# Dog Booties?



## David L (Feb 13, 2004)

I've tried different brands, but haven't had success getting them to stay on my golden's feet. All have been good when they have stayed on her feet. They're fine on packed snow, but come off when she is slogging through powder. The velcro straps that tighten them around the tops of her feet are not strong enough to counter the snow resistance when she picks up her feet.

I thought of sewing on some kind of elastic straps that connect each bootie pair, front and back, over her body to try to hold them up and on, but haven't done that yet. 

I had heard of spraying Pam non-stick cooking stuff on her feet and so I tried that, but I didn't see much, if any, difference. It just delayed the inevitable.


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## Kendarflugen (Jan 31, 2006)

My Chessie has some Ruffwear booties that have lasted a while. She has the short ones and I usually tape them on with some athletic tape. The next set I get will be the taller ones. Cabelas.com sells some as does other stores with hunting dog supplies. She usually only wears them when the temps drop below about 20*F, or on desert sandstone hikes. If it's warmer and the only problem is snow balling up, I just use Musher's Secret. It's a wax that keeps snow/ice from building up between her toes.


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## Wang (Jan 2, 2008)

Mushers Secret nice I might try that thanks!


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## psu96 (May 9, 2006)

do dogs release heat/cool themselves through there paws?


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## Snowhere (Feb 21, 2008)

psu96 said:


> do dogs release heat/cool themselves through there paws?


No, they cool themselves by panting.


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## UserName (Sep 7, 2007)

Vaseline!!! 

a handler for an Avi dog said the crystals cut the feet.. teeny cuts.. Vaseline is enough protection/keep snow from adhering to paws, and dog still has the feel of the paws.. but i am sure booties are good too. Oh and this conversation was many years ago, so my memory of it is very distant, but this comes to mind

Call Copper mtn Ski Patrol, I bet they still have avi dogs there. The handelr will be able to give you more info than you could possibly want to know


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## basil (Nov 20, 2005)

Most dogs have this problem. It's not just ice. Even in soft snow, snow gets between the dogs toes. 

I tried the hair trimming on my Golden either. Didn't work. 

I've gotten bootties to work well. You have to put them on tight. And I still loose about one a season. So, I bought an extra set and carry them with me. I've bought a total of 16 booties, all different brands and they work fine. My Golden is 9. 

A Golden in the snow and back country is fun. Happy dogs.


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## Theophilus (Mar 11, 2008)

Lot's of guys who hunt over dogs know this field dog trick. You can make dog boots by cutting a piece of bicycle inner tube into a strip about 12 - 14" long. Slip it over the dog's paw like a sock, leaving about 8" of it hanging down. Fold the extra underneath the paw and up the bottom side of the leg. Tape it securely into place going round and round the leg with adhesive tape. Do not tape so tightly that you cut off the blood circulation to the foot.

read more detail here..Nebraska Fish and Game Association

BTW - if you don't already, take your dog hunting. They were made for it


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## Kendrick (Jul 8, 2010)

That's a pretty neat trick Scott. I'm sure dogs love those. Before I read that, I was thinking to myself that you could buy a rolle of neoprene and sew together some booties for them, but it'd be harder and wouldn't hold out the moisture. Maybe a neoprene sock under the inner tube boot, for the person who wants to go that extra mile


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## Wang (Jan 2, 2008)

Got some mushers secret, trying it tonight! Hope it works.

Thanks,


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## Chuch (May 23, 2008)

mushers wax works the best, no need for booties


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## brocolliboy (May 26, 2005)

+1 for Mushers Secret and trimming hair between pads. The snow still builds up, but less so.


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## Robin (May 21, 2007)

*Muttluks*

I've used Muttluks on my shepherd/retriever mix & Newfy for the last few years. My dogs have raced through all kinds of snow while wearing them for at least 2hrs while we're x-country skiing and the booties have never fallen off. My mix has big feet and skinny legs so I wrap the top part of the booties w/ vet wrap so snow doesn't get packed up against the leg or into the booties. I've used other brands and had them fall off or they're just plain expensive. I highly recommend taking a look at them on-line or in the store.

I really like the booties b/c they slip on pretty quick & I'm usually away from home and don't have any way to clean my hands off after applying any thing like Mushers Secret to my dogs feet, plus it seems to come off or not work well after 20-30min.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

We use Unpetroleum (like vaseline but plant-based) available at local health food stores. Since they lick their paws, it's nice to know it's edible. With a hair trim it works great.


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## Geezer (Oct 14, 2003)

Go to dogbooties.com great booties with stretch velcro straps.


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## Thomsboat (Dec 1, 2010)

Dogbooties.com, Awesome site. Custom make booties for sled dogs. Seriously, no one can afford Ruffwear Booties for a sled team. I have dozens of these boots. I had them custom made orange and lime green so I can find them if they strip off.

Thom


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## crispy (May 20, 2004)

*third vote for dogbooties.com*

great product, inexpensive and good service


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## Surf Yoga Bettie (Mar 1, 2010)

Try wax or an oil based petroleum...


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## conmihupa (Apr 6, 2006)

Dogs do pant to lower body temperature _in addition to _loosing heat through their feet, so it's important not to booty a dog on a really warm day as he can overheat. The iditarod competitor I handle for uses the booties for sale on dogbooties.com to protect his dogs' feet on long runs. Fit is super important though so make sure you put them on correctly.


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