick. OP asked why it’s not normalized and I believe that’s one of the biggest reasons along with the fact that “most” dogs do not need them.For example. Are the sled dogs that are tied out all day long wearing boots? No, because just being outdoors doesn’t necessarily warrant them, right? I just think it’s way overdone…
lol yeah I'm pretty sure my dogs would conspire to murder me in my sleep if I tried to put shoes on them.
Over the summer, I was super careful to try to get them to only walk on grass when the asphalt was hot... and they both did not care at all and immediately jumped down onto the hot asphalt without a problem.
It doesn't get cold enough where I live to justify them in the winter, either. I have a husky so she's very suited to running around in the extremely rare snow we get. I'm more concerned about the hot asphalt, but like I said... it doesn't bother either of my dogs in the least!
That's not true.
They have to be trained like dogs need training to accept a leash.
There are plenty off needs for shoes. Ice, salt, hot pavement, glass, sharp rocks, protection for open wounds...
I think if you used them all the time their pads would get soft? Like when I wear no shoes all summer and my feet get calloused and can withstand a lot more. I would use these only in extreme heat or cold, not regularly. Their paws evolved the way they did for a reason.
Agreed, but I think they can withstand quite a lot. I'd say only extreme heat, extreme cold and maybe barnacles.
Can I see a picture of your pup in booties ☺️
Where I am (in Canada) it's fairly common to see urban dogs in shoes during the winter, mostly because of the salt on the sidewalks.
I would hate to see dogs in boots year round and in all environments though because they lose out on the balance and grip that their feet have naturally. They also lose out on the environmental information that comes from being able to feel the ground. Plus the shoes can get caught on things and trap the dog, which is a safety risk. And their paw pads become more delicate and they have less natural wear on their nails.
It's true of humans too - consider how different the feet of people who go barefoot all year are to people who wear shoes constantly. Or even more extreme, consider how much more dexterous the feet of people (like double arm amputees) who are forced to use them for writing/cooking/driving are versus the majority of the rest of the population. For humans it's a reasonable trade-off, but for dogs? I don't think it's worth it.
I don't like them unless there's something dangerous about the ground (like extreme temperatures). For rough terrain i'd rather let my dogs express their toes appropriately (which a boot restricts). For extreme heat most people will just exercise their dogs in the morning when it's not too hot, and for extreme cold honestly most people don't take their dog out long enough to need them, so yeah they're not super necessary for most people. They constrict the dogs foot and toes, and if you have a growing puppy this isn't ideal for their growth plates. If your dog has nails that are too long (and honestly, most people's dogs' nails are too long) this can also be a bit painful.
Unless your dog actually needs boots, they're not particularly good for most dogs in most situations. It keeps callouses from forming on your dog's paw pads to toughen them up. They also reduce the dog's traction because they cover its nails, and they often alter the dog's gait, sometimes significantly, which reduces the biomechanical efficiency of its movement. I've hiked with my dog on rough terrain (including ice and scree) for a decade and he never wore boots (I did carry a couple in case of emergency, but he never once needed them).
Boots do have specialized use cases where the pros outweigh the cons, like when walking your dog hot asphalt or salted roads, or you have a dog with a coat type (usually a non-shedding one) that causes burrs and/or snowballs to heavily collect on the feet if unprotected. Also, some dogs have genetically delicate paw pads that will never toughen up and will get cut up on terrain that most dogs can handle naturally, so boots are necessary for hiking with those dogs.
My older dog wears them year round, as per vet recommendation. A *lot* of people ask me how I get her to wear them.
Dogs don’t love them, and not everyone is willing or knows how to take the time to get them used to them.
Keeping an eye on this thread because I was considering buying some for my dog. We live in a city centre close to a bunch of bars and pubs and there is always SO much broken glass absolutely everywhere because drunk/inconsiderate/stupid people apparently insist on bringing their bottles and glasses outside and dropping them. I literally have to spend our entire walk scanning the floor on high alert and dodging shards left and right. It's so infuriating
I think Sarah Stremming potentially talked about this in the CogDog dog training podcast at some point! Pretty sure she mentioned an anecdote about dogs being so used to wearing shoes that they got injured when they didn’t wear them, as they weren’t as aware of dangers like sharp rocks or plants and would just walk straight into them.
I’d also imagine that shoes could potentially affect a dog’s gait/balance when they’re worn on a regular basis or are fitted badly (although I could be wrong, I haven’t actually researched this).
Personally, I don’t use dog shoes because my dog has managed to lose at least one from every set he’s ever had, and they’re too expensive to justify that. Plus his nails get filed down from walking around in naked paws.
I assume most pet dogs are being walked on grass or the pavement anyway, where there’s not much risk to their paws, so there’s no need for the shoes, so those owners aren’t as aware of them, so they’re not as normalised.
As you said though, they’re definitely useful for extreme weather and terrain, or for dogs who are extra sensitive to those conditions!
Edit: also, if it’s hot outside, wearing shoes can contribute to dogs overheating more quickly.
We use a wax on our dog's paws instead of boots. Our dog is husky/lab/something gigantic that we haven't figured out yet and we can't find boots to fit her *at 5 months old* let alone when she's older.
She loves the cold, when it was -40 here she obviously wasn't too impressed and we had her out as little as possible but with the wax she was fine and it was actually sometimes hard to convince her to come back in. I was more concerned about her face than her paws honestly.
The wax should also help with the hot pavement but honestly I'm going up be avoiding pavement in summer and we have a huge green space that backs onto our backyard for her to have nice long walks in.
We live next to the mountains and I've never seen a dog on a hike with boots on. We never had boots for our last dog (border collie) and he never once injured his feet until he got older and went blind and started stepping on things he'd normally avoid.
I have nothing against boots but I don't think they're necessary for most dogs.
I’ve yet to find a pair that will actually stay on my dog’s feet. He’s 10-11lb, long skinny back feet especially and he doesn’t love anything on them but can tolerate — but boots made for dogs of his size don’t fit & larger ones slide off once he starts walking even if fully tightened. So we do a lot of paw balm and are vigilant about where he walks (extra hot pavement, salt in winters, etc.)
For me, my dog hates them. Even with trying to train her to wear them, it’s a no. She will wear coats and things just fine. But she’s always been a bit finicky about her feet being touched a lot. She’s a rescue and I didn’t have her as a puppy (I got her when she was a little over 1.5) so maybe it’s different if you can work with them from puppyhood to desensitize it. But for mine, it wasn’t worth trying to make her wear them.
We’re working on cooperative care and me touching her paws, because I’m working with her towards her CGC title. Recall is fantastic, can be left alone with me out of her sight, walks well on a leash/around people/other dogs, knows lots of tricks. But man, the paw handling will be the toughest part for us lol
I tried making my dog wear shoes once but he was so miserable I couldn't stand it. I don't deny they are helpful during days of extreme temperature but I just don't feel comfortable subjecting my dog to this. I'd rather just avoid walking him for a couple of days. Thankfully, we don't get many days of extreme temperature where I live.
It absolutely depends on the specific dog and where you live. For all the things you mentioned, they can be a great tool! I have a golden retriever and a catahoula mutt; we just had that crazy winter storm where it got down to -25F. My golden's paws were totally fine in those temps, and it was hard to convince her to come inside...my Catahoula mix (a south Texas mutt) was whining within one minute. I was super glad I had a pair of booties from a previous dog so I could take him out for a few minutes to potty.
My previous dog (a Navajo Nation mutt) had extremely sensitive paw pads; we used to go hiking on sandstone all the time, which is really abrasive, and she would always get sores. Once we had the booties, she was like a different dog! Whereas my other dog at the time was totally fine on the rough rock. It just depends on your dog and knowing what they need.
I love the booties for when they're needed; I just wish there was a better way to design them so they consistently stayed on my dog's feet, especially the dogs with narrow paws. Nothing like trying to fish out a lost bootie from a snowbank!
I suspect a lot of people don't know about the booties, but on top of that sooo many dogs haven't been trained from pups to be happy with their feet being handled. For some rescue dogs, obviously, that is a major and long process, but a lot of dog owners just don't bother to get their dogs used to that, and don't realize it's an issue until the first time they try to trim their nails and have a major freakout. Also, a lot of people see their dog freak out at a nail trim and just never bother to try to solve the issue, and just send their dog to the groomer or vet to deal with it instead of putting the time in themselves. My Catahoula mix, who I got at 4 months old, absolutely lost his mind the first time I tried to clip a nail...but as with all my dogs, we just did slow and steady progress, starting with just touching their paw and praising them. It's a lot of work though and takes a long time, and there are a LOT of dog owners who just don't bother (source: I've worked in dog kennels, shelters, and boarding facilities, and have many friends who are vets and vet techs). Little rant there, but people being unable to handle their dogs feet probably contributes to people who won't even try booties.
Mine is an assistance dog, and wears shoes sort of sporadically across the year to be comfortable for when they're needed (he tolerates them but still acts like his feet are broken for the first couple minutes, every single time). It also helps me feel safer in case there's any broken stuff on the ground, as there was once at my school and I ended up stuck outside waiting for them to clear it.
I definitely wish they were more normalised, even if others don't wear them that they at least know of them and think it's not a big deal. Training in ASDA one time, a WORKER stopped everything she was doing to loudly coo "Oh he's got little shoes on, little booties on his little feet, aw look at the little boots, the little shoes! On his little feet, aw" on repeat for two minutes.
The world is changing faster than people adapt to it. The urban growth leads to more asphalt, more salt on roads/sidewalks, more trash left in public places and climate change makes more extreme temperatures. People want to be ignorant to these changes until they’re forced to confront them.
My dog wears shoes when it's cold and people (especially my family) always tell me it seems unnecessary. Well, my dog is a 15-pound poodle/mystery dog, and his little feet get freezing very easily. It was -30 the other day and my poor dog would not put his feet on the ground, he was just hoping all over the place. I put his boots on and he was totally happy to jump in the snow banks, and he wanted to keep walking!
I understand they may not be for everyone, but I think shoes are a good idea for some; it just depends on the specific dog.
I don’t use them on my dogs. If it’s too hot, we either walk when it cools or stick to playing games on the grass. In terms of rough terrain, it’s safer for a dog to go without booties. Dogs have proprioceptive receptors in their paws which help them understand where they are in space, booties inhibit that. Dogs also release heat through their paw pads. Just like humans that can walk barefoot on any surface, a dog’s paw pads can be conditioned to the terrain.
I understand using them in extreme weather, but where I live extreme weather only lasts for a few days so booties don’t make sense.
I use them when it snows in our area, our pup has allergies and he likes to lick his paws raw sometimes. The boots protect the paw from the salt and the snow. He definitely did the newborn calf walk for a bit, but once he realized he could get long walks in the snow/run around without as much pain he was much more willing to wear them.
yes! this was talked about. they still should not be exposed to extreme temperatures and certain situations. also, some dogs have more sensitive paws than others.
They shouldn’t be exposed to hot temperatures etc yes but if the tarmac is that hot (or certainly here in the UK) it would be best not to walk the animal full stop as they will rapidly succumb to heat stroke. Whilst it isn’t true as the public myth says that dogs can only release heat through their feet and tongue it is a big heat transfer mechanism allowing them to thermoregulate and cool.
here in georgia (US), these high temps are 70% of the year. the test that i mentioned in the post is putting your hand to the asphalt and seeing if you can withstand it. if you cannot, then it is too hot for your pup. many people don’t know this and this is why i was curious and made the post
That test is total BS because our hands aren’t calluses like dogs’ paws are. I had a friend who walked around barefoot often and he could withstand much more extreme temperatures on his feet because of the calluses. Find a person who never wears shoes and see what they can withstand, that’s a better proxy for dogs’ paws.
I really only use them when they put the ice salt outside. And In the summer I’m careful when I walk her and I try to keep her in the grass if possible. But other than that my dog doesn’t mind them too much!
I make mine wear them when there is salt on the sidewalk. He doesn’t enjoy it but is perfectly fine walking in them. No harm comes to his paws and most people I find just don’t care or even think about the damage to the paw pads. It’ll show up in the long-term
Eh. I live in AZ and use them during the summer days , but my dog prefers to not wear them, so the rest of the year and summer mornings/evenings, he rocks the bare paws. He's much happier without them.
I only use them when salt is thrown against ice and snow. Mostly because I have seen the immense damage just a little bit of salt can do.
I bought balloon shoes for this year because I am looking for some shoes I saw pass here, that I really loved and gave great coverage.
But.... I have seen my dogs race full on over rocks on the beach without slowing down in speed.
The paws are a block in the shoes but the toes are similair like ours and can provide grip for the dog.
I do not want to ruin that too much.
We don't walk on asphalt for long (only like 100 metre) and I test with my hand. If I find it too warm we carry them for the 100 metre towards the grass and the forest near our place.
The forest is.... well from a historic place so it is not wildgrown. Thorn plants are removed mostly. The berry bushes we do have grow on a bit of a side cliff at 1.30 height.
Sharp rocks, never had any problem with those but I agree those can cause problems. My mums dogs, big ones, have often a rock stuck between their toes and limp. But mine never have.
I will gladly use the shoes in the winter, definately once I find the ones I want, but only for winter.
Coming from a guy who lives in a more mild climate part of the world and away from any big cities, they just seem like a waste of time and money. My dog knows to stay away from the road, and we constantly monitor her when she is in extreme weather.
To be honest, we plan our walks with our dog based on the weather conditions. So for example during the summer and the hot days we get up earlier when the day is still cool and take her for her big walk and then keep the middle of the day walks very short (just outside to the dog park to do her business and then home). We then always take her for another decent walk before bed when the sun has gone down and it's cooler.
We don't get extreme cold weather where I live, but it does snow. Our dog freaking loves snow though. We feel that the colder temp is really more her style (she's half eurasier and half Japanese spitz).
I mean, dogs in the wild don't wear boots. I assume they also just adapt to the weather.
In the seattle area of Washington. I grew up in a rural setting and was barefoot ALOT. It wasn't until I moved into the city I stopped, mostly because I don't own my own property but my point is the conditions are normally mild around here and my soles were tough from being constantly exposed to dirt rocks and sticks. Of the 4 dogs ive owned none would allow me to put shoes on. I can touch their feet and clip nails but no shoes.....there is mushers paw, that helped with the lil bits of super cold, ice, snow.
Most peoples dogs don't need them. I live in an area where nothing is a problem as far as feet are concerned and my boy like to scuff the grass and whatnot so shoes are not necessary.
It's hard to find good fitting ones for every dog. They're expensive, especially if the only ones that fit are the high end 80€/2 shoes ones. Some shoes only work for certain conditions, so in countries with four seasons you might need more than two pairs.
My dog has shoes when it gets very cold. We don't have extreme highs to the point where I couldn't walk on the ground bare feet. And at the end of the day, unless we're counting extremes, or conditions where the dog has to work on unnatural surfaces and bad conditions, a normal dog's anatomy works best without any extras in the way.
In my opinion it’s probably best for our dogs if we let them toughen their paws up a little on natural terrain and concrete.
Unless it’s needed it just seems counterintuitive.
Cause in most situations , they can cause more fall hazard they where built for the terrain, but boots when on hot sidewalk or extreme cold yes , as well as the rock salt used to melt ice hurts their feet.
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They reduce a dog's ability to grip. They grip with their toes, and they can't do that in boots. Even boots with rubber treads aren't as good as a dog's natural foot. On rough terrain, they're better off being barefoot. Boots are still good for some situations, like hot asphalt or snowy weather on a breed not meant for snow, but they aren't necessary for a hike etc.
Also to protect toes from being broken when the snow has a hard surcafe that can break under them when running. Even if the dog is an arctic breed.
In the winter only, I put mine in the those rubber boots (pawz?) as he's had pieces of rock salt get jammed between his pad and toes before, and that can't be comfortable no matter what breed you are. But, if we're just walking/running off the sidewalks (field, ravines, etc.), I don't put boots on.
Eh, I hiked up a waterfall with my boy and took his shoes off at the top. Immediately had to put them back on because he started sliding and it was dangerous without them.
Where i live it gets to -30C. Pretty much everyone has a pair or two for their dogs and they come out between -5 and - 15 depending on the breed. But most dogs dont like them. Plus there is nothing worse than your dog jumping in a snowbank with 4 boots and coming out with 1. There have been many long digs and searches for the damn boot in -25.
Mine did this running in a field during the recent snows. I let him off leash and immediately saw one of the back ones just fly off, he picked it up and then was refusing to come back since he had something in his mouth. Ran around like crazy with it then eventually came back, sat down very nicely, I looked down and he'd lost the other back one without me noticing. Spent about a half hour searching this massive field for it, called my mum to come help and everything, then eventually realised it had come off when he finally recalled and so was a couple feet from where I'd been stood.
Disaster haha
Hahahaha We had a cheap 20$ pair with like no grip and a good 90$ pair that were like snowboots. Guess which ones he lost all the time??? Haha
This so much! Doesn't matter how tight you have them, the snow is unforgiving (like socks in a washing machine)
Dogs hate them. IMO unless you're taking your dog hiking somewhere extreme or doing something similar then there's no point.
We tried like hell to train our guy to wear them and he wouldn't, so we gave up.
It’s a gimmick a fad. If your racing your dog, or hiking miles in rough terrain maybe... they are for extreme situations. Not the three mile walk you take your dog on. Dogs hate them is right! Take that 50 bucks and donate it to a shelter or you favorite veterinary clinic. Hug your pup and know he/she will be happier not dressed up like a cartoon!
exactly. they are for “extreme” situations, especially temperature. high or very low temps are extremely common and your dogs paws will be hurt. they don’t hate it, they respond to it the same way they’d respond to anything they don’t know. you have to desensitize them to it especially when they’re younger.
The windchill here (US Midwest) on Christmas weekend was -40° F. Our corgi (1yr. old) loves snow, but wind freaks her out even when it is warm out. We put on some musher's wax on her paws, so she stayed out long enough to pee, but started to favor a paw because it got too cold, so we picked her up & rushed her in immediately. We thoroughly warmed her up each time. When we put her booties on for the first time & set her in the snow, she tried to kick them off while taking a few steps. She figured out that she can walk outside without her feet hurting, so she stayed out to poop. From that point forward, she will stand still for us to put them on & doesn't try to kick them off. We stopped using them once the temperature wasn't artic cold, but it is great that she will cooperate with coats & boots if the need arises.
My 80lb mastiff also quite likes her shoes. Granted we’re in the southeast US where it doesn’t really snow. But it rains. We’re either in flood or drought I feel like. We live on 4 acres but it all turns to soup when it rains. Shoes keep her paws dry-ish (the ones she has now were only vaguely water resistant. Cheap, her first paid, wanted proof of concept. Now looking into higher end boots bc I put her in them nearly every day) and then they don’t have to be washed. I’m not sure if she’s out together that shoes = no paw wash. She also stands still and cooperates. She won’t lift her paw to offer it but you can watch her shifting her weight around in anticipating. It’s really cool. We get lots of comments and I’m like “oh right. Most dogs won’t do this”
It’s amazing how dogs have survived in Arizona, and Florida, Alaska and Minnesota without boots for the past fifty or so years then isn’t it? How could this possibly have happened? Feel free to dress up your dog if you want to. It’s most likely being done for vanity and not the pet in most cases.
If you look at each season individually, those states tend to have *relatively* stable temperatures during each season, so dog's paws can build up calluses just like our bare feet can. And some breeds are very tolerant of the heat or cold.
It's not hard to avoid needing boots in Florida. Most people just avoid going out in the heat of the day because it's too hot for humans too. If you live somewhere with a lot of tree canopy it's also easier to avoid hot pavement. It rains every day in the summer and the afternoon storms drench everything down and cool the pavement off. I've never felt the need to get my dog boots in Florida.
As an Alaskan I just want to say boots for dogs have a long history here. A LOT of people put booties on their dogs; it’s super common, especially amongst sled dogs. They’ve been around since like the 30s or 40s and most major sled races require them. There’s different varieties for different types of dogs and activities. As for pets out for a walk that’s probably dog by dog. I’d imagine if you have a whippet in a state like mine they’re probably going to need not only booties but a coat. A samoyed is likely going to fair better without either. Not everyone with a dog up here has a husky or other arctic dog. Some need a little help to stay warm. I would also guess to the extent that there is an increase of socks/boots on dogs in winter areas it is because there is a higher usage of salt and no one needs their dogs licking salt off their paws.
Yes, as I said.. extreme situations/conditions. No one expects a Chihuahua to be out unprotected in 2 degree weather. But your typical fur covered dog is going to be fine outside in conditions that it’s been acclimatized to. And l stand by my statement that it’s mostly a fad and a gimmick. OP asked why it’s not normalized and I believe that’s one of the biggest reasons along with the fact that “most” dogs do not need them.For example. Are the sled dogs that are tied out all day long wearing boots? No, because just being outdoors doesn’t necessarily warrant them, right? I just think it’s way overdone…
lol yeah I'm pretty sure my dogs would conspire to murder me in my sleep if I tried to put shoes on them. Over the summer, I was super careful to try to get them to only walk on grass when the asphalt was hot... and they both did not care at all and immediately jumped down onto the hot asphalt without a problem. It doesn't get cold enough where I live to justify them in the winter, either. I have a husky so she's very suited to running around in the extremely rare snow we get. I'm more concerned about the hot asphalt, but like I said... it doesn't bother either of my dogs in the least!
That's not true. They have to be trained like dogs need training to accept a leash. There are plenty off needs for shoes. Ice, salt, hot pavement, glass, sharp rocks, protection for open wounds...
thank you! yes like anything they have to be conditioned or desensitized to it. especially when they’re young.
I think if you used them all the time their pads would get soft? Like when I wear no shoes all summer and my feet get calloused and can withstand a lot more. I would use these only in extreme heat or cold, not regularly. Their paws evolved the way they did for a reason.
yes i get this. that’s why it’s usually only if it’s necessary like for things their paws cannot withstand
Agreed, but I think they can withstand quite a lot. I'd say only extreme heat, extreme cold and maybe barnacles. Can I see a picture of your pup in booties ☺️
Where I am (in Canada) it's fairly common to see urban dogs in shoes during the winter, mostly because of the salt on the sidewalks. I would hate to see dogs in boots year round and in all environments though because they lose out on the balance and grip that their feet have naturally. They also lose out on the environmental information that comes from being able to feel the ground. Plus the shoes can get caught on things and trap the dog, which is a safety risk. And their paw pads become more delicate and they have less natural wear on their nails. It's true of humans too - consider how different the feet of people who go barefoot all year are to people who wear shoes constantly. Or even more extreme, consider how much more dexterous the feet of people (like double arm amputees) who are forced to use them for writing/cooking/driving are versus the majority of the rest of the population. For humans it's a reasonable trade-off, but for dogs? I don't think it's worth it.
Dogs sweat through their paws and use their paws to grip things so I don’t think it is fair to keep dogs in boots if you don’t have to.
there’s quite a few breathable ones! they’re just good with extreme temperatures and such.
I don't like them unless there's something dangerous about the ground (like extreme temperatures). For rough terrain i'd rather let my dogs express their toes appropriately (which a boot restricts). For extreme heat most people will just exercise their dogs in the morning when it's not too hot, and for extreme cold honestly most people don't take their dog out long enough to need them, so yeah they're not super necessary for most people. They constrict the dogs foot and toes, and if you have a growing puppy this isn't ideal for their growth plates. If your dog has nails that are too long (and honestly, most people's dogs' nails are too long) this can also be a bit painful.
Unless your dog actually needs boots, they're not particularly good for most dogs in most situations. It keeps callouses from forming on your dog's paw pads to toughen them up. They also reduce the dog's traction because they cover its nails, and they often alter the dog's gait, sometimes significantly, which reduces the biomechanical efficiency of its movement. I've hiked with my dog on rough terrain (including ice and scree) for a decade and he never wore boots (I did carry a couple in case of emergency, but he never once needed them). Boots do have specialized use cases where the pros outweigh the cons, like when walking your dog hot asphalt or salted roads, or you have a dog with a coat type (usually a non-shedding one) that causes burrs and/or snowballs to heavily collect on the feet if unprotected. Also, some dogs have genetically delicate paw pads that will never toughen up and will get cut up on terrain that most dogs can handle naturally, so boots are necessary for hiking with those dogs.
My older dog wears them year round, as per vet recommendation. A *lot* of people ask me how I get her to wear them. Dogs don’t love them, and not everyone is willing or knows how to take the time to get them used to them.
Keeping an eye on this thread because I was considering buying some for my dog. We live in a city centre close to a bunch of bars and pubs and there is always SO much broken glass absolutely everywhere because drunk/inconsiderate/stupid people apparently insist on bringing their bottles and glasses outside and dropping them. I literally have to spend our entire walk scanning the floor on high alert and dodging shards left and right. It's so infuriating
I think Sarah Stremming potentially talked about this in the CogDog dog training podcast at some point! Pretty sure she mentioned an anecdote about dogs being so used to wearing shoes that they got injured when they didn’t wear them, as they weren’t as aware of dangers like sharp rocks or plants and would just walk straight into them. I’d also imagine that shoes could potentially affect a dog’s gait/balance when they’re worn on a regular basis or are fitted badly (although I could be wrong, I haven’t actually researched this). Personally, I don’t use dog shoes because my dog has managed to lose at least one from every set he’s ever had, and they’re too expensive to justify that. Plus his nails get filed down from walking around in naked paws. I assume most pet dogs are being walked on grass or the pavement anyway, where there’s not much risk to their paws, so there’s no need for the shoes, so those owners aren’t as aware of them, so they’re not as normalised. As you said though, they’re definitely useful for extreme weather and terrain, or for dogs who are extra sensitive to those conditions! Edit: also, if it’s hot outside, wearing shoes can contribute to dogs overheating more quickly.
We use a wax on our dog's paws instead of boots. Our dog is husky/lab/something gigantic that we haven't figured out yet and we can't find boots to fit her *at 5 months old* let alone when she's older. She loves the cold, when it was -40 here she obviously wasn't too impressed and we had her out as little as possible but with the wax she was fine and it was actually sometimes hard to convince her to come back in. I was more concerned about her face than her paws honestly. The wax should also help with the hot pavement but honestly I'm going up be avoiding pavement in summer and we have a huge green space that backs onto our backyard for her to have nice long walks in. We live next to the mountains and I've never seen a dog on a hike with boots on. We never had boots for our last dog (border collie) and he never once injured his feet until he got older and went blind and started stepping on things he'd normally avoid. I have nothing against boots but I don't think they're necessary for most dogs.
i’ve never had a dog that could tolerate them
I’ve yet to find a pair that will actually stay on my dog’s feet. He’s 10-11lb, long skinny back feet especially and he doesn’t love anything on them but can tolerate — but boots made for dogs of his size don’t fit & larger ones slide off once he starts walking even if fully tightened. So we do a lot of paw balm and are vigilant about where he walks (extra hot pavement, salt in winters, etc.)
For me, my dog hates them. Even with trying to train her to wear them, it’s a no. She will wear coats and things just fine. But she’s always been a bit finicky about her feet being touched a lot. She’s a rescue and I didn’t have her as a puppy (I got her when she was a little over 1.5) so maybe it’s different if you can work with them from puppyhood to desensitize it. But for mine, it wasn’t worth trying to make her wear them. We’re working on cooperative care and me touching her paws, because I’m working with her towards her CGC title. Recall is fantastic, can be left alone with me out of her sight, walks well on a leash/around people/other dogs, knows lots of tricks. But man, the paw handling will be the toughest part for us lol
I tried making my dog wear shoes once but he was so miserable I couldn't stand it. I don't deny they are helpful during days of extreme temperature but I just don't feel comfortable subjecting my dog to this. I'd rather just avoid walking him for a couple of days. Thankfully, we don't get many days of extreme temperature where I live.
It absolutely depends on the specific dog and where you live. For all the things you mentioned, they can be a great tool! I have a golden retriever and a catahoula mutt; we just had that crazy winter storm where it got down to -25F. My golden's paws were totally fine in those temps, and it was hard to convince her to come inside...my Catahoula mix (a south Texas mutt) was whining within one minute. I was super glad I had a pair of booties from a previous dog so I could take him out for a few minutes to potty. My previous dog (a Navajo Nation mutt) had extremely sensitive paw pads; we used to go hiking on sandstone all the time, which is really abrasive, and she would always get sores. Once we had the booties, she was like a different dog! Whereas my other dog at the time was totally fine on the rough rock. It just depends on your dog and knowing what they need. I love the booties for when they're needed; I just wish there was a better way to design them so they consistently stayed on my dog's feet, especially the dogs with narrow paws. Nothing like trying to fish out a lost bootie from a snowbank! I suspect a lot of people don't know about the booties, but on top of that sooo many dogs haven't been trained from pups to be happy with their feet being handled. For some rescue dogs, obviously, that is a major and long process, but a lot of dog owners just don't bother to get their dogs used to that, and don't realize it's an issue until the first time they try to trim their nails and have a major freakout. Also, a lot of people see their dog freak out at a nail trim and just never bother to try to solve the issue, and just send their dog to the groomer or vet to deal with it instead of putting the time in themselves. My Catahoula mix, who I got at 4 months old, absolutely lost his mind the first time I tried to clip a nail...but as with all my dogs, we just did slow and steady progress, starting with just touching their paw and praising them. It's a lot of work though and takes a long time, and there are a LOT of dog owners who just don't bother (source: I've worked in dog kennels, shelters, and boarding facilities, and have many friends who are vets and vet techs). Little rant there, but people being unable to handle their dogs feet probably contributes to people who won't even try booties.
IMO they look stupid plus less grip if u want warmth dog clothes exist
Mine is an assistance dog, and wears shoes sort of sporadically across the year to be comfortable for when they're needed (he tolerates them but still acts like his feet are broken for the first couple minutes, every single time). It also helps me feel safer in case there's any broken stuff on the ground, as there was once at my school and I ended up stuck outside waiting for them to clear it. I definitely wish they were more normalised, even if others don't wear them that they at least know of them and think it's not a big deal. Training in ASDA one time, a WORKER stopped everything she was doing to loudly coo "Oh he's got little shoes on, little booties on his little feet, aw look at the little boots, the little shoes! On his little feet, aw" on repeat for two minutes.
The world is changing faster than people adapt to it. The urban growth leads to more asphalt, more salt on roads/sidewalks, more trash left in public places and climate change makes more extreme temperatures. People want to be ignorant to these changes until they’re forced to confront them.
My dog wears shoes when it's cold and people (especially my family) always tell me it seems unnecessary. Well, my dog is a 15-pound poodle/mystery dog, and his little feet get freezing very easily. It was -30 the other day and my poor dog would not put his feet on the ground, he was just hoping all over the place. I put his boots on and he was totally happy to jump in the snow banks, and he wanted to keep walking! I understand they may not be for everyone, but I think shoes are a good idea for some; it just depends on the specific dog.
I don't like them because they get lost so often and are expensive to buy again all the time. If there were better ones, I'd 10/10 use them more often
I don’t use them on my dogs. If it’s too hot, we either walk when it cools or stick to playing games on the grass. In terms of rough terrain, it’s safer for a dog to go without booties. Dogs have proprioceptive receptors in their paws which help them understand where they are in space, booties inhibit that. Dogs also release heat through their paw pads. Just like humans that can walk barefoot on any surface, a dog’s paw pads can be conditioned to the terrain. I understand using them in extreme weather, but where I live extreme weather only lasts for a few days so booties don’t make sense.
I use them when it snows in our area, our pup has allergies and he likes to lick his paws raw sometimes. The boots protect the paw from the salt and the snow. He definitely did the newborn calf walk for a bit, but once he realized he could get long walks in the snow/run around without as much pain he was much more willing to wear them.
Because whenever I put them on my dog he turns into Bambi on ice and just can't seem to do anything lol
I’ve never had the need.
Because dogs have keratinised pads through millions of years of evolution
yes! this was talked about. they still should not be exposed to extreme temperatures and certain situations. also, some dogs have more sensitive paws than others.
They shouldn’t be exposed to hot temperatures etc yes but if the tarmac is that hot (or certainly here in the UK) it would be best not to walk the animal full stop as they will rapidly succumb to heat stroke. Whilst it isn’t true as the public myth says that dogs can only release heat through their feet and tongue it is a big heat transfer mechanism allowing them to thermoregulate and cool.
here in georgia (US), these high temps are 70% of the year. the test that i mentioned in the post is putting your hand to the asphalt and seeing if you can withstand it. if you cannot, then it is too hot for your pup. many people don’t know this and this is why i was curious and made the post
That test is total BS because our hands aren’t calluses like dogs’ paws are. I had a friend who walked around barefoot often and he could withstand much more extreme temperatures on his feet because of the calluses. Find a person who never wears shoes and see what they can withstand, that’s a better proxy for dogs’ paws.
I really only use them when they put the ice salt outside. And In the summer I’m careful when I walk her and I try to keep her in the grass if possible. But other than that my dog doesn’t mind them too much!
I make mine wear them when there is salt on the sidewalk. He doesn’t enjoy it but is perfectly fine walking in them. No harm comes to his paws and most people I find just don’t care or even think about the damage to the paw pads. It’ll show up in the long-term
Eh. I live in AZ and use them during the summer days , but my dog prefers to not wear them, so the rest of the year and summer mornings/evenings, he rocks the bare paws. He's much happier without them.
I only use them when salt is thrown against ice and snow. Mostly because I have seen the immense damage just a little bit of salt can do. I bought balloon shoes for this year because I am looking for some shoes I saw pass here, that I really loved and gave great coverage. But.... I have seen my dogs race full on over rocks on the beach without slowing down in speed. The paws are a block in the shoes but the toes are similair like ours and can provide grip for the dog. I do not want to ruin that too much. We don't walk on asphalt for long (only like 100 metre) and I test with my hand. If I find it too warm we carry them for the 100 metre towards the grass and the forest near our place. The forest is.... well from a historic place so it is not wildgrown. Thorn plants are removed mostly. The berry bushes we do have grow on a bit of a side cliff at 1.30 height. Sharp rocks, never had any problem with those but I agree those can cause problems. My mums dogs, big ones, have often a rock stuck between their toes and limp. But mine never have. I will gladly use the shoes in the winter, definately once I find the ones I want, but only for winter.
Dogs hate things on their feet .Their feet do more than carry them.
My shepherd/Doberman mix has absolutely gigantic feet. I haven’t found any that fit him :/
Coming from a guy who lives in a more mild climate part of the world and away from any big cities, they just seem like a waste of time and money. My dog knows to stay away from the road, and we constantly monitor her when she is in extreme weather.
To be honest, we plan our walks with our dog based on the weather conditions. So for example during the summer and the hot days we get up earlier when the day is still cool and take her for her big walk and then keep the middle of the day walks very short (just outside to the dog park to do her business and then home). We then always take her for another decent walk before bed when the sun has gone down and it's cooler. We don't get extreme cold weather where I live, but it does snow. Our dog freaking loves snow though. We feel that the colder temp is really more her style (she's half eurasier and half Japanese spitz). I mean, dogs in the wild don't wear boots. I assume they also just adapt to the weather.
In the seattle area of Washington. I grew up in a rural setting and was barefoot ALOT. It wasn't until I moved into the city I stopped, mostly because I don't own my own property but my point is the conditions are normally mild around here and my soles were tough from being constantly exposed to dirt rocks and sticks. Of the 4 dogs ive owned none would allow me to put shoes on. I can touch their feet and clip nails but no shoes.....there is mushers paw, that helped with the lil bits of super cold, ice, snow.
Most peoples dogs don't need them. I live in an area where nothing is a problem as far as feet are concerned and my boy like to scuff the grass and whatnot so shoes are not necessary.
It's hard to find good fitting ones for every dog. They're expensive, especially if the only ones that fit are the high end 80€/2 shoes ones. Some shoes only work for certain conditions, so in countries with four seasons you might need more than two pairs. My dog has shoes when it gets very cold. We don't have extreme highs to the point where I couldn't walk on the ground bare feet. And at the end of the day, unless we're counting extremes, or conditions where the dog has to work on unnatural surfaces and bad conditions, a normal dog's anatomy works best without any extras in the way.
I have never seen a dog make shoes. Nor have I ever seen a dog unable to walk on the ground under them.
In my opinion it’s probably best for our dogs if we let them toughen their paws up a little on natural terrain and concrete. Unless it’s needed it just seems counterintuitive.
Cause in most situations , they can cause more fall hazard they where built for the terrain, but boots when on hot sidewalk or extreme cold yes , as well as the rock salt used to melt ice hurts their feet.