# Doggie Boots for Running on Dirt/Gravel



## tanners_mama

Does anyone take their V to an area where there is a lot of dirt and gravel in the summertime? The reason I ask, is that several times throughout the summer we travel down to the deep woods of West Virginia for some playtime. We ride ATV's, go mountain biking, etc. I'm really excited to bring Tanner this summer, and thought it would be fun for him to join us on some rides. 

However, I do worry about his paws on the hot gravel and dirt roads down there. Has anyone purchased a pair of Ruff Wear boots (or another brand) for this purpose, or something similar? I know they are expensive but I'm totally willing to spend the money if it will help save his pads in the climate and terrain we see down there!


----------



## datacan

Sam is wearing this brand https://www.neopaws.com/catalog/neo...p-1888.html?osCsid=9prkid5s6a1i00ghmt6suh7rn5

but I noticed that sand will still go inside the boots if he runs hard on sand or snow but the shoes fit quite well. Interestingly, these dog boots are front left, front right, rear left, rear right the video on how to put them on is on You tube but applies to most dog boots. 
http://www.youtu.be/watch?v=f33bo_M8bZY


----------



## tanners_mama

Awesome, thanks for your response. I see they have a summer version of the shoe as your link stated those should not be worn in warmer temperatures. I'm just not sure when to get them, as I wanna make sure he gets used to having boots on, but wanna make sure they fit great too when we go in the summer.


----------



## Linescreamer

Just take him. His paws will adapt. Copper runs on dirt, pavement, rocks, jetties, riverbanks, snow and ice. The first couple times he may get some bleeding until the pads get callused. The pads will heel very quickly with a few licks. After that, no problem. Walk and run on pavement for a couple weeks prior and that will do it. I also carry some liquid bandage in my pack, for the occasional slice do to reeds and what not.


----------



## datacan

The trick is to put the boots on the back or front fist and make walk the dog around. Next day the front boots and so on. Don't let him think and focus at all on the boots at all otherwise it will try and take them off or refuse to walk and lie down.
I wish I had my camera the first time Sam walked around in boots. 
The how to video was really useful.
Oh, also tape the Velcro straps with hockey tape or duct tape around. 

The real reason I use the boots because of the salt they spread to melt the snow seems to dry the paws. We were promised a lot of snow this year


----------



## Mischa

We don't use them in the summer, but the salt dries out her pads pretty badly, and she runs hard on choppy ice that covers the trails. So we put them on when it's icy out.

We got a pair of 'mutt lucks' and they fit quite well. You do have to get them on nice and tight or the back boots will fly off when they sprint.

My gf got videos of Mischa's first attempt and several after that. She put the boots on and practiced recall in the house a few times. Mischa was fine after that. The footage is hilarious!


----------



## Linescreamer

We sometimes put olive oil on the pads if they dry out too much to prevent the cracking, that's about it. There is something called Mushers Secret if you really need it.

http://musherssecret.net/

Booties on a dog is just not right.


----------



## tracker

I bought Lui the MuttLucks as well, but just returned them because they were just way too hard to get on him, and he hated every second of it. 

@Mischa, i haev some video footage of it as well.... talk about rollig on teh floor laughing my head off.


----------



## tanners_mama

*Linescreamer* - so no boots even on really hot rocks and dirt? Makes me worried but I know these guys pads are made to withstand some extremes. I just worry that worst case scenario happens, we are literally in the middle of nowhere and would take close to 2 hours to get to the nearest animal hospital. olive oil on paws sounds like a good preventative, I'll make sure I have some sort of salve to bring along 

*Datacan*- I live in Buffalo and this has been the warmest winter to date! We have had 1 snow (4 inches) and that is it! I got the special dog safe salt too for this winter, oh well!


----------



## Mischa

Linescreamer said:


> Booties on a dog is just not right.


I would never put 'booties' on any dog. That is way too feminine.
She wears dog boots. 

I used to think it was pretty silly myself, but seeing her cut up pads last winter changed my mind.


----------



## Ozkar

Linescreamer said:


> We sometimes put olive oil on the pads if they dry out too much to prevent the cracking, that's about it. There is something called Mushers Secret if you really need it.
> 
> http://musherssecret.net/
> 
> Booties on a dog is just not right.


I'm with you all the way. Mine are hardened to running on their paws and they never get damaged now they are used to it. 

However, I just had to go try and find some boots. Astro's little cyst isn't healing and I need a more hardy, secure and semi waterproof covering to go over the antiseptic ointment and the bandage to keep it all clean. I have been taping orphan and old socks over it, but this comes apart halfway through a walk and a sock only lasts a day if lucky and only if we don't go on hard ground. Poor little Astro wandered up to me holding his paw up to show me the horrible sock and how it was uncomfortable this morning. He has been very good though with allowing me to dress it each day. No more tantrums like the first day thank god. 

I ended up buying some Body Glove Aqua boots as that is all I could find, but they only had Large and Small. The small one's I wouldn't have got over his paw, so grabbed the big ones. But, they are swimming on him and keep slipping down so that the sole is pointing forwards and he is walking on the backs of them. So just too big. But, once I put the bandage over the paw, it puff it up enough to make it work. Other than that, the boots look like reasonably good quality. 

But, I reckon I could make them out of a Stubbie holder (For those outside of Oz, a "Stubbie" is a 425ml glass bottle of beer, a "stubbie Holder" is an insulation device made from a circular neoprene base with wetsuit material for the side and a can or stubbie of beer slides into the top....only way to go on a hot day here in oz  ) for less. I'll cut up a pattern and give it to the ex to sew up, if they come out ok, perhaps I can make some and send them over for you guys to try next summer.


----------



## Linescreamer

2 words. Liquid Bandage.


----------



## Looney

Ozkar said:


> Linescreamer said:
> 
> 
> 
> We sometimes put olive oil on the pads if they dry out too much to prevent the cracking, that's about it. There is something called Mushers Secret if you really need it.
> 
> http://musherssecret.net/
> 
> Booties on a dog is just not right.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm with you all the way. Mine are hardened to running on their paws and they never get damaged now they are used to it.
> 
> However, I just had to go try and find some boots. Astro's little cyst isn't healing and I need a more hardy, secure and semi waterproof covering to go over the antiseptic ointment and the bandage to keep it all clean. I have been taping orphan and old socks over it, but this comes apart halfway through a walk and a sock only lasts a day if lucky and only if we don't go on hard ground. Poor little Astro wandered up to me holding his paw up to show me the horrible sock and how it was uncomfortable this morning. He has been very good though with allowing me to dress it each day. No more tantrums like the first day thank god.
> 
> I ended up buying some Body Glove Aqua boots as that is all I could find, but they only had Large and Small. The small one's I wouldn't have got over his paw, so grabbed the big ones. But, they are swimming on him and keep slipping down so that the sole is pointing forwards and he is walking on the backs of them. So just too big. But, once I put the bandage over the paw, it puff it up enough to make it work. Other than that, the boots look like reasonably good quality.
> 
> But, I reckon I could make them out of a Stubbie holder (For those outside of Oz, a "Stubbie" is a 425ml glass bottle of beer, a "stubbie Holder" is an insulation device made from a circular neoprene base with wetsuit material for the side and a can or stubbie of beer slides into the top....only way to go on a hot day here in oz  ) for less. I'll cut up a pattern and give it to the ex to sew up, if they come out ok, perhaps I can make some and send them over for you guys to try next summer.
Click to expand...

we call them beer coozies!!!!! i have a whole cupboard of them!!!! i drink beer too fast to let it get warm!!!! lol!!!


----------



## Ozkar

Linescreamer said:


> 2 words. Liquid Bandage.


Yep, ordered it online two days ago.  It should arrive Monday. Till then though?


----------



## tracker

Wish i wouldn't have returned those boots I bought for Lui.....

-30 degrees celcius here, 15 cms of fresh snow, he only lasted about 45 mins off leash and started limping a bit.


----------



## Mischa

tracker said:
 

> Wish i wouldn't have returned those boots I bought for Lui.....
> 
> -30 degrees celcius here, 15 cms of fresh snow, he only lasted about 45 mins off leash and started limping a bit.


I'd give em another shot. Mischa was out for 2 hours in the woods yesterday and it was around -25 with the windchill here.


----------



## Crazy Kian

Linescreamer said:


> 2 words. Liquid Bandage.


Having a dog's paw pads get all cracked due to dryness is one thing. Yes, a liquid bandage does help. But it does not help if they slice a chunk of their pad off on coarse, chunky ice.
I get it LS, you think dog boots are not what a dog should wear, but I also don't like my dog raising it's feet when it's extremely cold out or if his feet are burning /stinging due to excessive salt on the sidewalk and paths. It's just not fair to the dog.


----------



## DougAndKate

Interestingly enough i just saw this on CNN today. We've had no snow in the Philly area since October, I'm hoping we get some this weekend just to make our hikes with Elroy a little more fun!

Researchers in Japan recently studied the legs and paws of dogs and discovered that a “wonderful network” of veins helped quickly circulate blood from the pad through the legs to warm it back up before sending it into the body, keeping the overall temperature of the dog steady. This same network has been found in penguins’ extremities, arctic foxes and even dolphins’ fins.


http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/01/17/dogs-have-built-in-snow-boots-researchers-find/?hpt=hp_t3


----------



## Kobi

Thanks for sharing DougAndKate, that is definitely good information to know!

I still agree that the road salt and rough ice can be a danger to our dogs and should be protected against... but in fresh snow, it sounds like they will be okay.


----------



## KonasPop

never used boots so dont know anything about em'
Like the mushers secret though - good for summer (hot tar, etc) and winter salt/ice.

For gravel we've never done anything special. But you can have them carry a pack with first aid just in case there is a cut.

They are pretty tough - i think sometimes im the baby and mentally i cant cope with seeing her hurt. Then i realize she was just built for some things and to withstand and heel like kid scraping the knee.


----------



## tanners_mama

Thanks for all your responses! Seems like the consensus is boots really aren't very necessary in dry conditions, but in ice it's another story. Looking forward to those warm summers in the woods


----------



## tracker

So we got some more freezing rain here in Ottawa, and there is a good 1/2 inch layer of ice on top of all the snow that chews up their paws. 

Yesterday was Lui's bday and after i returned his muttlucks, i caved yesterday and bought them back again..LOL. after 2 hours at the dogpark he is quite used to them. Still a bit of a struggle to get them on, but he lasts way longer, plays harder, therefore sleeps more... ;D


----------



## Linescreamer

Crazy said:


> Linescreamer said:
> 
> 
> 
> 2 words. Liquid Bandage.
> 
> 
> 
> Having a dog's paw pads get all cracked due to dryness is one thing. Yes, a liquid bandage does help. But it does not help if they slice a chunk of their pad off on coarse, chunky ice.
> I get it LS, you think dog boots are not what a dog should wear, but I also don't like my dog raising it's feet when it's extremely cold out or if his feet are burning /stinging due to excessive salt on the sidewalk and paths. It's just not fair to the dog.
Click to expand...

Never let the dog run/walk on salt or anything that will burn/slice their feet. If the pads are not acclimated to the surface break them in slowly.


----------

