Best Dog Boots Review [Ultra Paws Rugged]

August 16, 2019May 28, 2018 by Jenny

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Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link & purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

[Updated August 2019]

Are you tired of struggling with your dog to get dog boots on? You probably spent an hour trying to get the boots on your dog only to find that they have fallen off within minutes.

This struggle is all too familiar with many dog owners. I struggled as well until I found the solution. Dog boots that are easy to put on and won’t fall off.

Stick around for the best dog boots review. In this article, I review Ultra Paws Rugged dog boots.

Table of Contents

Why Does Your Dog Need Boots? The Benefits:

It’s time to stop thinking of dog boots as just a fashion accessory! Dog boots are very beneficial to your dog and keep your dog’s paws healthy and protected.

Winter Protection

Harsh Chemicals

Dog paws may be tough, but they are sensitive too. When your dog’s paws are exposed to harsh chemicals such as salt and ice melts, your dog will lift his paws in pain.

The harsh winter chemicals found on streets, sidewalks, and driveways, cause chemical burns on your dog’s paws. Not to mention your dog will try to lick his paws and ingest those harmful chemicals.

Sharp Ice

Walking on ice is painful to your dog and can cause cuts and scrapes on your dog’s paws. Dog boots will offer a barrier of protection allowing your dog to walk and run around pain-free.

Snowballing

If you have a long-haired dog, especially a sporting breed like the Golden Retriever that also has webbed paws, you will find that when your dog walks in deep snow he will get snowballs and ice balls forming between his paw pads.

The snow sticks to the hair and melts from the body heat and forms ice balls that grow larger, stretching your dog’s toes apart. This is painful for your dog and causes your dog to constantly stop and chew or lick at his paws trying to get the ice balls off.

Dog Boots protect your dog from the snow and ice balls and will allow your dog to walk comfortably.

Summer Protection

Hot Surfaces

Walking your dog in the hot summer months on a scorching hot sidewalk is not ideal. Your dog’s sensitive paws will get burned!

If you live in the city, trying to find a cooler place to walk is sometimes not easy. This is where dog boots come in handy, they will protect your dog’s sensitive paws from the burning hot asphalt.

Rugged Terrain

Dogs that run or walk through rugged terrain will often get cracked paw pads, cuts, and or scrapes. When your dog wears dog boots, he will be able to run all through the rugged terrain pain-free.

How To Measure Your Dog For Boots

Start by measuring your dog’s front paw, this will ensure a comfortable fitting boot.
Have your dog stand on a blank piece of paper.
Take a pencil and mark the width of the paw, (the left and right side).
Measure the distance between the 2 marks.
Compare the width of the paw to the boot sizing, the paw width should be smaller than the boot size.

Ultra Paws Rugged Dog Boots come in 4 Sizes:

Small – 2 1/4″ (5.7cm)

Medium – 2 3/4″ (7cm)

Large – 3 1/4″ (8.3cm)

XLarge – 4″ (10.2cm)

The Features Of Ultra Paws Rugged Dog Boots

Designed for active hard charging dogs, who tend to run/walk on rugged terrain.
The sole is extra thick and made from recycled tires. It is flexible, skid-resistant, and durable.
This boot is suitable for tough conditions and is an ideal boot for hunting dogs, urban settings on asphalt or concrete, and for winter protection from the snow and harsh chemicals.
Easy to put on and hard to slip off.
Available in 4 sizes based on the width of paw.
Available in 3 colours Black, Red, and Orange.
The boots have side seams that open wide, making it easy to put them on.
2 Velcro straps on each boot with slides to fasten them, and foam cushioning at the closure to protect the dog’s foot when tightened. The foam helps to create a secure grip, ensuring the boots stay on.
Made from tough, water-resistant 1000 denier nylon material, with the top of the toe wrapped.
All season dog boots, made for wet and dry conditions, and rugged terrain.
Machine washable on delicate cycle, or wash by hand in cold water.
To extend the life of the boots, it is recommended to apply Shoe Goo to patch any holes in the sole that may appear with wear. You can pre-apply Shoe Goo, as some hunters do when they are in extreme conditions.

Check out this short video to see how easy these boots are to put on, and to see them in action.

Best Dog Boots Review: Ultra Paws Rugged

I have a 4-year-old Golden Retriever (Ellie), and the wintertime is tough on her paws. I needed to find a solution to her lifting her paws due to the salt on the sidewalks, and the snowballs that would stick between her paws.

Ultra Paws Rugged Dog Boots are actually the second pair of dog boots that I have tried. The first pair I bought were Muttluks, which are expensive.

The Muttluks were hard to get on, and when they were on Ellie she kept chewing at them and managed to pull them off. She did not like them at all! I returned them to the store and did my research for dog boots that are easy to put on. That’s when I discovered Ultra Paws Rugged.

I was mainly looking for a dog boot that was easy to put on and hard to get off. Ultra Paws dog boots open up and go on your dog’s paws so easily, and the 2 Velcro straps on the top make them tight and keep them from falling off.

The first walk with Ultra Paws Rugged dog boots was amazing! To get her used to the boots we just walked around our neighbourhood.

Ellie walked like normal, by that I mean no funny dog boots walk. If you have ever seen a dog walking in boots for the first time you know what I mean. It was like she wasn’t wearing boots at all, she was able to run, and best of all her feet were warm, they were protected from the ice and salt, and no snowballs. I was impressed! They also stayed on.

After an impressive first walk with the boots, Ellie and I did our usual trail walk. Ellie likes to run around and sniff things, and chase squirrels, she got into some deep snow and I noticed that she was stopping and licking at one of her boots.

One of the boots managed to get some snow build up in it, and this was bugging her. I took the boot off, and emptied out the snow, and put it back on her and tightened it. She seemed fine after that.

I noticed some wear and tear on a couple of the boots after maybe 4 walks. There were some tiny holes on the front of the soles. I was not very impressed, as I thought these boots were supposed to be made for rugged terrain, after all, they are called Ultra Paws Rugged!

I contacted Ultra Paws and explained my situation, and how the boots were only used 4 times, and I sent them pictures. They responded to me and they sent me a new pair of boots. I was happy, and can honestly say that Ultra Paws is a great company that stands behind their products.

I will definitely be applying the Shoe Goo to patch the holes on the old boots, and then I will be pre-applying the Shoe Goo to the new ones as a precaution.

Pros And Cons

Pros:

The boots open wide, making them easy to put on. (only one person needed to put them on, and no struggling with your dog to get them on).
They actually stay on! 2 Velcro straps at the top, keep them tight.
The foam cushion at the closure keeps your dog’s foot cushioned and ensures a secure grip.
My dog was able to walk and run in them comfortably.
Protection from the ice and salt. (no lifting of paws).
Prevented snow and ice balls from forming, kept dog’s feet warm and dry.
My dog had good traction on the ice and snow.
They can easily be washed.
Ultra Paws stands behind their products.

Cons:

The boots are short and can get snow build-up when walking in deep snow.
There were signs of wear and tear after just 4 walks.
Have to buy a separate product (Shoe Goo), to extend the life of the boots.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I do have to say that Ultra Paws Rugged dog boots are still the best boots out there in my opinion. I like that they are so easy to put on and my dog feels like she is not wearing boots at all.

My experience with them has pointed out that there are some negatives about them, such as the wear and tear after just 4 walks. I believe that this could have been prevented if I had applied the Shoe Goo to them in the beginning.

If you are just walking your dog on the sidewalk in your neighbourhood, then you will not have an issue. My dog likes to go into deep snow, and that caused the snow build up inside the boots, however, I was able to take them off and get the snow out and re-tighten them on her, and she was fine.

In my opinion, the pros of these boots far outweigh the cons, and I will continue to walk my dog in these boots as long as she is happy with them.

My experience with these dog boots has only been in the wintertime, but they are also designed for all year round. They are specially made for hunting dogs who go through rugged terrain. My advice is to pre-apply the Shoe Goo to keep the boots in great condition.

What About You?

What are your thoughts about my best dog boots review? Do you have any experience with Ultra Paws Rugged Dog Boots? Have you tried dog boots for your dog?

If you liked this review, check out my personal review of Pawz Waterproof Dog Boots. My dog and I think they are great too.

Share your thoughts and comments below. I would love to hear from you.

Jenny

I am the proud owner of a Golden Retriever named Ellie. She keeps me busy, and when she is resting, you can find me working on my blog. She is always close by though. I live in Stirling, ON Canada with my husband, and we both enjoy the never a dull moment life with our Ellie.