Dog shoes, boots (booties), socks and other protectors are all types of dog paw-wear. Sometimes designed only for improved grip on slippery surfaces, in other cases they are designed to protect your dog’s paws as well. What are the other differences between all these then?
Dog shoes or booties/boots:
These terms cover general-purpose tough dog paw-wear – designed for outdoor or indoor use to protect paws and improve traction; there are many specialised variants available. The terms ‘dog shoes’ and ‘dog boots’ can often be interchanged without problem. Boots (booties) can reach further up your dog’s foot and some even reach up to their forearm/foreleg. They can also be short – some are more like mini-wellies. All are for outdoors protection again ice or heat, for improved grip and protection against general wear-and-tear. They can be used to protect injuries whilst they heal.
Rescue services and the Army use dog-boots, as do people running or walking a lot with their dogs. Dogs in a weak condition or those with arthritis can greatly benefit from the extra grip that shoes, boots, toe grips or paw pads can offer. Read my article Arthritis in Dogs: click here!
Fit and comfort
1. Dew claws
Some dogs have issues finding a comfortable set of boots, for example if they have dew claws. If the shoes cover your dog’s dew-claws then the claws can dig in to the foot and cause pain. Choose shoes short enough to miss the dew claws, or long and soft enough not to clamp the dew claws into your dog’s foot when you tighten them up. Always check for foot-soreness after use, especially when first wearing the shoes. Socks or liners designed to be worn under boots can be helpful to reduce rubbing and sweating, and to help keep the boots on your dog’s feet.
2. Shoes flying off
There may well be problems with fitment. Many dogs find that their shoes can fly off when running or jumping, either because of poor fit or insufficient tightening. Many shoes use a Velco strap to tighten the top of the shoe; some have zips. A boot can rotate around the paw if it’s not quite right. This could leave the grip and protective surfaces on top of your dog’s paw! Finding a shoe that fits and doesn’t come off unexpectedly is often a matter of trial and error; paw shapes and dogs’ gait vary enough to make fitting tricky; this can get expensive.
3. Buying some shoes
Ruffwear is often reckoned to be the best-quality (and one of the more costly) active-dog brand, though they have many good competitors in the marketplace. Click here for their useful guide to buying & using dog boots; they have a general-purpose ‘Summit Trex’ boot which is very popular with runners and hikers; click here to see a pair like this!
Shoes can be bought in pairs or sets of four depending on your needs. Dog socks or liners are a good idea if the shoes rub your dog’s feet in use.
For elderly or infirm dogs, Ultra Paws make a great durable indoors/outdoors soft shoe that is easy to put on (split sides with a Velcro strap) and hard to shake off, with great grip and very good reviews. click here to see an example.
Water-dogs
In water, dogs can excel but not in every case are they great swimmers! If your dog loves the water then consider a life-jacket for their safety and for your peace-of-mind. An aging dog is unlikely to have the stamina of years gone by, and could need the assistance of a flotation-aid. Click here to read my article on life-jackets.
Dog socks & sport socks:
These are soft footwear used for grip or wound-protection indoors, rather than outside use as protection – a bit like our socks! They can be elasticated or attached using a Velcro strap (vet-wrap bandage can also be used to hold them up). The sole usually has silicone shapes moulded into the fabric to provide extra grip; many dogs find these extremely useful for getting up and walking on smooth surfaces if elderly or infirm. Generally, dog’s socks will protect your smooth floors from claw-scratches and crash-landings into walls or bins from sliding high-speed dogs! One such type can be seen by clicking here. If socks prove difficult to keep on, a variant is available with a set of braces that loop over your dog to keep the socks up.
Sport socks are tougher versions of the indoor-designed socks. They have thicker soles and are usually water-resistant. Sport socks are designed for protection and grip and can be used outdoors as well as indoors; click here to see one example.
Dog toe-grips:
Dog toe grips are short synthetic tubes that press up over each of your dog’s claws, and when trying to grip on hard surfaces, the toe-grips make contact with the floor before your dog’s claws. This greatly improves traction when on hard and otherwise slippery surfaces. They are available in the USA; all demonstration videos and photos show the grips to be quite tricky to fit, with a correct position on the claw being very important to effectiveness.
Dog paw-pads:
Unlike toe grips, dog paw pads are self-adhesive and stick onto your dog’s pads to improve grip on slippery floors. They are mainly for traction indoors. As these will wear quite quickly they are often supplied in bulk-packs; they last only a few days per set, and come off easily if your dog’s paws get wet. Click here to see an example.
Conclusion
Dog paw-wear is a great solution to protect your dog or to improve their grip. They can be perfect if your dog is recovering from a paw injury and needs protection while this heals. Many people have found them a brilliant idea to help their dogs cope with slippery floors, icy or hot conditions or for extended hiking or running. Other owners have found dog paw-wear exasperating and impossible to use effectively, either because their dog’s paws are an unusual shape or size, or because the shoes tend to fall off. Persevere and I think that your dog will appreciate your efforts!
All dog paw-wear will take some time for your dog to grow accustomed to. There will be funny walking or dancing and tugging-off of the new paw-wear at least to begin with. Gradually introduce the shoes to your dog, with treats given each time they wear them – hopefully they will soon become used to the idea! Dog shoes or socks don’t last forever, but if you find a good fit – keep buying them! If the shoes make your dog’s feet sweaty then consider using liners or socks inside the shoes. This should allow more air-circulation around their feet, or maybe consider a better-ventilated design. Shoes shouldn’t be worn for longer than needed – fresh air is good for a dog’s feet as well.
