For all the gear we have, I have only ever used boots when Ty wrecked her paws, believing the natural instincts of bare paws on the ground are unmatched. I feel most balanced and confident in minimalist footwear myself. This winter helped me see another point of view; the temps were so cold, I started trying footwear for Ty so that we could go for walks and hikes at all. Thankfully Backcountry K-9 stepped in with a set of Kurgo’s Step ‘n Strobe boots to test out.

The boots’ design, neat features, and winter & low light applications make me a boot-believer. Unlike any other boot we’ve tried, these stayed on, so serious kudos for that! The boot’s sole is round but the upper tapers to go a little further up the leg than Ruffwear’s Grip Trex model (which we've had in our first aid kit for years and Ty has done four thousand footers in). It has one Velcro strap supplemented by a cinching cord. The tread is respectable but a little slick and the rubber is solid. The boot in general is durable. The only thing I question is the longevity of the cord. The other highlight of these is the LED lights that are triggered when the boot hits the ground. So cool! The neighborhood we walk is depressingly tiny and some residents treat it as their own giant driveway, putting me on edge often. I absolutely love the lights and reflective material. The down side to the lights is that are expected to last for approximately 18 months of regular use and the batteries cannot be replaced. There is no on/off switch for daytime use either. So low and behold, there is a place for boots outside of the emergency kit! For us, it’s winter.
**REVISION: Between finishing this write-up and posting it, I attempted to get a video of Ty in the boots to show them off. We went to the beach and, while I failed to accomplish the task at hand, I did discover the boots are no match for the sand. I’m not sure under what conditions a dog might be off leash wearing boots on the beach but, if s/he is barreling towards seagulls, boots will be airborne! For the most part, at least one front boot would come off and the back ones would remain but it all depended on physics that are beyond my knowledge. In the past, I took a leashed foster dog to the beach following a paw laceration, thinking that it might be better than the mud-(possibly) poop mix at the dog park and the soft-soled boot she was wearing failed miserably by becoming soggy. I think that the Step’n’Strobes would be beneficial and do well in that scenario since the dog’s only going as fast as one can walk. (As an aside, the overall concept of going to the beach was successful. The laceration was naturally washed out by the salt water and I wasn’t constantly worrying she would further agitate or inflame the wound running in the mud and over the rocks at our normal park and she still got plenty of stimulation.)
Have you ever considered running barefoot? No? Maybe it is because of the lack of awareness regarding the benefits of barefoot running. When the human body evolved several thousand years ago, it developed in accordance to the surroundings. They did not, therefore, develop for cushioned shoes, but for barefoot running. Our feet are very good at absorbing the shock while landing, and wearing running shoes actually puts these foot muscles out of use. For the more information about Dogs Shoes visit our site.
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