Doggie socks or boots

chickadee · ‎10-29-2010

It seems my baby has grass allergies. I've been trying to keep on top of it by washing her feet every time she goes outside, but it is becoming a losing battle. Her poor little feet bother her so much.

I'm going to have to start putting boots on her before letting her go outside to protect her feet. I'm getting lost in all the reviews for them, though. I'm not really sure which kind to get. I need a long term solution. Do any of you have to put booties on your dogs? I'm looking for some that will stay on during her walks. They should be comfortable.

After looking at a bunch of them, I'm halfway wondering if I couldn't make some with baby slipper socks and Velcro? She's gonna look so silly going around in booties. The other dogs are going to laugh at her, lol.

ceh · ‎03-11-2010

Look on Woodrowwear.com. They have all kind of socks for dogs. I purchased 2 pair for my senior dog with a weak hind end. She slips on my hardwood floors and the socks have been great. They may have a pair that will solve your problem. You can even call and talk to them and they will recommend the proper solution and size. Have you checked Petsmart and Petco? I've seen socks there but don't know if they are the kind you need. Good Luck.

Houck Jason · ‎06-23-2014

hey my cousin got a new dog with an infection in it's paw. I think maybe the dog has asimilar allergy from grass or mud or maybe some insect bit him. I think you should put some ointment at his paws and don't think what other dogs will say. I'm sure they can't laugh like humans.

chickadee · ‎10-29-2010

lol, thanks. I guess I'm thinking more about the other doggies parents making fun of ME for dressing my dog funny, hehe. They wont understand that the booties will be for medical reasons. But at the same time, I want them to look halfway decent.

I'm going to look at some today. I can't believe they want 40-50 bucks for the decent ones online. I know I can make some that will work for a fraction of that. I'd like to inspect some in person, though. I'm not going to plunk down a lot of money until I know what kind will work best for her.

Another new name Sue · ‎03-11-2010

I assume you are positive that grass is the problem.

You might want to try some children's socks first, putting them on for just a few seconds to accustom your dog to having something on his feet. (You don't want to invest and find out that booties aren't going to work.) It will take some time, so go slow. I had some rubber ones that looked like balloons, and the dog would have nothing of those! A little practice might help you decide what works and how tolerant the dog is of having things on his feet.

Don't worry about what other people think, not for a minute. What they think is their problem! Just help your dog.

chickadee · ‎10-29-2010

I'm not positive it's the grass, but it's something she's picking up outside. There is some improvement if I can soak her feet every time she goes out, but that just isn't feasible long term. A quick wipe with a washcloth isn't sufficient anymore - it has to be a full soak for it to work.

I got an estimate for allergy testing, and it was over $500! I can't afford that right now since she also needs two surgeries first. She'll have the first one in mid-July. Then I have to save a while for the next one. She's been a special needs doggie from the beginning and has already cost a fortune...she's not even two years old. We just have to tackle one thing at a time.

Good thing she's cute. ${#emotions_dlg.wub}$

Wahoogaz · ‎03-12-2010

I've used baby socks/Velcro and once I found that worked, I switched to dog boots from Neo-Paws. Have you tried giving your dog Benedryl? There's also a new allergy medicine (non steroid) out that you can get from your vet - Apoquel. My vet said they've had a lot of good results with it. Unfortunately, my dog had a bad reaction to it, so he's back on Benedryl.

~moxie~ · ‎08-13-2013

On 6/23/2014 iam4truth said:
I'm not positive it's the grass, but it's something she's picking up outside. There is some improvement if I can soak her feet every time she goes out, but that just isn't feasible long term. A quick wipe with a washcloth isn't sufficient anymore - it has to be a full soak for it to work.

I got an estimate for allergy testing, and it was over $500! I can't afford that right now since she also needs two surgeries first. She'll have the first one in mid-July. Then I have to save a while for the next one. She's been a special needs doggie from the beginning and has already cost a fortune...she's not even two years old. We just have to tackle one thing at a time.

Good thing she's cute. ${#emotions_dlg.wub}$

Sounds like you are a good and caring doggy mom. : )

TootyJane · ‎03-14-2010

Grass, according to my Vet, is a leading cause of allergies for dogs. Our dog IS allergic to grass. We started giving her grain-free dry food which is helping tremendously!!

About a year ago, our dog needed surgery. Our little girl is not a girly girl dog but she is more of a tomboy. We adopted her about 5 years ago from the Humane Society. She still had her declaws and a couple of times she got them caught and they tore and it was hard to stop the bleeding. Since she was already having surgery I elected to have her declaws removed at the same time. I bought newborn socks which she wore over her bandaged paws. She never tried to chew or pull them off. I bought a package of 6 pair so I was able to change the socks as they got dirty. HTH

BTW, your baby is not going to look silly in booties -- the other dogs will be downright jealous!!

chickadee · ‎10-29-2010

Well, I took her to the pet store yesterday to try on some boots. They only had one kind there, and they were just awful. They had a really hard sole on them and were a nightmare trying to put them on. I wont be going with those. They had another kind that looked like ballons that I might try as a last resort, but I really want her feet to be able to breathe in whateverI put on her. they sweat through their feet, so I can't see how the balloon kind would be good for long walks in really hot weather.

I am really leaning towards the baby socks. Maybe getting some non-toxic fabric coating/paint or something to cover the bottom. Maybe I can even make them pretty with fabric paints..AND semi water resistant on the soles at the same time. either velcro or that tender tape (that vet tape that sticks to itself, but not to fur) could secure them on. Maybe.

Just got her first surgery scheduled for the 17th. Egads...it's gonna be $1200. ${#emotions_dlg.scared}$ I'll think about that tomorrow...