Do you ever put boots on your dog when it’s cold or wet outside?
(I’m wondering how widespread this practice is among dog owners.)
Even if I wanted to, I’d never be able to accomplish the task. The vet techs at the vet’s office can’t even hold him still long enough to clip his nails. He’s very wriggly and slippery.
He does have a sweater he’s wearing right now but I don’t know if it’s doing him any good. But he doesn’t mind having it on.
Yes, especially in the winter where they will walk in street salt in the city and get bleeding paws from walking in sharp ice/frozen snow. Dogs quickly learn that they are much more comfortable with their booties on.
One of our two, Simone, is excited to wear clothes; the other one abhors wearing anything and acts like she’s been punished. I once bought some boots for Simone, who is thin-furred and hates the cold, on days when chemical snowmelt treatment is all over the sidewalk; but they did not fit her, and when I returned them to the store, they did not have any in her size; then they stopped stocking them entirely. I may yet revisit the situation and try boots on her, but it will be an experiment; she may not take to the idea.
The poll needs a “not yet but not ruling it out” option.
My mom bought my dog some boots for Christmas - this brand here:
Paws red waterproof boots:
My dog has problems with his feet in the winter. He gets snow and ice stuck to his fur and salt makes his feet hurt. He won’t walk - he just stands there looking tragic, like, “Why are you doing this, Universe? WHY???”. So it’s a hassle.
I wasn’t expecting him to put up with the boots and I wasn’t expecting them to be useful, since they’re basically just heavy duty balloons. But he does and they are! He stands patiently while I put them on and after a few minutes he gets accustomed to them. He’s cheerful and happy out in the snow, much happier than without the boots.
I only use them when the weather is brutal, though. Same with his coat. The last time he wore his coat was during Hurricane Irene. But I’ve had the boots on for his long walk during the last two days of intense cold and he’s much happier.
I do not believe in cruelty to animals.
If I put boots on our Labrador she’d be the laughingstock of the neighborhood.
I voted sometimes and this is the time I do. I don’t bother in the rain or if it is just cold out, but when I know people have salt down, I will boot her up. She doesn’t mind too much.
She does not wear a jacket or sweater, she is a chow mix, so no need.
Nope. He really doesn’t go anwhere where he would need them. I did, however, put a safety vest on him once. The neighbor we hate’s bitch girlfriend was walking his dogs one day and she was wearing one (it was dusk out) so I put one on my dog and had the husband walk him so she could see just how unbelievably stupid she looked. We were seriously cracking up. But we’re juvenile like that.
Voted never but like Sailboat above I would have voted “but not ruling it out”.
I have a Schnauzer and her leg furnishings gather snow like shit on a blanket and after about 15 minutes she has giant clumps on her legs. Thinking of taking her to Switzerland this year with us, so would also be interested if anyone could post what make they use and would recommend.
Don’t remember the brand of the first boot, but some cheaper brand at PetSmart. They worked well enough, but she was losing traction with that brand. She’s older and has arthritis, so we got her UltraPaws Durable boots, they have better traction.
No boots, no sweaters, pure nature.
I voted never, but only because I know Tasha the Wonder Weenie won’t have it, and Serge is a wuss and would freak out. I do think they are useful to keep salt and ice off their paws, but here in NC, we don’t get much bad weather and they don’t go where salt and chemicals are put down.
My brother had a set for his dogs, so one day I tried them on the dummy. He hated them, basically tried to high step his way out of them.
Kinda like kitten mittens.
It was hilarious!
Never, altho under certain conditions, I may consider it. For example, in the mountains the trails can be rocky granite gravel that will shred their pads, and a dog who is not conditioned for that kind of walking will have a lot of problems. For example, our dog is largely a couch potato, so if I plan a trip in the mountains with him, I will spend some time toughening (is that a word) his feet so he will be OK on the rocky trails.
There are booties specifc to this need you can get from REI, but I have seen them fall off and end up doing the por dog no good.
Never for cold or rainy conditions, tho.
An ordinary-sized schnauzer? (not a miniature?)
Our black pug now shivers uncontrollably when we put his harness and fleece sweater on. Inside the house. It’s Minnesota and really cold out the last couple weeks and he loathes going outside. But since we insist on him not going potty in the house, we have to bundle him up like Ralphie’s brother and take him outside. I’ve tried some booties but two flew off and the other two dropped half way off so they would just flip and flop.
I just ordered the booties Merneith linked to. I hope they give him a little reprieve.
stpauler, I’m reading the boards at work, and the thought of a pug all bundled up like Ralphie’s brother is causing me to make inappropriately happy noises. Please don’t post a picture.
No, do it! I really want you to.
Sorry yes, a miniature. And as any excuse to post a pet pic is a good excuse, here she is in the snow pre-clumping:
She really does get huge clumps building up around her feet and about 3 or 4 inches up her legs, which look really uncomfortable and which we have to remove by standing her in warm water. It limits how long we can be out in the snow with her. As we do some fairly long snow walks in the Swiss alps each year it has so far prevented us from taking her with us.
I would get her one of these:
It would prevent the snow from coming into contact with her long fur and prevent the dreaded snow clumps.