Ultra Paws Rugged Dog Boots & Paw Protectors for Small, Medium and Large Dogs Black (Size 6)

I hate to admit it, but we used to quietly think that people who put shoes on their dogs were making their pets “weak”, thinking dogs’ feet and pads were made to hold up to trekking around for miles. Therefore, even though we frequently go backpacking for several miles every trip, initially we were looking for shoes simply to protect our expensive sleeping bags and tent floor from our 80-lb Lab/Vizsla mix's toenails. In the back of my mind, though, it still needed to be something she could (and would) walk in. We had tried a couple of other products that looked more like shoes with actual soles on them, but they required our dog to land perfectly on them with every step, and just didn't stay on well at all. In the end, it was the review by "The Sween" that sold us on these Ultra Paw shoes, so we ordered them. At first, we were nervous because we tried "easing" her into them by putting one on her at home for a day, then adding another one the next day, etc. She never acted like she liked them, instead walking very strangely like she was stepping over hurdles (like most dogs do when you put something on their feet) and really she wouldn't move much once we put them on her without us coaxing her with treats. We were definitely worried that we'd spent money on another product that our dog wasn't a fan of (and honestly, we're not going to make her wear something she obviously doesn't like), especially when we go backpacking so much and she wouldn't really take more than a couple of steps in them when we were at home. Then came two weekends of back-to-back trips, the second trip being to a river with lots of rocks, and on the evening of that second trip we noticed that our dog's paws were getting cut up in places. The next morning we didn't know what else to do other than put these shoes on her and trust that she was so attached to us that she wouldn’t let us leave her behind (after all she is a Vizsla, aka "Velcro dog"). Sure enough, she followed us as we started the hike, in her shoes and all, and while she looked a little awkward for a minute, she quickly realized that these shoes gave her sore paws some much needed protection from the rocks - and once that realization hit her, she was all over the place, going faster than we'd ever seen her! In and out of the water, up the trail and then back to us again, running around us like she was a puppy again! We were so happy (and relieved) that she was obviously as happy as she was with these shoes protecting her. To make it better, these shoes stay on amazingly well! I had to learn to not be afraid about tightening them pretty tight on her feet, but when I didn’t, it just meant I was stopping her to fix one every so often because it was slipping off - they never hurt her or bothered her. Now that I tighten them so they’re pretty snug on her, we have no problems at all. We’re starting to have her wear them more frequently, and you can just tell she really loves them with how much energy she has. We seriously never thought there was actually A) a dog shoe that out there that actually worked and stayed on a dog or B) even actually a need for a dog shoe. We were wrong about so many things, and are now totally sold on these!

We have ordered these before and really liked them. They are snug around the legs because of the foam. They stay on!!

These work great for my 30lb Bischon/Poodle Mix! We don't have a yard & walks were getting dicey with all the ice/snow/rock salt they use in our condo development, we have a lot of pavement and it's a bit of a walk to get to the grassy areas where he can do his business. He started to whine and not want to walk, holding up his paws because he was in pain. I bought a size small after measuring his paws and they are perfect! It took a few minutes to get him into the boots the first time but with the help of his favorite treats, we now have a pretty quick routine at walk time. He is MUCH happier on walks even though the boots are not his most favorite thing. He has no problem climbing steps with them on and even runs and plays when outside. They are sturdy and so far have stayed on for all of our daily walks. The dual Velcro straps hold the boots on secure and the padding inside helps cushion his paws.

I purchased Ultra Paws Rugged dog boots in size large for my adult basset hound to use on snowy/salty sidewalks during our daily walks. While the Amazon store has no sizing chart, I found the chart on Ultra Paws' website, and the boots are true to their sizing. I have returned them due to poor design. Upon receiving the boots, I put them on my dog, and they fit well on all four of his paws. However, within minutes of him walking around on carpet, the front boots slide down beyond his pasterns and flew off. I attempted different adjustment combinations of the two Velcro straps (tighter and looser) following the instructions, but the problem continued. The back boots stayed on just fine, which leads me to believe that the problem is with the boot's design. These boots will not work on dogs, like the basset hound, whose paws bend 90 degrees at the pastern if the boot covers the joint. The boot has no angle or elastic material sewn into the fabric to accommodate for a steep degree of bend, so they only work well on legs that have a shallow-angled bend at the pastern, like a basset hound's hind legs, or if the pastern is above the actual boot where the fabric does not have to bend at all. To use a human example for clarification, imagine as a human putting on mid-calf boots that are straight and have no bend sewn into them for the 90 degree bend at the ankle. If you could theoretically flatten your foot in line with your leg to first get the boot on, like a dog can, the boot would quickly slide down until the top got past the 90 degree bend at the ankle once you began walking where the boot would then flop around and then fall off. That's what's happening with my dog. I am disappointed that neither the Amazon store nor Ultra Paws' website says anything about the types of breeds that can successfully use these boots. Instead, both sites and the boots' packaging claim that these boots will never come off, guaranteed, which obviously is an erroneous claim for dogs who have leg anatomy like the basset hound's. I recommend that anyone interested in purchasing these boots look at a side photo of an adult basset hound to see exactly what type of leg geometry I'm referring to and compare it to your dog's before purchasing the boots. If these boots will cover your dog's pastern and your dog has more than a 45 degree bend there, I would not purchase them. You will either need a boot that covers just the paw and not the forearm or a boot that will bend with the pastern. While my dog never wore the boots outside, I can attest that they appear to be of quality construction with thick non-treaded rubber heels that look like they should perform well on a variety of surfaces a dog might come across in city walks and going into buildings. [Update 1/4/2012: After returning the Ultra Paws boots, I tried a couple other brands. I finally found one that works very well with my basset hound. They are Muttluks "All Weather" model. Unlike the Ultra Paws, they have a flexible construction with a leather sole, nylon exterior, and an elastic cloth upper that allows the boot to flex with the dog's pastern. I've used them for a few weeks now on long walks and have not experienced any problems with them falling off like the Ultra Paws.]

They easily slip off of his feet, I have been trying to train him but it is hard when they already slip right off of his feet as soon as he takes a few steps, he's even learned that if he steps on one of his feet he can take it right off. I have strapped them tightly, moved the shoe higher on his foot, and have even tried the tape they recommended. I am not sure if is because my dogs feet are rounded and thick or user error but I have tried everything. I am determined to keep trying. They do look pretty cute on him though.

I bought these for my 155-lb Great Dane to wear all the time around our rough NYC neighborhood after he stepped on something sharp and a related infection ran me thousands of dollars - live and learn, I guess! It was important to me to find some that fit well and that he could tolerate as he's my mobility service dog and I need him steady on his feet. These were my third try; even expensive Muttluks weren't fitting the bill! When I found these, I was skeptical at the low price point and expected that even if they fit they wouldn't stay on well or durability would be lacking. He's used these every day this week in 12 inches of snow and some icy areas, and I'm so impressed! These boots aren't going anywhere - they stay tightly on the foot but the foam pads on the inside ensure that they're tight without rubbing or causing other discomfort for the dog. My boy even has a dew claw and these don't irritate it. After just a few days, he was completely comfortable in them, taking stairs and sloping snow like a pro and galloping around like usual. While I'd love to see a thicker sole with actual tread on the bottom, these heavy duty boots offer protection that's certainly better than a bare paw (read: still likely would have been enough to save my guy from a lot of pain and vet visits) and I love that they're great for year-round use; both for hot pavement and snow and salt. Obviously I can't really comment on long-term durability, but at this price point, I'm okay with replacing them every season if I need to. We'll see, though - after a week of consistent, heavy outdoor use in deep snow, these still look brand new. If you're skeptical like I was, give these a try - they're a game-changer for us!

Jax, our 70 # lab/irish setter/ Rottweiler mix is very furry ! Irish setter tail...long feathery hair,& very furry toes. EVERY time he goes outside, even for quick pee, the fur balls up with irritating ice balls between his toes. Then he begins to lick them,, only to make matters worst.This is the primary reason for getting him some boots. The first try he was very uncooperative, 20 minutes later, I won. After some dancing, we got him outside in the snow and it was beautiful !!! They stayed on, even after his usual charge at the ( Imaginary) bunnies/ squirrels that occasionally grace our yard. Did this several times and for the most part it was a success ! There always seems to be one boot that just isn"t on tight enough and need readjusting. Snow tends to gather in the small pocket that is created at the top of the foot. It melts a bit after time from the warmth of his foot and becomes a ice ball,... and he starts to lick it... GRRR. May need to add a extra layer of duck tape as suggested, Also the orange material is not entirely water proof. Gets damp from the snow that may collect at the top of the foot. I am going to spray with a boot water proofing spray, should help. Last try with these was a long walk around the block. Lots of sniffing and even some male foot scratching, these boots held up very well. He did his proud dominate foot thing several times, and when we got home & I took these off, there were no marks, thinning of material, or and kind of signs of use on the black part. I'm very impressed as Jax has some long nails he is use to digging in with. After some trial and error, I found the best was to get them on Jax was to have him completely lay down & the he let me gently slip these on him. After about the 3rd time he much more cooperative. I would definitely buy another pair of these.

Update: I have used these every summer for 6 years to walk my dog every day in Arizona when the pavement is too hot (even after the sun has gone down) and they have held up exceptionally well. They have lasted 6 summers and just now will need replacing because of regular wear and tear. I will be reordering new ones to replace. Very happy with these! My dog doesn't love them, but he loves walks, so he puts up with them and I love that they protect his paws from the hot pavement! This work amazing for hiking with the pooch! I also use them to walk my dog in the summer in Arizona so he doesn't burn his paw pads on hot pavement. At first he walked ridiculous with these things on (makes for hilarious videos you can amuse your friends with ... be sure to have the camera ready first time putting them on) but now he doesn't really mind them. They seem to be holding up well after a summer of walks and a couple of hiking trips. They are easy to get on and off but stay put even on steep trails. Just be sure the dew claw isn't getting caught when putting them on.