The Best Dog Shoes in 2020

Dog booties are a common accessory for dogs in both cold weather and hot weather climates. This article will review the best shoes for dogs available in 2020 and cover absolutely everything you need to know about dog booties.

Why Does Your Dog Need Dog Boots?

Many dog owners believe that a dog’s paw has enough padding to protect it from the cold weather, hot pavement, or rough surfaces. This is simply not true.

Even dogs that can handle cold weather, such as Huskies, cannot withstand walking in the snow for very long. No dog can withstand walking on hot pavement or a rough surface.

This is the main use of dog shoes. They will protect your dog’s paw pads, which are extremely important. A dog cannot walk very well with damaged pads.

There is another extremely common use for dog booties too – extra grip. Dogs are famous for sleeping on hardwood floors. Their relatively small paws combined with their nails just make it difficult for them to get a grip.

Fortunately, dog booties all offer some grip, which means your dog won’t slip all over your hardwood floor and potentially break their leg. This extra grip can also help if your dog has arthritis and struggles and slips while standing up.

Anyway, here are the top seven boots for dogs.

Dog Boots Ratings And Reviews

Ruffwear – Grip Trex, All-Terrain Paw Wear for Dogs

Product information

• Brand Name – RUFFWEAR
• Waterproof – No
• Weight – 12 Ounces
• Sizes – 8 Sizes
• Colors – 3 Colors

The Ruffwear Grip Trex is our top pick for a general purpose all-terrain paw protectors for dogs. It works great in cold weather due to the large amount of padding.

What really sets it apart from other options is the large opening. This makes it so much easier to slide your dog’s paw into the boot. Furthermore, the velcro strap is extremely tight, which allows you to take your dog in the water without their paws getting wet.

The upper portion is still breathable though. So your dog will not get any nasty infections from trapped humidity inside their shoe.

All in all, the Ruffwear is certainly the best option for a general choice for your dog. It also comes in a two-pack or four-pack, which comes in handy if you only need two booties.

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Muttluks – Original Fleece-Lined IB to XXL Dog Boots

Product information

• Brand Name – Muttluks
• Waterproof – No
• Weight – 8.8 Ounces
• Sizes – 9 Sizes
• Colors – 7 Colors

Our next pick is the Muttluks Fleece-Lined dog boots. These dog shoes are your standard cold weather dog snow boots with just about everything you need. What really makes them stand out though is the amount of sizing options available.

They have sizing options from XX-small (1.5-2.25 inches) all the way up to extra large (4.25-4.75 inches). This makes it a great if you have a dog in a more unusual size category such as a Chihuahua or a Mastiff.

Anyway, it has other great features besides the large sizing options. The leather sole, fleece lining, and reflective tape are all nice touches that really push these boots to the top. Just make sure to keep up with maintenance on the leather. It can get really gross looking if you do not properly maintain it.

Overall though, these boots are really a great option for a winter dog boot and the large amount of sizing options available means you really can’t go wrong.

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Kurgo – Step & Strobe Dog Boots

Product information

• Brand Name – Kurgo
• Waterproof – No
• Weight – No Information
• Sizes – 6 Sizes
• Colors – 1 Color

Do you like to take your dog walking at night?

The Kurgo Step & Strobe is the best choice if you do. This is because these Kurgo dog booties have an LED strobe that turns on when your dog walks. You will never lose track of your dog at night when she is wearing these booties.

The Kurgo has more than just this though. It is also a truly multipurpose dog hiking boot. You can use it in all four seasons and across just about any terrain. This includes water, snow, and hot pavement.

The only downside with these boots is that the battery is not replaceable. However, LED lights do not require much draw and the battery should last years. The battery is also encased in a waterproof plastic, which means you don’t have to worry about your pup getting shocked or the battery getting destroyed.

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My Busy Dog – Water Resistant Dog Shoes

Product information

• Brand Name – My Busy Dog
• Waterproof – Yes
• Weight – No Information
• Sizes – 8 Sizes
• Colors – 1 Color

The My Busy Dog shoes are another great choice for all-purpose and all-size doggie booties. They also come in at a great price on Amazon.

The sizing options go all the way from Chihuahua to Great Dane, which means all about the biggest dog paws will fit in these boots.

It has more than just wide sizing going for it though. These shoes also have a slip resistant sole, which makes them perfect for ice or wet surfaces. Additionally, they have a decent amount of padding to keep your pup’s paws warm when walking on snow.

Overall, these dog shoes make a great choice for those looking for a budget option. However, the slightly more expensive Muttluks is much better suited for a cold weather climate due to the fleece interior.

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QUMY – Dog Boots Waterproof Shoes for Large Dogs

Product information

• Brand Name – QUMY
• Waterproof – No
• Weight – 6.4 Ounces
• Sizes – 8 Sizes
• Colors – 4 Colors

QUMY dog boots are available on Amazon and are currently the best selling dog boots there due to their low price and excellent quality.

The main use of QUMY dog boots is not actually for outdoor use or even snow. Most owners purchase these dog shoes so their dog does not slip on hardwood floor or tile. Of course, you can still use these shoes outdoors or in the snow, but extreme weather is certainly not the main use of these boots.

The good thing is that these boots work great for those uses, which include protecting against sandspurs, hot pavement, and slippery surfaces.

We recommend these dog boots be used for those purposes and one of the previously mentioned shoes be used for more extreme conditions.

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ALL FOR PAWS – All Road Dog Boots

Product information

• Brand Name – ALL FOR PAWS
• Waterproof – No
• Weight – 7.2 Ounces
• Sizes – 5 Sizes
• Colors – 1 Color

All For Paws is a well known manufacturer of quality pet products. The dog boots they produce are certainly high-grade and have earned a spot on our list.

These boots are made from eco-friendly materials, so if you care about protecting the environment, then these shoes for dogs should be your top pick.

It goes beyond that though. All For Paws makes an amazingly good product for the toughest conditions. The extra padding, non-slippery sole, reflective strap, and hard sole all work remarkably well. In fact, this is the only dog boot on our list with a hard sole.

The hard sole is especially useful when walking on snow or other soft surfaces.

Now, the All For Paws dog booties are great, but they do have some minor inconveniences that have pushed them down the list. First, they do not have many sizes available from online retailers. This is not a problem if they have your Fido’s size, but you are out of luck if your size is not available.

The other issue is that getting the bootie on your dog’s paw can be a hassle. This is because the opening is somewhat small. Furthermore, a more intelligent dog might figure out how to remove the boot from their paw.

Despite those relatively minor inconveniences, this is still a classy dog boot for especially cold weather. Plus, you are purchasing from a reputable company with an excellent reputation for creating quality products.

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Ultra Paws – Durable Dog Boots

Product information

• Brand Name – Ultra Paws
• Waterproof -No
• Weight – No Information
• Sizes – 6 Sizes
• Colors – 2 Colors

Rounding out our list are the dog boots made by Ultra Paws in Canada. They have all the usual features you want in dog boots such as the extra grip and velcro strap.

One interesting part about these specific boots is they have patented nylon design. Basically, these boots are water-resistant.

Finally, they come in six different sizes and two different colors. The two colors are great because it gives you a little extra flexibility. Six sizes are more than enough for all the possible dog breeds. Plus, the adjustable strap at the top means that you will still be ok if the size is a little big.

Buy on Chewy.com

Best Dog Boots For Winter

All the dog shoes listed above will work for the winter. However, if you live in an extremely cold climate, then you may need special booties for dogs to handle the extreme.

The HiPaw Winter water-resistant dog shoes are exactly what you need.

HiPaw – Winter Water Resistant Dog Boots

Product information

• Brand Name – HiPaw
• Waterproof – Yes
• Weight – 13.6 Ounces
• Sizes – 4 Sizes
• Colors – 2 Colors

These boots are the best dog boots for cold weather. They have a fleece interior, which will ensure that your dog’s paws stay dry and warm. Furthermore, the boots have a special design where the two velcro wraps around your dog’s leg. This makes them dog boots that stay on even when walking for long distances. Plus, the velcro straps have a reflective plastic to increase visibility at night.

These boots also use a hard rubber sole, which makes it perfect for ice, snow, and rain.

Overall, the combination of a fleece inside, a waterproof exterior, and the hard rubber straps make it perfect for cold weather. There really is not a better choice for cold weather. These boots also come in a wide variety of sizes, so you can easily find one no matter what breed dog you have.

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What To Do If Your Dog Doesn’t Like Wearing Shoes For Dogs?

An extremely common problem with dog boots is not really the boots. It is that the dog does not enjoy wearing boots.

There are a few solutions to this problem.

First, make sure that the boots are actually fitted properly. There should be some extra space, but not too much that it causes blisters. If the latter issue occurs, there are socks for dogs to prevent it. Thus, the boots should be nice and snug. If the boots are already snug, then you can proceed to the next step.

The next step is keeping the boots on your dog and do not allowing them to chew them off. After an hour or so your dog will most likely get comfortable with the boots and stop picking at them.

If your dog still tries to remove the booties after an hour, then you have two options at that point. You can either keep the booties on until the dog becomes comfortable. This could take a long time depending on the stubbornness of your dog. The other option is using paw protection wax.

Musher’s Secret Pet Paw Protection Wax

Product information

• Brand Name – Musher’s Secret
• Weight – 60 Grams

Musher’s Secret Pet Paw Protection Wax is our recommended wax. It is a blend of different natural waxes that include beeswax (white and yellow), carnauba wax, and candelilla wax. It also has some Vitamin E to help moisturize the skin.

It is easy to apply as well. Just put a small amount on your finger and apply it to the paw. You should place it on your dog before any outdoor activity to help save their pad.

If your dog wants to lick the wax off, then hold their head until all the wax soaks into their pad. This should only take five or ten minutes. After that point, your dog should not want to lick the wax off. Don’t worry if they do lick some off though. The wax is not toxic or harmful.

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Sizing Your Dog’s Paws

Sizing your dog’s paws is something that you will have to do the first time you buy dog boots. It might sound difficult, but it really is simple to do.

Simply get a piece of paper and press your dog’s paw on the paper. Make sure that you really press down too. You want your dog’s paw to spread out the same way it would when it walks.

Next, get a pencil and trace the outline of your dog’s paw. Make sure the pencil touches the edge of the paw. You do not want to get a bigger measurement.

Once you finish tracing your dog’s paw you simply measure the length from the heel to the longest nail. Use that measurement when looking for sizes for your dog. Some companies also have a width that you can use, but the length is the most important measurement.

For reference, any height above 4 inches is considered very big. Anything under 2.5 inches would be considered small. Between 2.5 inches and 4 inches would be a normal medium-sized dog.

Some dog breeds do have relatively large or small paws, but the above guidelines should apply to most dogs. If your 5-pound Chihuahua has 4-inch paws, then you most likely traced the outline wrong or are using the metric side of the ruler.

Conclusion

All in all, dog boots serve a very useful purpose – to protect your dog’s paws. The above eight dog shoes are all excellent choices and you cannot go wrong with any of them.

Some are better suited for certain needs or dogs, but they all will work fine. And if your dog just refuses to wear shoes, then you can use protective wax to at least have some protection for her pads.

Images credits: Amazon.com & Chewy.com