Dog Booties

[TorchTheWitch]

4. these velcro closure boots are really good

http://leerburg.com/1393.htm

Water resistant and with rubber made from recycled tires on the top as well as the bottom... with Max dragging his feet you'd want something sturdy-wearing on the top part of the boot not just on the bottom.

Measure Max's back feet when he has weight on them at the widest point (feet spread out quite a lot when weight is put on the foot) and use the sizing chart for the best fit. These boots were first made for hunting and sledding dogs with big old paddle feet, so there should be a size that will fit Max.

Max also can't wear the boots 24/7. Their feet need access to the air to promote healing and discourage any bacteria or fungal growth. If he's got some open sores on his feet now from dragging you'll want to wash the boots frequently (they're machine washable), and it's probably a good idea to cover any open wounds until they heal with sterile gauze. Dogs also regulate their temperature through their foot pads, so realize he may be more sensitive to heat and cold. The boots are really great for protection from frostbite from cold pavement, ice or snow as well as saving his feet from the jerks that throw salt out to melt ice that isn't pet sensitive (man, I really hate that crap!).

Dog boots aren't meant to go up higher on the ankle since they need free movement of the ankle joint, but the velcro closure tabs should ensure they stay on since you can totally adjust the tightness of them. The first boots I bought were from PetSmart and they wouldn't stay on at all with how they were designed to close (I think they just had a weird drawstring thingie that was impossible to draw tight enough). Of course, my bigger problem was that all my dogs HATED, HATED, HATED the boots and would have chewed off their own feet to get rid of them. If Max doesn't mind wearing boots then the velcro closure tabs should be fine for him without him wanting to figure out how to rip off the velcro and get the boots off. If it weren't for the velcro tabs that keep them on these were what I would have wanted to get my dogs, but I knew they would figure out how velcro worked in two seconds and have them off that fast since they all just DESPISED the boots (I swear, you'd think I was trying to put the devil himself on their feet with how much they hated them!).