OK, I have searched for a good dog boot for running on asphalt and
streets and have tried 4 different brands not but none really are
viable solutions. Most wear out in a week, Muttluks came close to
lasting 2-3 weeks but quality problems with stitching sometimes causes
these to be ruined within a few days. 3DBark and Boots lasted a few
days and Paw tectors lasted even less as the fit was poor no matter
what size I tried.

I run 4-5 miles a day/5 days a week with my two golden retrievers and
have to put boots on them to protect their pads. But this is getting to
be a very costly expense.

Anyone have any good ideas? Boots that work?

Thanks,

Tony
Austin, Texas

In article m,
wrote:
I run 4-5 miles a day/5 days a week with my two golden retrievers and
have to put boots on them to protect their pads. But this is getting to
be a very costly expense.

Dog mushers consider booties to be disposable items, buy
them by the 100s, and don't pay more than about $1.50 per
bootie.

Why do you feel that you need to bootie your dogs - have you
seen actual damage? Also, you'd *clearly* have a better
handle on how your dogs are doing than anyone else here but
I'd be somewhat reluctant to bootie my dogs in a really hot
place like Austin.

If you really feel that you need to bootie (for example,
when you run without them you see serious abrasion or
cracks) you can buy less expensive albeit less fitted
(i.e. they're even more likely to come off, but they're
cheap) at mushing outfitters. For running on road you
probably want ones made from Cordura. Try dogbooties.com or
mushing outfitters like mtnridge.com, coldspotfeeds.com, and
so on.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

On 28 Jun 2006 15:03:01 -0700, , clicked their
heels and said:

They have to have the boots because
whether it is 20 degrees F or 100 the concrete and asphalt wears the
paws down after only 2 days of running..after three they bleed and
limp.

Besides their pads, consider what you're doing to their JOINTS. They
don't have hi-tech running shoes (not that running is necessarily good
for human joints, even with those). Hard surfaces are hell. Why not
find some paths instead?

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

In article ,
Janet B wrote:
Besides their pads, consider what you're doing to their JOINTS. They
don't have hi-tech running shoes (not that running is necessarily good
for human joints, even with those). Hard surfaces are hell. Why not
find some paths instead?

That's a really good point, although for me personally
asphalt isn't that bad but concrete leaves me gimpy. I run
my dogs on dirt during the warmer months and not at all if
it's very warm.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

wrote in message
s.com...

I run 4-5 miles a day/5 days a week with my two golden retrievers and
have to put boots on them to protect their pads. But this is getting to
be a very costly expense.



Agree with others that the dogs need to be running on grass or dirt instead
of man made surfaces.

But soaking footpads in strong tea will help toughen them up.


--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/rules.htm

Tony,

Try this site:
http://homepages.udayton.edu/~merens...awn/index.html

Scroll down to "What kind of distances do you start with and how fast can
you build up?" where the site owner gives suggestions based on her
experience. I have no experience with this whatsoever.

René

wrote in message
s.com...
OK, I have searched for a good dog boot for running on asphalt and
streets and have tried 4 different brands not but none really are
viable solutions. Most wear out in a week, Muttluks came close to
lasting 2-3 weeks but quality problems with stitching sometimes causes
these to be ruined within a few days. 3DBark and Boots lasted a few
days and Paw tectors lasted even less as the fit was poor no matter
what size I tried.

I run 4-5 miles a day/5 days a week with my two golden retrievers and
have to put boots on them to protect their pads. But this is getting to
be a very costly expense.

Anyone have any good ideas? Boots that work?

Thanks,

Tony
Austin, Texas