Dog booties, sore pads, recommendations?
Al may be having trouble with sore feet -- thin, worn pads on rough dry terrain (not snow). I'm seeking specific recommendations from people with experience, successful or unsuccessful, with dog booties or other remedies.
I do carry the medium Pawz(TM) booties for emergencies, but I'd like info on the permanent kinds. NOTE: be very careful with Pawz; if they're too tight, they may cut off circulation. For us, the blue medium size has seemed OK. Red small may be too tight.
Please let's keep this discussion brief & to-the-point. Note brand, size, size of your dog, pros & cons of your experience.
Any other suggestions for protecting or toughening pads for long days on dry trail? Mushers' Secret, pad waxes, Stockholm tar?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Snickmom on
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gee, when I saw the title of your post, I thought- that person needs to talk to John.
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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on
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The only things I have found that work for Franklin are a very thin fleece bootie with an elastic/velcro draw strap to keep them on. They were $15. I bought them several years ago don't know brand, but these ones look similar and these actually have an extra draw string to keep them on: http://www.kooldawgtees.com/blkffdogbooties.html?cmp=thefind&kw...
When I have no boots available, vetwrap works great, stays on well, but is usually a one time use type thing.
What DID NOT work: REI Ruffwear or Adventure dog boots (tried both with the dog socks that are supposed to make them stay on better), Petsmarts Muttluks and pawtectors. All these boots would not stay on and fell off within a few minutes. The Paw tectors were good for one paw if there was an abrasion, but only for short term walking and not for long walks/hikes or running.
Have had zero luck with any type of wax/topical paw protector and have tried several brands.
Here's Frank in his fleece boots:
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Permalink Reply by Beca and Mishka on
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Mishka = 28.5lbs
Ruffwear
size XXS - correct size for front feet (the ones that drag), a little large on back feet, but doable.
Moved velcro straps down ~.5" so they would cinch in a better place. Required patience, needle + thread.
Shoes soften a little with washing (this is a good thing).
Outside toes got a little fur worn off - would recommend using the socks if that happens.
NOT CHEAP. 4 boots = $65 Very high quality construction.
I think you said at some point that Al drags a couple nails? We were using these for Mishka specifically for dragging for a while and found that when the toes started wearing through (expected, since he wears his nails down) they could be reenforced with Sugru or Shoe-goo.
If you are going to use hiking, would recommend attaching small lines between shoe and harness, like the strings on kids' mittens.
Now we are using nail caps for the dragging, which are more effective (boots don't work if your spouse doesn't bother with them). Let me know if you're interested - I have a set of 4 untouched and unused (ordered before we discovered nail caps) that I can happily send you, with a set of socks. We took your rec on Darwin's several months ago and it has really worked out. :)
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Permalink Reply by Andrea De Leo on
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When I had my corgi(who had DM)I got him Ruff Wear Bark'n Boots.
I really researched.... I found them to be the best!
I found some on E-Bay for you that are a size medium and come with the liners which I recommend.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/EUC-Ruffwear-Dog-Barkn-Boots-Grip-Trex-in-B...
There are others available on E-Bay in smaller sizes if medium is too big for your corgi.
Hope this helps....
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Permalink Reply by John Wolff on
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Beca already gave us Mishka's spare RuffWear Grip-Trex(TM) booties, full set with socks! Al tried them on for size indoors, and the fit seems right. They're 2.25-2.5" wide at the tread. Al is 24-25 lbs. I'm afraid he looked quite comical -- "What's wrong with my feet!?" We'll try them outdoors tomorrow, it'll be 1.5 mi on sidewalks mostly. I'll watch the wrist to see if the velcro band needs lowering. I think I may see what you mean; there seemed a tendency for the forefoot not to slide all the way into the boot. I'll work on "idiot strings".
Over the next year, I'll do field testing on:
winter snow (not a problem hitherto)
coarse spring snow (he's had sore inter-pad skin from running to keep up with skiers)
desert sand in central Washington (as above)
trail hiking -- often smooth and soft, often rough and rocky
Stay tuned for reports in the coming year, Al's 7th. We should be undertaking a 9-day Labor Day trip again, maybe same place.
I worry that his feet will go soft with too much protection -- this may have happened over the summer, since our paved soccer field was unavailable, precluding the aggressive play that may have calloused his pads. Maybe that's why he lamed-up over Labor Day. We won't over-use these.
We backpackers are gear fanatics who get deep into the relationship between the user, the gear, and its purpose (and its price, ha-ha), and we feel good when we get it right. I always hate to add weight to the pack, but these really look worth trying out.
I may also try a product called Tuf-Foot. Anybody have experience with that?
I'll continue to carry Pawz(TM) medium, blue, balloon booties. They weigh nothing. For emergencies.
Stay tuned for field reports. Inquiring corgi minds want to know.
Thanks again, Beca. Aarf to Mishka.
John
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:)
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I love Sugru. Tiny packs, works like silly putty, cures overnight into flexible silicone. Perfect for repairing tents, camping gear, electronics, and fabric travel crates for dogs, also dishwasher safe. It is my go-to gift and stocking stuffer for all gearheads on my list.
Somewhere on the Ruff Wear site they indicate that the cinch should be between the toe/paw pads and the carpal pad. The best configuration I got followed this rule, as well as the one custom-fit orthotic "shortie" boot we had made for him (for the one paw that scrapes a knuckle in addition to his nails). The tricky part is that corgis don't offer you much space between the paw and carpal pad.
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The front straps were too high, and would slip down until they caught on where the toes widen the paw. This left too much boot sticking out like a clownshoe, and Al would trip over the toes of his forefoot boots.
I removed the straps easily with a seamripper and moved them down about 1/2", per your suggestion. I used Barge Cement as a semipermanent adhesive, may stitch later. Since the straps are now over part of the sole's tread, I ground that sole flat and rough with a grinder, for better adhesion. I made a shoe-last by sticking a thick dowel in the vise, holding the shoes on with rubber bands. Then I applied Barge Cement liberally to both surfaces, and let it dry til tacky, maybe 15 min- half-an-hour (this tacky-dry state is key). Then I got once chance to get those two tacky surfaces together in the right place. Really kneaded them together and let set 24 hrs. This is how they glue lugsoles on hiking boots. GOOD VENTILATION with Barge Cement (although the inferior new stuff has no touol). It remains flexible but it is heat-labile and high temperature can release it. Stay tuned. I may want to cut out a notch to make room for the carpal pad.
Haven't done anything with the hindfeet yet
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Permalink Reply by Donna and Lilly on
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My daughters Corgi ripped open a pad while we were sheep herding, we got some stuff called Eqyss mega tek. It was almost relief on his face when we applied it and it does help strengthen his pads. He was walking with a very very pronounced limp, but after a day of appliction, he was much much better!! I have been putting it on Lilly just to help her pads.
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