A Vet’s Top 5 Benefits of Dog Shoes

On our street, we are known as “the home of the dogs who wear shoes”. A little diminishing? Sure, but it’s better than the house with the bodies in the freezer. (See my bio for context.) The truth is there are several benefits to dogs wearing shoes when outside! And yet, these pet products are just so underutilized. That’s why I’ve taken to the written word, to share with you all my top 5 benefits of dog shoes!

*I promise this post is not sponsored by any pet shoe brands. However, I am accepting offers.

 

 

 

1. They Prevent Allergies

Saving the best for first – allergies. This section is especially relevant for my bulldog, pitt bull, and poodle owners. Yes, I’m looking at you (but also myself…) I know some of you are looking at your white (and pink) pitties right now and thinking, how’d he know?

This post won’t go into too much scientific detail, but there are three main types of allergies in dogs. Food allergies, contact allergies (contact dermatitis), and atopy (atopic dermatitis). Contact and atopic dermatitis are a bit complicated to differentiate in this post. Just think of them being subsets of environmental allergies. And what is the one environmental allergy that most comes to mind when thinking of itchy pets?

Did you say GRASS? Good job, you’re basically a vet now. And what is a sure fire way to reduce contact with grass? I hope you said shoes. If not, I’m revoking the diploma I just gave you.

Of course, allergies are certainly not restricted to those breeds I called out above. If you’re unsure, symptoms can range from excessively licking, hot spots, to chronic ear infections. If this sounds like your pet, consider using some protective dog shoes for a few weeks. And of course, speak with your own vet too to rule out other potential causes.

2. They Promote Obedience

Daily, I urge my new puppy clients to mess with their pets’ feet, ears and rears. Nothing weird. Frequent touch acclimates their more vulnerable areas to said touch. This is turn prevents fearfulness of necessary procedures such as nail trims, ear cleanings, and anal gland expressions.

Using shoes can help with this in a big way. By repeatedly placing shoes on your pup, they likewise become desensitized to their feet and legs being lifted. Furthermore, you can combine these actions with a positive reward system (offering treats, petting, etc). Not only does this become an exercise in obedience training, but it ultimately helps strengthen your bond with your pet.

This is not restricted to puppies. If you have a foot-shy older doggo, fear not. Although, I wish that I could time travel and offer you this advice sooner, this advice applies to pets of all ages. Albeit it may be a bit more of a battle. Please do exercise your best judgement. If your dog responds aggressively, please do not proceed or consider consulting a behaviorist to assist you.

3. They Protect Paws

So, this one is pretty obvious. But take it from me, there are many unique ways shoes can be helpful in preventing injuries.

My berner, Obvi, has huge paws. With that comes huge spaces between his paw pads, with plenty of room for things to lodge themselves. Things like gumballs. Those awful spiky balls that rain down from sweetgum trees and are impossibly annoying to pick up. If you know, you know. However, there are many things that can find themselves wedged into your pup’s feet, like sticks, or worst of all – grass awns.

One of the most common injuries I see in clinic are broken toe nails. These can be very painful, and commonly occur from being caught when running or jumping. Both of which can be prevented by wearing shoes. However, not only can shoes help prevent injuries, shoes can help protect injuries. Maybe your dog had a mass removed from her foot, or your pup had his dewclaws removed. Shoes can help keep the wound from becoming contaminated, or keep your pet from removing the sutures, delaying healing.

The last, often overlooked, use for shoes is extreme weather conditions. Dogs paws may seem tougher than our own skin, but they are just as easily burned. In fact, the pavement can reach temperatures of over 105 F (40 C) when it is 85 F (30 C) out. This is hot enough to burn the sensitive skin on a dog’s foot, causing first and potentially second degree burns if contact is long enough. Heat isn’t the only concern. While dogs are more efficient at keeping their feet warm, prolonged time in the snow can lead to frostbite and other injuries.

4. They Prevent Infections

You know those mop commercials where the muddy dog runs through the home leaving a trail of germ-laden pawprints? That’s my worst nightmare. That, and sea monsters.  Why allow your dog to get things dirty, just to make extra work for yourself? If you’re like me, this causes unnecessary stress and extreme frustration. In worst case scenarios it can even harm your bond with your pet.

In our home, shoes come off at the door to stay with all of the outdoor grime. And this same logic applies to our dogs’ shoes. Now you may be thinking, “I wipe my dog’s feet well, they don’t need shoes.” Well, that’s fine for removing superficial dirt and debris, but it isn’t actually cleaning the paws. There are a plethora of potentially harmful microorganisms that live in the soil, such as giardia, salmonella and E. coli, amongst others. And there’s no telling what kinds of other bacteria ridden material they wander through while outside, sometimes including their own feces!  In fact, many of these organisms are infective to pets and to humans, many times causing gastrointestinal or other diseases.

That’s not even the grossest of all. There are other parasites in the soil such as hookworms which can actually enter dogs through their paws. This is called cutaneous larval migrans. The worms can then travel through your dog and be released back into the environment. These worms can then either repeat the cycle or actually enter human skin if barefoot. Now if you’re dog is on a heartworm/hookworm monthly medication, this may not be as much of a concern. However, if they are not, then 1) read my heartworm post and 2) buy some shoes pronto.

 

5. They Stand Out

It’s time for my final benefit. The truth is, dogs in shoes are just plain cuter! Shoes on dogs are eye-catching. Not a day goes by that our dogs get compliments from passersby.

No, in all seriousness, there are still some benefits you may not have considered. For one, many dog shoes come with reflective fabric. This is very beneficial for avoiding cars or other obstacles in low light settings. Or even for finding your own dog at night in your own yard… Once again, I speak from experience.

Additionally, it can be helpful for people to recognize your dogs by their shoes. As I said in the beginning of this post, our house has a reputation. It has come in handy though. When one of my dogs lost their shoe on a walk, a neighbor returned it to us purely because they recognized the shoe. Now imagine if your dog was lost without a collar, someone may be able to identify them based on the fact that they have shoes on. Or at the very least, recognize that they have an owner at all, who is probably panically searching for them.

What Shoes are Best?

As far as shoe brands go, my personal favorite is Arcadia Trail. They tend to stay on the best for my dogs, but keep in mind I do replace them every month or two as they can get worn quickly. These are often carried at your local pet store, such as Petsmart. My 120 pounds Bernese mountain dog wears size XXL, and my 50 pound bernedoodle wears size L for reference. I would personally not use the rubber shoes as they can cut off circulation if too tight.

I hope I have convinced you to try shoes on your own dog. And If not, I hope you at least pass off this knowledge to someone you know.

Cheers.