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hikerjer 
Group: Members
Posts: 9239
Joined: Apr. 2002
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Posted on: Jan. 13 2013, 7:51 pm |
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So, I took our new border collie out x-country skiing today. We did almost 10 miles (we're both very tired) in relatively deep but somwewhat packed snow and temps between 5 and 10 degrees. She did great except for snatching my entire hunk of summer saugage and getting snow balled up in her paws. Last night I tried triming the hair between her pads as much as I could, but they still balled up causing her obvious discomfort. I'm think of getting some dog booties for her to wear. Anyone out there have any advice or suggestions concerning this. I'd appreciate it.
Thanks.
P.S.: Ya, I know I mispelled booties in the title, but I don't know how to edit and correct a thread title. I could use advice on that too.
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"Too often I have met men who boast only of how many miles they've traveled and not of what they've seen." - Louis L'Amour
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no_granola
minor deity
Group: Members
Posts: 12660
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: Jan. 13 2013, 8:32 pm |
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Get her used to them around the house and in the neighborhood before you go out on a long trip. Check them often for hot spots and to make sure they aren't coming loose.
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The difference between people who think for themselves and those that follow the herd is that thinking people aren't afraid of reality.
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| Post Number: 4
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fifeplayer
Group: Members
Posts: 2631
Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Jan. 13 2013, 8:47 pm |
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dogbooties.com
Or sew your own - they're really easy. Totally fixed the curse of the iceballs for my dogs... 
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| Post Number: 5
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Firedancer
Colorado Dreamin'
Group: Members
Posts: 4250
Joined: Sep. 2007
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Posted on: Jan. 13 2013, 11:28 pm |
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Check out backcountryk9.com - my new favorite site to browse 
Anything RuffWear seems to get the best reviews and recommendations, but they are pricey.
I have a pair of the REI brand ones waiting for me at the local store to be picked up, I'll report back on how they do. They were quite a bit cheaper than the RuffWear ones, so I'm skeptical, but at least I know I can return them if they don't work.
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The future is no place to place your better days.
Dave Matthews
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| Post Number: 6
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Jim Fuller
Benevolent Master
Group: Members
Posts: 3222
Joined: Apr. 2002
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Posted on: Jan. 14 2013, 1:45 am |
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A few years ago, I corresponded quite a bit with some people who raced sleds behind dogs. They universally recommended, and used, the fleece booties, which they said wore out faster than the harder ones, but were far better for the dog's paws, and are cheap. The Iditarod requires booties, and I think that almost all teams wear the fleece kind.
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Uh-Oh
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QCHIKER
Group: Members
Posts: 1741
Joined: Oct. 2009
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Posted on: Jan. 14 2013, 3:43 pm |
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If anyone wants or needs a spare one I have a dog bootie that I found out snowshoeing. It's a MANMAT brand and is 6 1/4 inches long and 3 1/2 inches wide. Just let me know and I'll send it out. I have no use for it, but figured when I found it someone might want or need an extra bootie, so I brought it home.
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MsDoolittle
Don't mess with a girl and her shovel
Group: Members
Posts: 13340
Joined: Jul. 2006
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Posted on: Jan. 16 2013, 12:52 pm |
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Interestingly enough, I'm checking out the same thing.
I found this, but haven't tried it.
http://www.entirelypets.com/mushers....d_zcASg
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TigerFan
Group: Members
Posts: 2096
Joined: May 2010
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Posted on: Jan. 16 2013, 2:47 pm |
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I got my dog the Ruffwear ones. Vibram soles. Yup, they cost more than my trail runners.
http://www.ruffwear.com/Barkn-Boots-Grip-Trex_3?sc=2&category=11
I wasn't sure how well they'd work, whether my dog would tolerate them, if they'd stay on... so I went to check them out at REI, talked to the salesperson and bought them there because she told me to just bring them back if my dog hated them.
Everytime I put them on him, I tell myself that I really have to make a video because it's an absolute hoot! He walks around the house really goofy, kind of a floppy high-step. But I have to say that they've never come off. My dog does have really big paws though.
They work well on the snow, exactly as intended. He comes sledding with us and doesn't have any traction issues going up and down hills with packed snow/ice. I would get the red or a bright color so that if one does come off, you can spot it easier. Gray seems like a bad choice to me. I take them off him as soon as he gets off the snow -- lessen the chance of him chewing them off.
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Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
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| Post Number: 14
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Ketoka
Group: Members
Posts: 153
Joined: May 2007
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Posted on: Jan. 16 2013, 3:51 pm |
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another vote for dogbooties.com
the musher's secret is a great product. WE apply it at the trailhead, and spend the time to get it between the paws. you'll want a rag or dishtowel for your hands afterward.
You can also make your own mushers secret with 6 or 7 ounces of canola oil, a big glob of lanolin and a 1 ounce bar of beeswax. mix together on low heat then set aside. I like mine a bit soft with a consistency like petroleum jelly so I'll see how it sets up and sparingly add more oil after heating up to get the right consistency.
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| Post Number: 15
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wycanislatrans
Group: Members
Posts: 2272
Joined: Nov. 2005
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Posted on: Jan. 16 2013, 9:45 pm |
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I use Mushers Secret, it works but as mentioned you need a rag (or pants in my case) and you have to reapply during the day if you cover a lot of ground.
If you can find dog boots that stay on well they are less messy.
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| Post Number: 16
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Crockett
.jpg)
Group: Members
Posts: 211
Joined: Mar. 2002
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2013, 11:27 am |
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Anyone know why wolves don't have problems with iceballs?
Perhaps they do but I've never heard of them having paw issues.
Things that make you go hmmm
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| Post Number: 17
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Firedancer
Colorado Dreamin'
Group: Members
Posts: 4250
Joined: Sep. 2007
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 10:55 am |
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(TigerFan @ Jan. 16 2013, 2:47 pm)
QUOTE I got my dog the Ruffwear ones. Vibram soles. Yup, they cost more than my trail runners. http://www.ruffwear.com/Barkn-Boots-Grip-Trex_3?sc=2&category=11I wasn't sure how well they'd work, whether my dog would tolerate them, if they'd stay on... so I went to check them out at REI, talked to the salesperson and bought them there because she told me to just bring them back if my dog hated them. Everytime I put them on him, I tell myself that I really have to make a video because it's an absolute hoot! He walks around the house really goofy, kind of a floppy high-step. But I have to say that they've never come off. My dog does have really big paws though. They work well on the snow, exactly as intended. He comes sledding with us and doesn't have any traction issues going up and down hills with packed snow/ice. I would get the red or a bright color so that if one does come off, you can spot it easier. Gray seems like a bad choice to me. I take them off him as soon as he gets off the snow -- lessen the chance of him chewing them off.
So, I bought a pair of the RuffWear Barkn Boots yesterday. I walk the dog a couple miles each morning and she was having trouble with the snow balling up in her pads.
The process was hilarious and she walked pretty funny for the first few minutes. (I only made her wear them on her front paws for the first time out)
The problem we had was that she still got ice balled up right at the top edge of the boot. She's got long curly hair (Airedale) so other dogs might not have this problem. I felt like we stopped to adjust the boots or clear the ice from the top more often than I would have to stop and clear ice from her paws. So the jury is still out on whether we keep these or not. I'll give them a few more tries...
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The future is no place to place your better days.
Dave Matthews
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| Post Number: 18
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WalksWithBlackflies
Resident Eco-Freak Bootlicker
Group: Members
Posts: 8830
Joined: Jun. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 11:10 am |
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Your dog sure likes sausage!
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When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. - Lao Tzu
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tarol
Well I never!
Group: Members
Posts: 10337
Joined: Mar. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 11:27 am |
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On a related note, are doggie booties strong enough to prevent say a cholla thorn from going through them? My parents' dog Abbey needs a pair for their tramps around the desert.
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Got elevation? www.tarol.com
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| Post Number: 20
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TigerFan
Group: Members
Posts: 2096
Joined: May 2010
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 12:06 pm |
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(Firedancer @ Feb. 05 2013, 10:55 am)
QUOTE The problem we had was that she still got ice balled up right at the top edge of the boot. She's got long curly hair (Airedale) so other dogs might not have this problem. I felt like we stopped to adjust the boots or clear the ice from the top more often than I would have to stop and clear ice from her paws. So the jury is still out on whether we keep these or not. I'll give them a few more tries...
Oliver (my dog) has long 'feathers' that do the same thing, so I trim them up to about his elbows and that's worked for us. But I'm pretty sure RuffWear makes a "boot height" version of the booties, with a built-in gaiter as it were. You might search for those.
(tarol @ Feb. 05 2013, 11:27 am)
QUOTE On a related note, are doggie booties strong enough to prevent say a cholla thorn from going through them? My parents' dog Abbey needs a pair for their tramps around the desert.
Hmm... not sure. The RuffWear ones are like wearing a Fivefingers, imo. The vibram sole is just on the bottom and the rest is fabric. The fabric is pretty sturdy and tightly woven (like the ballistic fabric on my Timbuk2 messenger bag.) Not sure that it would be cholla-proof but it's sturdier than my mesh trail shoes.
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Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
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ImmortalBen
Group: Members
Posts: 73
Joined: Oct. 2012
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Posted on: Feb. 06 2013, 1:09 am |
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My dog wears the RuffWear boots in both the desert and the snow, and on rock, and on...blah blah blah (you can just barely see them on his feet in my avatar pic). He did not like them at first, but now will come up to me and whimper and lift a paw if he wants/needs them.
You can buy socks from RuffWear for them as well, and for my dog, the socks are necessary. His boots tend to slip down just enough to hook under his dew claw, then when he takes the next step you can tell it REALLY hurts. The socks cover the dew claws, so that problem is solved.
The only other problem is that my dog is FAST so he does tend to throw a boot or two now and then. Haven't figured to a way to prevent that other than maybe use some athletes tape, but I have yet to try it. I bought the red ones and they are indeed easy to find, lol.
As far as chola, they do not penetrate the Vibram outsole, but they DO penetrate the upper mesh material. I carry a multi-tool for thorn removal, but he rarely gets into cactus anymore.
The super heavy-duty winter (tall) boots seem to be well made just like any RuffWear product, but nearly every review I have seen mentions that they come off really easily. I will be buying some to make my own judgement.
I figure if I spend a good deal of time and money to protect my feet, I should be willing to do the same for my little buddy. He probably has more backpacking gear than most people. 
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Don't protect yourself to death.
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Survival Skills 101 • Eat Better
