This past week it has been colder than it has been in a long time in the Chicago area. Last night it was -7°. It’s been years since we had an extended period with low temperatures below zero.
Buffy, my cocker spaniel, does not like the cold or the snow. I usually put a coat on her if the temperature drops to 20° and add a sweater when it’s below 15°. I had tried booties once and she hated them, refusing to move. She usually tolerated our fifteen minute walk around the block without booties, except for those few houses that salted their driveways. Then she’d pick up her paws and refuse to walk.
I wasn’t usually one to put booties on my dogs in the winter, mostly because they didn’t stay on very well, or they collected snow at the top, which irritated my dog. Over the past twenty-five years of having dogs, I hadn’t found booties that I really liked—and I have tried many since I used to take my springer spaniels cross-country skiing.
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What worked the best was wax that I put on their paws just before we went outside. Musher’s Secret solved the 
problem of losing booties on the trail and the build-up of ice balls between their toes. If that happened, I just applied more wax. But it was messy. I always had to apply the wax right next to the door or in the car since the wax would get all over the floor. If I let the dog outside first, then it was harder, and colder, to get good coverage through snowy pads.
I had heard of PawZ disposable/reusable booties but had not tried them before this year—and I LOVE them. They stay on and Buffy tolerates them. They are a little tricky to get on since they are made of rubber and it’s like putting on a balloon, but you can work out a technique or watch some of the you tube videos. I even found that they sell an instrument to stretch the booties for you—called Paws Jaws. I haven’t tried that yet, since I’ve figured out a pretty easy way to get the booties on by having Buffy lay down.
Although the package says disposable – reusable, I have used mine for weeks, but only for walks around the block. I haven’t had any holes yet through the rubber booties. I always got holes in the fleece booties and had to spend a lot of time mending them.
With only one dog, this pack of 12 booties will last me awhile. I might buy a smaller size for the back paws since Buffy’s back paws are much smaller, but that’s the only drawback!
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Massaging petroleum jelly on your dog’s paw will be a great idea too. isn’t it?
I’ve tried petroleum jelly, but it is very messy.
I haven’t heard of this brand before, are they just for the snow? I mostly use booties for swimming because we swim in the Gulf of Mexico in the canal we have to wear shoes or risk getting paw pads and feet cut up from the mollusks and shells!
These are rubber booties, so they can be used for anything. They might work for swimming, or they might be too flimsy. They’re pretty cheap, so you might want to see if they work.
I always thought bot boots were silly, but I have never lived anywhere where it is actually THAT seriously cold! These look good, and safe, and cute too!
Great post! Poor Buffy… I’m sure the ground is freezing for her during the winter. I’ve always had big dogs, but even they can get sensitive paws when it’s really cold. I believe the brand we used was Ruffwear, but it’s been awhile since I needed to pull them out. You’re right about the challenge of keeping them on. I remember that being a constant issue with ours when the dogs would get running or playing.
Yeah, I tried multiple brands of dog booties. It’s really hard to keep them on when the run in the snow.
I love seeing dogs wearing booties. They look so adorable! It’s really a good idea for dog owners to use these – I definitely would.
The road salt really affects their paws.
I have never used booties and I think Layla would freak if I tried, living in San Francisco where there is no snow I am also fortunate although I do have for an emergency. I love watching the dogs walk with them. Those PawZ ones sound awesome and that they are made of rubber even better. Am happy Buffy is happy with them and that his paws are being kept dry.
Buffy really likes them when it is below 10 degrees and there is a bit of fresh snow. New snow just seems to irritate her a lot more.
My friend and I were just talking about these the other day! Thanks for the insider info. Definitely checking them out!
I will have to tell my Auntie about that bootie brand, ’cause she takes her doggie everywhere and they get cold winters. I don’t wear booties ’cause I’m an indoor kitty. Happy Mew Year!
Sometimes I think Buffy wishes she was an indoor (all the time) dog – especially when it is below zero!