Rain Boots

[mom42terrificgirls]

Looking for rain boots for Finny that won't fall off. He has very tiny feet, is very sensitive to grass and won't walk on anything wet. Found some Pawz rain boots on Amazon but looks like you need to buy a tool separately in order to successfully put them on. Want to make sure they're worth it. I'm also told they're good for protecting feet from hot concrete.

[Lupinegirl]

 I don't use a tool to put the Pawz boots on Nikki. I just stretch them with my fingers and keep adjusting them. They're kind of like putting deflated balloons on your dog's feet. They get snagged on toes and can pinch the pad or dewclaw if you don't get them on right the first time. But once they are on, they stay on. They get sticky on the inside though and they are hard to stretch out once they fold over and stick to themselves.  Still I have my entire set, and they came in handy when I had to put Cortizon on a bump on Nikki's foot. It kept him from licking it or tracking goo on the carpet. They balloon around the toes if they get air trapped in them so I think they would be comfy for winter walking but they may be too hot for summer walks. 

I have gotten him Great Choice cotton socks that have rubber grips on the pads from Petsmart. I don't remember what sizes they have but those get soaked and covered in grass debris really easily. 

Nikki did not like hard soled boots where he could not feel the ground under him. He fought pretty hard to shake those off, and every Velcro boot I tried came off pretty easily.  He became an expert at kicking and scuffing his feet to get rid of his booties. XD 

Edited May 9, 2016 by Lupinegirl

[sanford]

7 hours ago, mom42terrificgirls said:

...looks like you need to buy a tool separately in order to successfully put them on....

I've used these boots for a number of years with great success. They can be a challenge to put on at first, until you get the hang of it. The rubber is thick and very strong, without a lot of "give", but this is why they stay on so securely.

CAUTION: I'm pretty sure that people who have arthritis or who don't have dexterity or strong fingers would be unable to get these on their dogs!

As many people know, Cairn's have larger front paws and smaller rear paws. I measured Ruffy's front paws for fit and once in a while, when he scrapes his paws back, to kick up some dirt or snow, he will lose a boot from his rear paw.  I always watch him, so I can retrieve and reapply the boot. (Another remedy would be to buy a cairn an additional set of boots in a smaller size).

I use the boots primarily to protect Ruffy's paws from harsh salt used to melt ice on our city's sidewalks, and they are excellent in that regard, but I can't say that they are completely waterproof...Ruffy's paws are always slightly damp when I remove the boots...Holding the boots up to the light it is easy to see light coming through minuscule pinholes covering the bottoms of the boots.

In spite of this, I recommend them and think they would work for Finney.

PS. I never heard of any kind of tool that you mentioned was on Amazon and I couldn't find it there. I would be very interested to know of it if you could offer more info!

Edited May 10, 2016 by sanford

[mom42terrificgirls]

Here's the link http://www.amazon.com/Jawz-Pawz-Dog-Boots-Color/dp/B00RH0LEEW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1462983584&sr=8-6&keywords=PAWZ+RAIN+BOOT

 

Also, if I take them to Galveston, we will have to walk on extremely hot concrete three blocks to beach as I cannot carry both of them. Do you recommend a different idea to protect their feet from the heat?

[sanford]

Thanks for the link, Mom42. That tool looks like a good solution, especially for folks whose fingers aren't strong enough to struggle with the tight rubber boots, if it works as easily as the site describes! 

It's very good of you to consider the effects of hot concrete on your dog's feet. I wish I had a good solution to offer. Although not as hot as Galveston, the streets here in NYC can be burning hot in the summers, (there's an old expression, "The streets are so hot, you can fry an egg on the sidewalk"). The blacktop in the streets at the crosswalks gets even hotter. On bad days, I don't take Ruffy out in the middle of the day, but if I do, I pick him up and carry him across the streets, (which you aren't able to do) and we walk on the shady side when possible.

The site for the Pawz boots describes them as protective against heat (in addition to cold and salt). On the one hand, I'm skeptical that the layer of rubber can help, but on the other hand, any protection is good, so it might be worth a try. There are also paw creams advertised on line for this purpose. In addition to the above, when you get to Galveston...be sure to ask dog walkers/dog owners on the street what they recommend. Good luck!

[Hillscreek]

I use Musher's Secret in winter but I have read that it protects paws from hot surfaces also.

Here's the link for more info. http://musherssecret.net/testimonials.htmlIf you read the testimonials you see that though most talk about cold weather some also mention help on hot surfaces also. Wonder if it might help as a barrier on wet surfaces also?

 

[mom42terrificgirls]

Hillscreek, I do have Musher's Secret. He has chapped feet in the winter sometimes.

[mom42terrificgirls]

Okay, yesterday, we went to Petsmart and Finn tried on the XS Pawz boots that look like balloons. They were too big. For an 11-lb boy, he sure does have thin legs. Ugh. I see on internet that they do make XXS so I'll try that next time. He would not have cooperated again to try them on again. lol