There is this great latex stuff that I found in a paint store, It's like Rhino spray for truck beds. You can dip your dog's pads and lower feet in it. Sticks like crazy and is tough to get it all off, (does eventually wear off) but it makes a great, form fitting cover that IS NOT SLICK! It has a rubbery textured surface that grips pretty well.

A little trick.

It is a pain in the ass to get off, I'm not kidding, but it will come off. Isn't the best idea for running, but for disaster city it works very well. Keeps most of the glass and crap out, but grips as well as regular pads or so I've been told.

I can understand the footing isssue, as to not slip and fall. What good is the dog if the feet are damaged before mission is complete. I'm sure that putting botties on damaged feet would worsen the footing issue. Maybe Vancamps idea maybe best.

I guess each sitution has to be evaluated.

hey that latex idea is pretty cool! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

A wee tip about booties - if you are fitting them for the first time do it on a non slip surface like grass and preferably when the dog is a little excited about something like a run or walk.
If you give them time to think about it they walk like cats with tape on their feet and try to chew them off. If you do it when they are a little excited they usually completely ignore them. Not too excited though as trying to stick a bootie on a flailing foot is not real easy and can lead to non-Sunday school language.

Five-O Jo - what type of surface are you running on?

Latex, huh? Mighty interesting! What about allergic reactions? I know that some people are severely allergic to latex....does that hold true for some dogs, do you think? More info, please. Maybe start a new thread, if you think we should....

Five-O Jo - you might do a one time application of gentian violet or blu-kote to dry up the wound.
After it is dryed up a bit you could put one some ointment such as Furacin(nitrofurazone) or a half and half mixture of zinc oxide ointment and bag balm. You can heat the ointment until it is just warm and dip the feet in it and they will absorb it better. Run him in boots until his feet are healed and when you run him check him frequently for abrasions. Are the missing chunks just behind the toenails? - you might be running him a bit too fast on too hard a surface and need to slow him down a bit until he is a little more conditioned and his feet are toughened up. Sounds like he has early season foot injuries- happens in fall training pretty frequently if you don't keep an eye on it. Just as a by the way - some dogs with foot problems are low in zinc and need supplemental zinc(gluconate). You can buy the furacin and Bag Balm at the feed store and the
zinc ointment at a drugstore. Stay away from running on pavement though. Good luck with your AD test I hope you and your dog do well!

Tiggy, we are running on either a grass field or hard clay road. The wounds are on the large pad (Palm). We had some antibacterial cream that I used. Anyway, they are healed pretty well now and the booties will be here this morning. Thanks.

Five-O-Joe, These are teriffic! These boots are thick soled rubber with neoprene tops. I bought a pair for my dog a few years ago. Here's the link.
http://www.neopaws.com/shoes.html

Allergic? I don't know, not really a big concern I don't think. It isn't pure latex, its some kind of mix.

I've been doing a little poking around on contact allergies in dogs, and I don't think I'd want to use that stuff, just in case of a reaction. I think I'll stick with booties.