We tested 17 sets of boots, comparing their durability, ease of use, insulation, breathability, waterproofing, and traction. In the initial phase of testing, my 65-pound mutt, Dave, tried on each boot so we could evaluate fit as well as how hard it was to get the things on and off his feet. This helped us narrow down the field to a group of seven strong contenders, which we then tested for one to two weeks, with an adorable panel of six very good dogs ranging in size from 18 to 110 pounds.
Protection: No boot is immune to being penetrated by a sharp object, but some soles are tougher than others. We took a 2-inch framing nail, and we pressed it into the outsole of each boot with a hand inside, to gauge how sharp it felt or whether the nail penetrated the boot.
Ease of use: Getting a shoe on a dog, no matter how it’s well designed, can be an arduous and ridiculous affair—and you have to repeat this for each paw. We evaluated how easy it was to secure each boot on dogs both big and small, reluctant and resigned. And we timed if and when any of the boots fell off.
Comfort: Dogs usually walk funny when you first put a set of boots on them, but eventually their gait should go somewhat back to normal. We looked at how each dog walked after the initial acclimation period, and we checked whether the boots rubbed against their dewclaws (if present). We also observed whether testers licked their paws more after removing the boots, and we kept an eye out for hot spots or other signs that the boots might be uncomfortable. (If your dog has sensitive skin, or you want to protect their dewclaws, pairing boots with a set of dog socks or baby socks can help.)
Flexibility: Dogs “tend to prefer something that’s soft as opposed to something that’s stiff,” said Mary Molloy, a certified professional dog trainer and owner at Nirvana Tails in New York City. We bent and twisted the sole of each boot to see how much it might adapt to the paw’s anatomy. The more flexible the boot, the better sense a dog can have of the terrain beneath their feet. But there’s often a trade-off between flexibility and protection.
Durability: We dragged the toe area of each boot across a rough patch of sidewalk 20 times, to see if the upper and lower soles showed any signs of separating or peeling. We evaluated the durability of the tread by putting weight on each boot and rubbing the sole across 20 feet of pavement.
Heat retention: We inserted a remote temperature sensor into all the boots, put them on a layer of ice in a sheet pan, and put them in the freezer for 15 minutes. We then measured how much the temperature dropped inside each boot. Since a dog’s paw will produce some body heat and will naturally be warmer than a temperature sensor, we used this test simply to determine the insulation properties of the boots relative to one another.
Waterproofness: We stuck toilet paper inside each boot and then submerged it in an inch of water, leaving it there for five minutes. We then checked whether the toilet paper was dry, and we looked for any signs of dampness in the boot. For the boots that stayed dry, we soaked a fresh, dry version of the boot under the faucet on the wide spray setting for 20 seconds, and then we examined it again for any signs of water penetration.
Traction: To see how much grip each boot had, we put some of our body weight on each one and dragged it across a sheet of ice as well as across a hardwood floor.
Breathability: When dogs are hot, they mostly cool themselves down through panting, but they can also sweat through their paws, according to veterinarian Amy Nichelason. We looked for breathability by pointing a hair dryer inside and outside each boot and feeling for any kind of airflow on the other side.
