How do I choose booties for my dog?
Whether on a walk, during training, or in a race, some surfaces can cause wear or injury to your dogs' paws and pads. That is why Inlandsis developed 3 models of dog booties to protect their paws whenever necessary.
Whether participating in sports with your dog (mushing, canicross, bikejoring, ...) or going for a walk, dog booties (also called boots, slippers, or dog shoes) provide essential protection for dogs' paws and pads. In winter, snow can be abrasive on paws, and painful ice balls can form between the pads. On dirt, rocky ground poses a risk of cuts for your dog. Concrete, stabilized surfaces, and paved roads are abrasive and can become very hot in the sun.
Choosing the right booties for your dogs
There are various solutions for protecting your dog's paws and pads. While actual boots or shoes for dogs do exist, the flexible bootie, an essential part of mushing in winter and harness dog sports in general, remains the most widely used option. You still need to choose a model suited to the type of ground on which you practice and the right size.
At Inlandsis, we offer 3 bootie models providing protection and comfort for all surfaces and types of use: the Snowmax, the Fast'n Light 1000, and the Armor bootie.
The range of Inlandsis dog booties: Armor, Fast'n Light, Snowmax
Three Inlandsis bootie models for every situation:
Snowmax bootie
Designed for:
- Fresh or soft snow
- Groomed trails
- Skijoring
- Sprint, mid-distance, or long-distance sledding
The Inlandsis Snowmax bootie is designed for training and racing on snow in skijoring and sprint, mid-distance, or long-distance sledding. It was specifically designed for use on snow, preferably on groomed trails or fresh/soft snow. Thinner and more flexible than our Fast'n Light bootie, it gives the dog maximum freedom of movement.
For off-trail and/or non-snow use, we recommend the Inlandsis Fast'n Light or Inlandsis Armor booties instead.
- Very supple fabric for a natural stride and good grip, while providing good resistance to abrasion and punctures.
- Stay perfectly in place without restricting blood flow thanks to the adjustable stretch Velcro fastening.
- The Velcro color is different for each size for quick identification.
Fast'n Light™ bootie
Designed for:
- Dirt, icy snow
- Rocky trails
- Moderately aggressive terrain
- Harness racing and dynamic activities
The Fast'n Light™ dog bootie is ideal for harness racing and any dynamic activity on terrain that is moderately abrasive to the dog's paw pads: dirt, icy snow, gravel paths, etc ...
Made from 1000-denier Cordura, the Fast'n Light 1000™ bootie is flexible and lightweight so it does not hinder the dog, and offers very satisfactory durability (product lifespan varies depending on use: the dog's size, outing duration, type of terrain, etc ...).
- Flexible and durable Cordura™ 1000-denier fabric.
- Fastening with Velstretch™ elastic Velcro.
- The Velcro color varies according to size for easy identification of the product size.
Armor Bootie
Designed for:
- Abrasive terrain
- Enhanced protection
- Long lifespan
- Harness racing and dynamic activities
Multi-activity dog booties, flexible and durable.
The Inlandsis Armor booties (patent pending) are made with our exclusive, innovative, extremely durable fabric, giving them a lifespan 6 to 8 times longer than standard Cordura 1000 booties, with a slightly greater thickness.
Ideal for harness racing and dynamic activities with your pet on abrasive terrain: dirt, icy snow, gravel paths, compacted surfaces, etc ...
- Cordura 1000 fabric that is both flexible and extremely durable.
- They stay perfectly in place without restricting the dog's blood circulation thanks to the adjustable elastic Velcro fastening.
- Water-repellent, they protect against splashes but not heavy showers.
- The Velcro color is different for each size for quick identification.
Good to know: The more dynamic the activity, the tighter the Velcro needs to be. For very dynamic activities (harness racing, off-leash running), do not hesitate to tighten it firmly, then remember to remove the booties as soon as the activity is over. These booties should be considered consumable items. Their lifespan may vary depending on the dog's size, the activity, and the terrain. We recommend trimming your dog's claws to maximize their lifespan.
Good to know: The more dynamic the activity, the tighter the Velcro needs to be. For very dynamic activities (harness racing, off-leash running), do not hesitate to tighten it firmly, then remember to remove the booties as soon as the activity is over. These booties should be considered consumable items. Their lifespan may vary depending on the dog's size, the activity, and the terrain. We recommend trimming your dog's claws to maximize their lifespan.
Choosing the right boot size for your dog
Here is the Inlandsis boot size chart, valid for our 3 models:
Warning! Paw size is not necessarily correlated with the dog’s size. The weights given above are purely indicative.
If your dog’s paw is between 2 sizes, you can choose the larger boot size.
How to measure your dog’s paw width
-
- Have the dog stand on a flat surface
- Place a piece of paper under the paw to be measured (example: right front paw)
- Lift the opposite paw (example: left front paw) so that its weight rests on the paw being measured
- Make 2 small marks on either side of the widest part of the paw
- Measure and compare with the size chart
- Repeat the process for the rear paws, which are often smaller!
- If your dog’s paw width falls between 2 boot sizes, you can choose the larger size.
For example, we measured the width of Elva’s paws at 6.5 cm for the front paws and 5.5 cm for the rear paws. She therefore needs size L boots on the front and size M on the rear.
How to care for your dog’s boots
For greater durability and your dog’s comfort, wash the boots regularly. This is particularly recommended for our Armor boots, given their primary use on land and their longer lifespan.
All Inlandsis boots are machine washable on a short cycle, in cold water or at 30°C.
Remember to rinse the boots with a hose before putting them in the washing machine if they are particularly dirty (mud). We also recommend placing the boots in a laundry bag to protect the Velcro and the other items being washed at the same time.
How to put boots on your dog
- Make sure your dog’s paw is clean before putting on the boot, and if necessary, remove snow, dirt, or pebbles with your hand or using the boot.
- Put the boot on with the part without Velcro facing backward for the front paws and forward for the rear paws (watch the video, you’ll understand)
- Fold the boot around the paw
- Wrap the paw with the Velcro strap and tighten it enough so that the boot does not come off during exercise