1. Bark Brite All Weather Neoprene Dog Boots
Key Features
Made of water-resistant, tamper-resistant, and puncture-resistant neoprene
All-weather, all-terrain design
Fully adjustable straps with safety reflective surfaces
Back slit opening for ease of putting on
Non-skid, durable, tough, yet soft sole
With inner liner for temperature control
There are many reasons why wetsuits are generally made of neoprene. Aside from its efficient thermal insulation, neoprene also affords exceptional abrasion resistance, among others. It shouldn’t be surprising, therefore, if one of the best dog boots on the market happens to be made of neoprene, too. These dog boots from Bark Brite is constructed with the finest quality of neoprene, giving your pet ample protection against snow, ice, sharp objects, wet surfaces, rocks, hot asphalt, and a whole lot more.
Unlike other designs of dog snow boots, the Bark Brite comes with a slit opening at the back allowing for a much easier way of putting your pet’s paws into the shoes. The straps also come with reflective trims, increasing your dog’s visibility to others in low light conditions. It’s got excellent traction and resistance against punctures and moisture. It clearly is the doggie boot to beat.
2. GGR Dog Boots
Key Features
Split-seam wide open top design
Super-secure Velcro straps with safety reflective strips
All-weather, all-terrain design
Non-skid, wear-resistant, waterproof sole design
Designed primarily as dog rain boots, these dog paw wear from Union Rich come with an extra-long upper forming a sleeve on your pet’s lower limbs. This should help protect your pet’s paws and lower limbs when your canine friend happens to love playing in puddles or even in snow, making the Union Rich a good dog boots for winter, too. The soles are made from extra-tough materials so you’ll never have to worry about them ever wearing thin.
Take your dog to the great outdoors whether it’s icy cold or blistering hot. Its paws will stay protected with these dog shoes on.
3. My Busy Dog Water Resistant Dog Shoes
Key Features
Anti-slip, heavy-duty, waterproof rubber soles
Adjustable Velcro straps with reflective trim
Wide split-seam opening at the top
All-terrain, all-weather design
If you love your pet dog you’ll never want it to go outdoors without these dog boots from My Busy Dog. With thick rubber soles protecting your pet’s paw pads, My Busy Dog makes for a really interesting quad of dog hiking boots. The soles come with superior grip tread patterns, making sure your dog won’t be slipping or skidding no matter how slippery the surface may be.
The large opening at the top allows for easier insertion of your pet’s paws while the reflective Velcro straps guarantee the best fit. These are dog boots that stay on regardless of your pet’s activity level or how demanding the outdoor adventure is. These dog rain boots are perfect for splashing through puddles or simply walking at the park on a rainy afternoon.
4. Canine Equipment Ultimate Trail Dog Boots
Key Features
All-terrain doggie boot design
Durable soles made of recycled rubber
Breathable, water-resistant shell
Fully adjustable straps
One of the best dog boots we’ve seen in the market is this quad from Canine Equipment. It has a very unobtrusive design which should appeal to pet parents who would like to keep things relatively simple yet fully functional. It’s the ultimate in dog boots, allowing your pet to feel comfortable during long treks. No rocks or sharp debris can ever get through its heavy-duty soles.
Of course, it wouldn’t really be comfortable to walk with recycled rubber under the paw pads of your pet. As such Canine Equipment designed the upper out of breathable mesh fabric to allow the ample circulation of air.
5. Ultra Paws Rugged Dog Boots
Key Features
Heavy-duty 1000D nylon
Secure Velcro straps
Skid-resistant, flexible sole made of recycled tires
Water-resistant, all-weather design
With 1000-denier nylon forming the uppers of these dog boots from Ultra Paws your pet will surely have a heyday in the great outdoors. Forming the sole of the Ultra Paws is a material made from recycled tires, giving your pet the kind of paw wear that will never fail at protecting it from abrasions, cuts, burns, and other forms of injuries because of direct contact with the barren earth.
The all-weather design of the Ultra Paws means this can be an excellent dog snow boots or even summer dog boots. Rain or shine, your pet’s paws will be protected from the elements. It is the combination of a comfortable upper and a durable and sturdy sole that makes the Ultra Paws such a great shoe dog to have.
6. Protex PawZ Purple Waterproof Dog Boots
Key Features
Disposable design
Made of 100% rubber
Waterproof design
If you’re tired of having to fasten the straps on your pet’s dog boots every now and then, perhaps you would like to consider this balloon-like contraption from Protex PawZ. Made from high-quality rubber, it’s a quad of dog rain boots or dog snow boots that will keep your pet’s paws well protected from moisture. It’s a disposable kind of boots that will only set you back for about a dollar apiece.
For some pet parents, the Protex PawZ may not offer enough protection against the hot pavement or even on rocky terrain or surroundings where there are sharp objects because of the rather thin nature of the shoe dog. Nevertheless, it still makes for a good alternative especially if your pet doesn’t go out that much.
7. Fantastic Zone Waterproof Dog Shoes
Key Features
Extra-wide split-seam opening at the top
Non-slip, waterproof rubber soles with anti-collision toe cap
Adjustable Velcro straps with reflective trim
Hand-washable, soft, lightweight, water-resistant, and durable design
The first thing you’ll notice about these dog shoes is the way they are designed. The Velcro straps come in an interesting white strip on a black background and lined with reflective trim. The upper is made of soft and breathable material in red color that matches well with the black sole and heel. The toes come with extra-thickened material similar to the steel toes in human work boots, protecting your pet’s nails against breakage if ever it nudges its paws into crevices and hard surfaces.
The soles are fully waterproof, complete with superior grip tread pattern ensuring your dog won’t be slipping or skidding as it frolics in the snow, ice, or rain. These dog hiking boots are perfect, rain or shine, summer or winter.
Best Dog Boots Buying Guide & FAQ
Things to Consider When Buying Dog Boots
When buying dog boots it is imperative to consider several factors. These can include the following.
- Correct size
Getting the correct size of doggie boots is crucial. If the shoes are too small your pet’s paws will feel cramped and can soon start to hurt, making walking painful or full of discomfort. If it is too large there is a tendency that the dog boots will slip off of your pet’s paws regardless of how tight you think you’ve strapped the Velcro closures. As such, getting the right size should be one of your ultimate considerations.
- Purpose-focused protection
Different dog boots come in different materials depending on its purpose. If it is for hiking in the rain you’ll need one that has exceptional waterproofing to keep your pet’s paws virtually dry.
If it is intended for walking in snow or icy conditions, then one with thermal insulation as well as waterproofing is a must. If dog hiking boots is a must because you’re thinking of trekking over uneven terrain with your pet, then dog boots with thick and puncture-resistant soles are a must. Of course, there are those that are designed for all-terrain, all-weather use.
- Adjustability
While getting the right size of dog boots addresses the correct fit, sometimes you will still need some form of mechanism to allow you to make adjustments in the way you put on and secure these dog hiking boots onto your dog’s paws. Velcro straps offer one of the best ways to fasten and adjust the fit of boots so your dog will be walking and running without the risk of getting these paw wear off of its paws.
Check out our guide on Umbrella for Dogs for more info.
Benefits of Using Dog Boots
One of the more obvious benefits of using dog boots is protection for your hound’s paws, especially its paw pads. When walking on uneven terrain, rocky surfaces, or surfaces with sharp objects, wearing dog boots can help your dog avoid getting cuts and other forms of injuries on its paw pads. The same is true with pets that venture in snowy or icy environments. Boots protect their paws from the cold surface of the ground. This also holds true during hot weather. They may be walking on scorching hot pavement risking the development of blisters.
Dog boots also help protect your pet’s paws against infection. If they already have an open wound or a cut in their paws, then covering this with boots should help protect against the entry of microorganisms into the wound while still allowing your pet to enjoy what it loves to do.
Pet parents who are very meticulous about their floors should also feel glad about their pets wearing dog boots. These can help protect home floors against the scraping of the pet’s nails. At least, you’ll be preserving the integrity of your floor.
Take a look at our review of Paw Protection Waxes for more info.
Types of Dog Boots
There are many kinds of dog boots on the market. However, most of them will typically fall under any of these 3 broad categories depending on the way the boots are constructed or designed.
- Soft-sided
As the name implies, these have side panels made of soft, often breathable materials. These afford good protection against the elements while offering optimum comfort for your pet’s paws. They resemble slippers that have thick protective soles and an upper that is made of soft breathable material. Some soft-sided dog boots also come with thermal liners to help keep the paws warm and cozy.
- Hard-sided
These offer the best protection among the 3 types of dog boots. The outer shell is typically made of weather-resistant if not weatherproof material while the sole comes with extra-large treads for the ultimate in surface traction. These are perfect for snowy and rainy conditions or even in treks over the uneven and perilous terrain. Know, however, that your dog won’t actually have a ‘feel’ for the ground underneath its paws so it will take longer to adjust.
- Rubber
These are like rubber gloves but worn on your dog’s paws. They offer the least amount of protection and should only be used when the surfaces your dog will be walking on are not littered with sharp debris that can puncture the rubber dog boots. The good news is that since these paw wear is rather thin your dog will have no issue adjusting to it.
You may also like our article on Dog Paw Washers.
Tips for Treating a Dog’s Bruised or Cut Pads
Managing your pet’s bruised or cut pads is pretty simple. First, you need to clean the wound and remove any debris that may be lodged in its pads. Sometimes swishing its paws in water should be enough to dislodge the debris. If this doesn’t work you can slowly and gently pull the debris with tweezers. However, if the debris is lodged deep into your pet’s paw pads you’ll need to bring your dog to the vet so the debris can be properly removed. Once the debris has been removed you can disinfect the wound by applying betadine or even a mild soap with antibacterial properties.
If there is bleeding you need to apply pressure. Roll up some gauze pads and put it over the wound. If you don’t have gauze pads, clean towels can be used. If the bleeding doesn’t stop with 10 to 15 minutes you should bring your pet to the vet.
Cover the gauze pad or wound dressing with an appropriate bandage. Make sure that it is tight enough to apply pressure onto the wound so that it won’t bleed, but not too tight so as to restrict ample blood circulation. The wound dressing and the bandage should be changed every day. More often than not your vet may also prescribe an antibiotic to help prevent secondary infections as well as analgesics to help relieve pain. For more options, check out our detailed review of liquid bandage for dogs.
Our Top Pick
The extra-long sleeve with super-secure Velcro straps and robust construction made of premium quality neoprene make the Bark Brite All Weather Neoprene Paw Protect Dog Boots our best dog boots in the market. While it is priced slightly higher than most, one can feel safer about the protection it gives to the paws of one’s pets. It has excellent thermal insulation lining, keeping your pet’s paws warm, cozy, comfy, and frostbite-free. Plus, the softness of neoprene is simply immeasurable, making it more like a natural part of your dog’s appendages. It may be soft yet it does a good job of protecting your pet’s paws against sharp objects, snow, ice, hot pavement, water, and a whole lot more. It truly is an amazing dog shoe for all seasons and terrains.
Protecting your pet’s paws is important whenever you do venture outside your home. After all, you don’t want your dog to injure its paws while having a good time with Mother Nature. These best dog boots should help you decide on the best protection for your dog’s paws.
