Avoid Toxic Winter Sidewalk Salt: Dog Bootie Roundup

While we have had unseasonably warm weather in Chicago this weekend, before we know it the snow and ice will be here and the sidewalks will be covered with salt. Unfortunately for Toby, his paws are very sensitive to ice and salt. Last winter, when Toby was just a baby Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy, we tried to go for walks when the sidewalks had been salted and he would quickly start whining and limping around, trying not to touch the ground with ANY of his paws. He was so confused! "Hey, usually I can walk around without any trouble, but suddenly my paws are being bitten by invisible adversaries!"

Now, arguably Toby needs to toughen up a little, but not only is sidewalk salt (or rock salt) painful to walk on, but it is also poisonous to dogs. According to Drs. Foster and Smith, "Sidewalk ice melters like salt, magnesium, or calcium chloride can cause irritation to paws and are toxic when ingested causing stomach upsets, and if enough is ingested, nerve damage." So it is a good idea to keep this stuff away from dogs. That is why we bought Toby some winter booties to wear outside. However, after a year of wear and tear he is ready for a new set. Here are a few that we have been thinking about getting:


Pawz Dog Boots (Small)
Price: was $18.99, on sale for $13.99

These Pawz Dog Boots are like little balloons. They come in packs of 16 or so (so 4 sets), making them somewhat disposable so it doesn't matter if your dog loses one or two while on your walk (this was a big problem for us last year, Toby would get back inside wearing only 3 booties and I'd have to go hunt down the missing one). The reviews suggest they stay on the feet really well, too, since they are stretchy. And because they are rubber, they are waterproof and salt-proof. $14 seems like a really good price for them too. For these reasons they are at the top of our list. However, I'm not sure I like the way Toby would look walking around with balloons on his feet. He is such a vain dog.





Watson's MyPaws All-terrain Dog Shoes
Price: was $29.99, on sale for $24.99

These look like some serious boots! They have solid rubber soles that would again provide excellent protection against mud and salt. Further, because they are rigid in the soles, a dog's paw is protected against sharp shards of ice or glass (you seriously never know what you are going to find on the ground around here and Toby is guaranteed to find it by stepping on it, eating it, or getting it stuck in his ears). These are touted as being easy to take on and off, with two velcro straps to adjust the size to fit your dog. They also have reflective tape on the tops so a dog would be easier to see at night. They also say: "Will not retain odors." If only we could say the same for Toby!




Small Fleece Lined Muttluks in Red
Price: was $39.99, on sale for $33.99

These are really cute because they come in rain slicker yellow as well as red. Muttluks are the gold standard for dog booties. These feature a leather toe cover for larger sizes and a Cordura Nylon toe cover for smaller dogs. They also have the reflective tape to increase visibility at night. The sock-like stretchy cuff looks super comfy and would work for dogs having short or long legs. 








Hott Doggers, Red, Itty Bitty
Price: $12.95

These simple booties are the most similar to what Toby currently has. They worked pretty well for us last year, though I would prefer the nonstick surface to go all the way around because the booties keep twisting around on Toby and he ends up with the fleece part down. For some reason, Toby doesn't mind wearing booties at all and has never tried to tear them off. I guess that is one of the benefits to having an easy going Cavalier!