Do Dogs Need Boots in Winter?

Technically, dogs don't need boots in the winter. But just like you wear a scarf in the cold, your dog benefits from boots or another form of paw protection. If you don't think he'll tolerate footwear, you can take other steps to keep his paws pain-free in the winter time.

  1. Avoiding Frostbite

    • Some dogs may seem to think they're invincible, but even a tough pooch has some weak spots on the bottoms of his feet. Dogs can handle the cold weather outdoors without boots, but only sparingly. If you're going to keep him out of boots, keep your winter walks as short as possible -- give him just enough time to get some exercise and do his business. Dogs that spend extended periods outdoors, like working police and sled dogs, wear boots in the cold weather to protect their feet from frostbite. If your dog is visibly cold, unwilling to walk, shivering or building a makeshift igloo, take him back inside.

    Hold the Salt

    • If you live in an area where there is salt on the sidewalk, like in an urban neighborhood, your dog may need boots more than a canine in a salt-free area (or one in the Cayman Islands). This is because the chemical salt used to melt ice and snow is toxic to dogs, and can cut and dry out the pads on the bottoms of his feet. Wearing boots protects him from these harsh chemicals. If you're the person in charge of salting your sidewalk or driveway, you can alternatively use a specially-labeled dog-friendly formula.

    Protect Those Paws

    • An alternative to boots is protecting your dog's paws with petroleum jelly or a protective balm from the pet supply store. Applying a layer of balm or petroleum to your dog's paws before a walk helps prevent them from drying out and cracking in the cold, much like similar products work on your lips. And just like if your lips get chapped by the cold, applying these products to a dried-out paw can help seal in moisture and heal any cracks. Use it sparingly -- a thin layer will do the trick -- or else you'll be wiping goopy paw prints off the linoleum all night.

    Coming Back Inside

    • If you don't want to put boots on your dog, you should care for his paws when you return from a walk out in the cold. Wipe them off with a warm, moist towel when you get inside to remove any trapped snow and ice, and to clean off any sidewalk salt-related chemicals. Ask your groomer to trim the fur between his toes, too, because snow and ice can accumulate in there and cause irritation -- and because everyone likes a little pampering sometimes, of course.