Muttluks All-Weather Dog Boots

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jackdoodle has torn his paw pads severely enough to require an emergency vet visit three times now, always after a visit to the dog park and a lot of hard retrieving. In desperation, I finally bought him some boots. Although there are a lot of less expensive boots available on-line, it is really hard to figure out what they look like & what size to order; I mean, try getting a dog to stand on a tape measure with his heel exactly on the edge! I wanted to see them and try them on. Petsmart carries the Muttluk line, so I decided to take JD shoe-shopping. I'm glad I did, because although you would think an 80 lb dog would need a large, he ended up being a medium. One key to keeping the boots on is getting a good snug fit.
As you can see above, we tried them out at the romp Saturday, and they worked fine. Stayed on his feet through a lot of hard running, and protected his pads. One came off his hind foot, but a lady who also uses them advised me to tighten the velcro strap really tight...I was afraid of cutting off his circulation, but it worked great and didn't seem to bother JD at all. The only thing that bothered me (besides the fact that he looked silly and made people laugh) was the "clopping" sound the boots made when he ran. Jackdoodle was too focused on his tennis ball to notice.
I have been told that Muttluks, which is in Canada, has great customer service and will refund your money/ replace your boots if you have a problem. The website and the package info include a toll-free number. Jack's are the year-round "all-weather" version, but they also make a snow & ice fleece lined boot, too. I have already run Jack's boots through the washer & dryer and they look fine.
Muttluks are known as the "Mercedes Benz of dog boots" for a reason...these cost 45.00 plus tax. But I have to date spent about $650.00 on emergency vet bills for torn pads, so if they work, they're worth it. I would recommend these to anyone who has a dog that needs foot protection on rough terrain, or who has sensitive pads.
www.muttluks.com

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Wow, Jack, what nice shoes. I am amazed that he keeps him on. They will look cute with his coat this winter.

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

OMG!...How adorable!...and he keeps them on?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

They tell you that the dog will adjust to the boots best outdoors, and to be ready to walk right out the door after putting them on. So we practiced every day by putting them on and going out into the yard immediately to play ball. Jack would wear a tutu if you throw a ball for him. At first, the boots on the back feet kept coming off because his back paws are smaller & narrower than his front paws. (Weird, I know. Another example of his excellent genetics.) But then this lady told me you have to really keep the velcro strap tight. And that did the trick.
I was thinking he would look snazzy with his coat & boots this winter. Do you think he needs some earmuffs to complete the look?

[Diane]

Thanks for the helpful review! I've been wondering about the Muttluks as we do a lot of hiking and hope to bring our pup when he gets bigger. Also must be good protection in the snow. And they're very cute on Jack :o)

[Leslie and Halas]

Here's a pic of Jack getting his boots put on for him. I know you said he stays still because he knows he'll get to play ball when you're done, but it's still surprising that he doesn't mind them. Maybe next summer he can get special doggy flippers to wear in the water.

[Janie]

How cute they are on Jack...hope it solves your problem with his feet.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Looks like they have lights on top :) I know they are reflectors but remember when your kids wore shoes that lit up as they walked. They just HAD to have them.