My dogs don't seem to have issue with the cold unless it's double digits below zero. I haven't used boots, I don't know why I haven't actually! I guess by the time I get on all my stuff, ecollars put on and my snow shoes strapped on I don't feel like fiddling around with more "clothes" for any of us. My dogs are house dogs, so I'm always surprised when they don't seem to be bothered by the cold.

I did rent a training room in Eau Claire for the winter that's fully matted if I want to train inside (I believe it's about 6000 square feet, with jumps, mirrors and all the stuff I would need to do obedience.) If I work my dogs inside I'm very picky about the footing I allow them to run on.... I've seen many injuries result from slipping and twisting on floors not made for dogs.

Great photos of Ellie in the snow, Katie... we've spent the whole weekend outside, it's been great!

I have a small rack of clothing for my dog walking layers so they are all together. Next to the door are a pair of Sorels, Muck boots, and Merrils so I can take my pick.

Dog walks are not optional; I don't have a fenced yard any more so I'm out twice a day no matter what. The 'afternoon' loop is only about twenty minutes. The morning loop on a normal cold day is about an hour to an hour and a half long and includes a fair amount of off-leash time. On a very cold day we do the same thing without going all the way out to the "off leash" field. If it's colder than -20 F we do our 'afternoon' loop twice a day. We can only get away with that for a day or two though.

I put a coat on Murph because his natural coat is so short, and this seems to serve him well even in very cold weather as long as he keeps moving. I haven't needed boots for him yet this year.

How about paw wax? My daughter in the snowy Berkshires started to use that when her dogs refused to keep those velcro booties on.

I think it was the road-salt-chemical mixture more than the snow that was causing the most trouble. I remember years ago when she called to tell me that they made it only a couple hundred yards before then-puppy Milo just sat down in the snow and refused to walk any farther.

I will call and find out exactly what the product is. I know Shaw's was one, but I think they later found one that they liked much better for some reason ... I forget. I'll post back.

Yup, Musher's Secret was one of the two "winners."

Musher's Secret before heading out, and Paw Pro for re-application while out, if necessary (because it's a spray).

(No personal experience, but enthusiastic opinions from snow-place users.)

Thanks Cindy.

I manage to get out with Ellie a couple time a week on the snowshoes -- she'd be game everyday regardless of the temps if I could manage it with my schedule.

Thanks Connie -- I'll have to look into Paw Pro too.

Katie

 Quote:

Yup, Musher's Secret was one of the two "winners."

Musher's Secret before heading out, and Paw Pro for re-application while out, if necessary (because it's a spray).

Yup, this is exactly what I do. I haven't done much with boots on this dog yet because he's always done so well with these products. I've tried the Paw Pro by itself, and it didn't work as well. It's perfect for a re-apply after using Musher's Secret though. I always wash paws off when we get home too. So far my dog's feet are in great shape.

 Quote: kristel smart

I haven't done much with boots on this dog yet because he's always done so well with these products.

The Mushers Secret home page has a quote that reads, "Dogs hate booties!" - I think they must have got that tip from Oscar. We got boots for him after his second winter, when he started having a lot of issues with slush getting in between his toes (correction, it wasn't necessarily the slush that was so horrible, it was his prima dona attitude about having to walk through less than ideal sidewalk conditions ...). Well, we barely got him to leave the living room in them (HILARIOUS spectacle that it was) and he frankly looks so mortified whenever we put them on, it's even harder to drag him down the street than it is when he gets slush in his toes. So those boots don't see the light of day often.

My question, does the Mushers Secret just create a temperature barrier against the inside of the toes, so slush still gets in there, it just doesn't FEEL as bad? Oscar has pretty big feet and I can't imagine it would block the elements from actually getting up in his toes, but maybe you slather enough in there that it does? We don't have issues with plain dry cold, or damaged feet and pads, but the chilly, wet slosh that squishes up into the sensitive, in-between toe areas is enough to make Oscar go three-legged and scream bloody murder while you gingerly clean out his feet...

~Natalya

 Quote: Natalya Zahn

My question, does the Mushers Secret just create a temperature barrier against the inside of the toes, so slush still gets in there, it just doesn't FEEL as bad? Oscar has pretty big feet and I can't imagine it would block the elements from actually getting up in his toes, but maybe you slather enough in there that it does?

Yes, you can. It is actually wax-like, and you can spread the toes apart to easily apply the other (the spray one). I imagine you can do it with the Musher's Secret too, but the spray, which doesn't hold up so great on the walking surface (pads) applies very nicely into that between-toes spot.

I really would recommend getting both based on the advice I got about one being heavier and sturdier and one being easy to reapply and also spray into the between-toe area. What the heck? If you turn out not to need both, you're not out much, and I doubt that you would waste any.

Oh Oscar....

The Musher's Secret is heavy/waxy enough that it protects from temperature and chemicals. Like you and Connie said: slather it on. Sidewalk sludge will still squish between the toes but he shouldn't get that salt-burn feeling or feel the cold as much. After about a half hour or so spray some Paw Pro between his toes. Usually on the sidewalk, salt is the big ouchy culprit, even when you cant see it.