doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Dog Boots

I'm in need of some dog boots and I'm looking for recommendations. Just trust me on the fact that I need them. Chukar hunting in lava rock is hell on Vibram soles, let alone a dog's pads. I bought a pair of cheap Cabelas boots and they seem so poorly fit that they're worthless. I'm looking at the LCSupply.com site and noted the "Australian" leather dog boots which look promising.

Any recommendations?

Chuck,

I think for your type of hunting on lava rock the Australian leather will work best; however, they may wear out pretty fast. I ended up buying a bunch of tanned deer skin and making my own. It is not hard and they are cheaper, as well they can be sewn on a regular sewing machine. I have never used the Australin boots but the design I used is similar. I do provide a couple of holes for toe nails.

I would probably try the Cordura if I was still hunting in Texas. Here in TN briars and mud are my challenge.

Jim

Take a piece of a light truck tire innertube and cut it so that it's length is enough to extend from well up the front of the foot down over the pad and the same distance up the rear, and wide enough so it gives your dog the protection needed. Tape it with adhesive tape once around the front piece and the leg to hold it on, then place the rubber over the pad and up the back side of the foot, being sure not to make it too tight, and tape around leg. Do this once on each leg and Voila! your dog is booted. Also a lot cheaper than stuff you can buy, and it works well. I've not geven any dimensions here, as dog breeds differ in size. I've seen these boots made out of bicycle innertubes, but they are too light for the purpose. -- Ed

You have to get your dog used to them first. Many dogs don't take to them and a period of adjustment is needed. I've had clients who have made them as Ed suggests and it worked well for them. Velcro also works well for fastening and adjusting to leg size.
Give your dog some time though.

its easy and works in south texas . i use plan grey duck tape around the paw. several layers, also i have found its the easiest to use when i need it. seem to lose the boots every yr and got tired of replacing them. jjust wrap the paw 5 or 6 times. Works well with a lab! a Pointer may wear the duck tap out too quick though. My lab has never worn out the tape in one hunt .

Chuck:

Get the Lewis rubber boots and be done with it. They're a pain to get on and a nuisance in general, but fastened with vetwrap and duct tape (as described in the LCS catalog) they do the job. Have a good blunt-nosed scissors handy to cut them off with. I've tried everything else and found them lacking in one area or another.

Bill

In warm weather the rubber boots get too hot, I have found. For a lab in colder weather, they are OK. I think the leather ones are the best but I would think deer skin would wear too fast. You could use it on the tops but I would use a 2- 2 1/2 oz split for the bottoms. I have used that for both tops and bottoms and it works. Make them high enough to be able to tape them. Use black plastic tape because it has some give and carry a roll with you. Carry an extra boot because he will lose one every now and then. The leather breathes. Don't forget they can't swim well at all with the boots on so when you get near H20 watch out.

I have a set of Lewis boots size small. Don't fit any of my dogs so if someone would like them let me know. I have successfully used Lewis boots in the desert with GSPs before and they are the most common boot used in our Pointing Dog Club. Learning to tape them on so the dog doesn't throw them is the trick. Use some vet wrap under the boot with some adhesive tape over that (sticky side out) to adhere to the inside of the boot. Then over the outside of the boot some duct tape makes them pretty secure. I do like the inner tube suggestion, have to try that on the French Britany which has feet to small for Lewis boots. Leather doesn't seem to help with Cholla spines which is the real pain for the dogs. The Lewis boots work pretty well with the cholla, seems stiff enough to turn the spines away most of the time.

Jerry, I used the innertube boots on my Brits in the TX Panhandle with good success. It's really comical to watch a dog the first time you boot him/her. Give it a try. -- Ed

Thanks for all the recommendations. It sounds like I should try some of the ones you all have recommended and see how it works in my conditions.

I won't be within 50 miles of water when using boots on her. This area is in the Mojave Desert, a hellish place where the chukar hang out on the steep sides of mountains and hills covered in broken lava rock.

I ordered up some of the Aussie leather boots and some Lewis rubber boots to try out. I'll probably try making some rubber and some leather ones also. I've seen a hunter make some from innertube and duct tape for his Lewellen on the side of the mountain. Seems that innertube will last half a day or so.