Guess who had to wear his boots!
It’s that time of year again when we (humans) look at all the smooth surfaces that we have created with asphalt and concrete; the snow and ice that is now accumulating on those same surfaces; the resulting potential financial liability if somebody slips and hurts themselves, and decide that we should spread salt crystals and other snow and ice melting chemicals everywhere.
Poor Ray, no doubt like most dogs, is vulnerable to problems under these conditions. A salt crystal that gets wedged between his pads is going to be an issue. If the salt has done its job and melted Mother Nature’s winter gift to us, then the resulting watery “mess” will burn on his pads if he walks through it. The solution is obviously boots, given that he is far too big to be carried over the problem areas!
Ray does not like his boots, despite the fact that their color does compliment his coat, and they even match his personal backpack! However, as with anything else revolving around Ray, he will allow his boots to be put on… with the appropriate treats.
Once on, and when he is outside in the back garden (he routinely pees there before going out on a walk), he bounds around like a jack rabbit with very high kicks from his back feet! After a few seconds, and just after we have watched one boot go flying across the garden, we realise that he is simply trying to get rid of them!
I could say that he accepts them really well and acknowledges what a good job they do, and he clearly appreciates us for buying them for him …but the above photo does not exactly support an enthusiastic response does it!
We also have some cream to rub on his pads which forms a barrier against the chemicals, but he is not too thrilled with that either!
It must be so difficult for Ray to understand why he is getting this unpleasant attention, but one can only imagine what torment other creatures have to endure as a result of our desire to melt Winter’s gifts to us!
A New Direction Perhaps? 
Like all ‘kids,’ they don’t seem to recognize how we are trying to protect them. Sam and I have a similar exchange though I’ve become adept at not having the boots come off over the years. He still hates ’em but is tolerant. 😉
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Given that their mentality seems to be generally accepted as similar to a 3 yr child, like all “kids” would seem to be very appropriate! 🙂
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Yup…totally. Plus like all kids…it’s kind of a game to play with their parent’s heads! 😉
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Ray, I feel for you buddy. Once when my toenail was bleeding badly and I had to go to the vet (where they removed said nail) Mom wrapped my paw round and round with gauze and taped it all together. Within 1 minute in the car I had the whole thing off.
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Hi Lexi buddy. We canines can be very determined when we want to be! BOL! Ray.
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ooo! what brand are his boots? those aren’t the ones you made yourself right?
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Hi Daisy: We bought Muttluks on the basis of a recommendation from one of the Humane Society trainers. They are quite expensive, but then he has not destroyed them as he probably would a less expensive pair. Hunter will probably need lots of treats while allowing you to put them on him, and he will almost certainly be quite entertaining as he initially tries to walk in them!
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Oh bummer. Those were Hunter’s first pairs and he ripped them after a couple of walks, but you’re right.. it was absolutely super entertaining watching him walk in them his first time. hehe
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Awww! He needs boots with golf spikes on them for traction. My cats don’t like getting their paws wet at all!
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Dog boots with spikes! Hmmmmmm… Imagine when he goes to give himself a good scratch!
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Well, there is that…..back to the drawing board. How about rubbery ones?
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There are a few variations out there but, in my opinion, none are particularly good for a Ray on a walk. The canine paw/ankle/leg design is really not very well suited for boots staying on! We have velcro’d them snug on him, but then he is really not comfortable. One just has to find the best of a bad set of options. 🙂
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Ray, those are awesome boots for protecting your feet. I kindly ask, as your friend, for scientific observation only, that you have your mom or dad video you when you first go outside with your boots on. Seeing as I have no need for boots in Florida, I can’t get a full visual in my mind. *ear licks* Noodle
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BOL! BOL! BOL! Ray.
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OMG… he looks so cute …. and unhappy! But it is very thoughtful that you are protecting his paws.
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We have to Erika because whenever he runs into an issue, he will limp for a while and then stop, and will not put the “problem” paw down. The other day both back paws gave him a problem so he just sat down and elevated both paws as best he could. We then had to take our gloves off and clean out his paws and heat them up a little with our hands!
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I see! Poor Ray. But now his paws are protected! 🙂
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Yes …. but so are his claws. He has no traction on ice! The poor guy cannot win!
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No sun without shadow … as we say over here. Yes, that is really challenging for him.
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Aww Ray…but those boots look SO good on you! But I can tell from your expression that you are not amused. 😀 Stay warm Colin and Ray! 🙂
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No I don’t like having my paws wrapped up Phoebe. As for keeping warm? I have a wonderfully thick fur coat. Colin takes forever to get dressed for my walks because he has no fur, but keeps putting layers and layers on! Poor humans, they really are not designed too well are they! You should know of course BOL! Woof! Ray.
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😀 😉
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