Hurtta Outback Dog Boots, Granite, 1 1/4 in, 2 Pack

These (maybe three star) boots can be made into KILLER FIVE STAR boots with an easy replacement of the more or less useless original strap. The reviewers who complain that they don't stay on are correct. The problem is the strap:1) too skinny2) too long3) not sticky enough Velcro4) one sided Velcro5) the mating part of the strap is too small and is all the way at the end6) the mating surface on the boot is too small and is on the back of the boot where it quickly clogs with mud or ice, causing the velcro to lose its gripDunno what the Hurtta designers were thinking, but they couldn't have done much field testing in mud or slush or deep snow.Here's the fix:1) Buy some Velcro ONE-WRAP Roll, Double-Sided, Self Gripping Multi-Purpose Hook and Loop Tape, Reusable, 4' x 3/4" Roll - Blackhttps://www.amazon.com/VELCRO-Brand-ONE-WRAP-Double-Sided-Multi-Purpose/dp/B000LNSSVY/2) Cut the original strap off as close to the edge of the boot as you can. Use sharp scissors. Don't try to pick the stitching out with a seam ripper. It's not necessary and you'll likely just make a mess.3) Cut lengths of the Velcro according to the size of the boot. For size Small (1-1/4"), I found 6-1/2" was a good length. You want the tape to go about 1-1/2 times around the wrist with the boot cinched down tight. Too long is better than too short - it's easily trimmed later.4) Sew the Velcro to the top of the boot as pictured below. Hook side up, so the loops grab the existing hooks on the back. Just one row of stitches near the end, forward-reverse-forward. Let the rest of the strap float free over the boot. The boot opening goes on the OUTSIDE of the foot and the Velcro should also point toward the outside. The sewn end should be about halfway between centerline and inside edge.5) Trim the corners of the free end of the Velcro.6) When you put the boots on, cinch them down tight and make sure the Velcro is firmly pressed into itself.My dog is extremely energetic and goes nuts in fresh snow. He was unintentionally kicking off the boots until I made this mod. Now it's all good. I can't say he loves them, but he accepts them, and he sure hated being picked up when we walked on (painfully) salty city sidewalks.BTW, if your dog is new to boots, take it slow. I spent a week training my guy to accept them. One boot for one minute the first day with lots of treats. We worked up to four boots for 10 minutes indoors (5 days), then we started going out in the yard. The 8th day we went for a city walk on slushy sidewalks and it was SO WORTH IT to see him prance thru the nasty piles of rock salt and slush.

My blood is boiling. I am pissed off. That means I am mad. That means I am angrier than angry. Hurtta has failed me miserably with this product.Mind you, I do not only criticise, but I also give credit where it is due. You can check out my past reviews. I have praised where compliments were deserved. I also wrote a glowing review of Hurtta’s Torrent raincoat for dogs.A few hours ago, I received the Hurtta dog’s boots I ordered, and I put them on my dog. They were just far t o o o o big. And I mean BIG.Before I placed my order, I measured my dog’s front and hind paws. C-o-r-r-e-c-t-l-y, OK? I know exactly how to do it. The width of each of my dog’s front paws is 2¼”; that for the hind paws, 1 15/16”. So, I ordered a pair said to be for 2” (meant for the hind feet) and a pair said to be for 2¼” (meant for the front feet). On Hurtta's size chart, the former is designated Size M; the latter, Size L.Size M, which is actually meant for the hind feet, is usable for the front feet. Size L, which is meant for the front feet, is, I am absolutely certain, not even usable for the particular Hurtta designer’s what’s’it.Please take a look at image A. The boot on the left, made by a competitor, is rated Size 3 and is meant for paw width of 2”. It fits my dog’s front foot. The boot on the right is Hurtta’s. It is rated Size L and is meant, as stated on their own size chart, for paw width of 2¼”. Remember, the width of each of my dog’s front paws is 2¼”. You compare the difference in size, and right away you can see why Hurtta’s is just too darn big.And take a look at the extra length of the strap. Incidentally, that tape measure of mine is made in Germany and not in some Third World country; therefore, it must be accurate.Now take a look at image B. That was taken from this site. The idea imparted of the strap fitting nicely is deceiving. You can tell by looking at the upper part of the boot. The strap has not been tightened around that part!Now look at image A again. The boot on the left has two straps. The Velcro runs the whole length of each strap as well as on those parts of the boot where they come in contact with. There is great holding power. Whereas with Hurtta’s, there is only one strap, and it is held by a piece of Velcro cut out in the shape of the letter ‘H’ (presumably standing for ‘Hurtta’) fixed on the underside of the boot. Furthermore, when you tighten the upper part of the boot sufficiently to ensure a tight fit at your dog’s ankle, the strap will go in a slanting way and, therefore, it will come in contact with only part and not the whole of the ‘H’. All that means far less holding power.And you want to know what also makes my blood boil? I’ll tell you. It is a big hassle for me to return any item I order that proves unacceptable. I live in the mountains, and it is a tiring ride to and fro the nearest city and to go from here to there to somewhere else in the city to do what I need to do to return the unusable item and then later to collect the replacement. So, it is US$70+ (including shipping cost, etc) down the drain for me.You can go ahead and buy these boots to try out if it is not inconvenient for you to return something you have ordered and to wait for a replacement. And good luck to you.

So I really like these shoes, but I would advise looking at the review by Joel Schuman on Dec 26, 2017 on how to modify the shoes, because the shoes aren't staying on my dog's feet as much as I'd like due to strap issues. I am about to modify the shoe.The second important thing to know is that you really should measure your dog's feet. My dog is 10 lbs and I measured his feet. His front feet came to the 1 1/4 inch shoe, but his back feet are at 1 inch, so the smallest shoe size doesn't fit him very well. Hence the velcro modification to come.These shoes are pretty good, and I have walked in the rain with them. I wouldn't say they are waterproof, but they certainly help with mud, and I feel comfortable having them in the shoes. I wouldn't advise letting your dog walk around with these if they are going to submerge them in puddles, however.

We got these booties this past fall in anticipation for winter. We live in a city and there is salt all over the sidewalks when it snows, so we wanted good protection from salt and also a warm bootie to keep our pups paws warm in the cold while playing outside. So far we have used these booties TWICE and they are already falling apart. See pictures. Some other issues with these booties are the strap to keep the booties on is way too long- other reviewers have mentioned this and because of this the booties don’t stay on very well, even when you tuck the extra strap in. But the biggest issue for me is that the Velcro is literally already destroyed and falling off the bootie. Such a shame. We have a hurtta jacket that is wonderful but these booties aren’t worth the money.