Best dog boots for Canadian winters

Short answer: For salted city sidewalks, Pawz rubber dog boots and similar rubber balloon boots are what owners most often say keep salt and ice off: 8 of 16 reports on them said so, and none said they didn't. They're hard to put on at first and tear on long nails. For long walks in deep cold, Muttluks Original Fleece-Lined boots add warmth, but more owners said they came off than said they stayed on.

How we chose

We didn't test these boots ourselves. We read 84 Reddit threads where dog owners, including owners in Toronto, Ottawa and Calgary, talk about winter boots, and counted only people describing their own dog: does the boot stay on, keep salt and slush off, go on easily, last, and rub? Advice, "I heard" and "I read" didn't count, and two comments from the same person count once. We also read every Ruffwear.ca review of the Grip Trex that mentions dewclaws. Counts are next to each pick, with the number of reports behind them. Read how we review for the full method.

A boot made the list if it had enough first-hand reports to say something useful and is sold on Amazon.ca. That rules out Canada Pooch (covered in the suspender boots section below) for now.

Also considered

Kurgo Blaze Cross dog shoes: only 2 first-hand reports. One owner said they rubbed the top of the paws raw; another said a front boot pops off in rowdy play but the reflective trim makes it easy to find. Not enough to recommend either way.

Canada Pooch boots: not sold on Amazon.ca, so no button here. Owner reports are in the suspender boots section below.

Do dogs need boots in a Canadian winter?

Many dogs do on salted sidewalks: vets and animal-welfare groups recommend boots, or a paw balm, to protect paws from road salt and ice. VCA Animal Hospitals says booties protect dogs "from chemical irritation resulting from salt-treated sidewalks or streets" and stop snow and ice balls forming between the toes. The Ontario SPCA says salt and other de-icing chemicals "can irritate and burn" paws and cause illness if licked off, and suggests boots to cut contact. The ASPCA adds that booties keep sand and salt from lodging between the toes.

Boots aren't the only option. VCA suggests a thick layer of paw balm or wax for dogs that won't wear boots, and every source above says to wipe or rinse paws after a salted walk. In the owner reports, several Canadian owners say salt, more than cold, is why they use boots; some describe dogs limping or holding a paw up a few metres into a salted sidewalk.

Rubber balloon boots, fleece-lined boots or trail boots?

Pick by the problem you're solving. For salt on short city walks, thin rubber balloon boots like Pawz rubber dog boots block salt best in the reports, cost the least, and are the boot many picky dogs accept. For cold, a fleece-lined boot like Muttluks Original Fleece-Lined boots adds warmth that rubber doesn't. For grip on ice and trails, a soled boot like Ruffwear Grip Trex dog boots, if your dog's dewclaws allow it.

How do I measure my dog's paw for boots?

Measure with your dog standing, so the paw spreads under its weight, and measure front and back paws separately. After that, follow each brand's own chart, because they measure different things:

• Ruffwear Grip Trex dog boots: paw width across the widest part. If between sizes, size down. Front and back are sold as separate pairs.
• Muttluks Original Fleece-Lined boots: paw length: stand the paw on paper, mark the back of the heel and the tip of the longest nail, and measure between the marks. Choose the smallest size that fits the whole paw, nails included. A boot that slips down when you tug it is too big or too loose.
• Pawz rubber dog boots: paw length, on the Pawz size chart.

In the owner reports, two Muttluks owners ended up a size below their measurement, and two Grip Trex owners needed a different size front and back. Trim nails first: long nails tear rubber boots and make any boot fit short.

Do dog suspender boots work?

Mixed, in our sample. Of the reports on Canada Pooch suspender boots (at least 8), 1 said they stayed on through rough play, 2 said a boot came off, 2 found them hard to get on (one returned them) and 1 said they aren't waterproof in slush. Across all 16 first-hand reports on Canada Pooch boots, suspender and other styles, 5 said they stayed on and 2 that a boot came off; 3 said they lasted a winter or more and one praised the quality; none said they fell apart. Canada Pooch boots aren't sold on Amazon.ca; they're on the Canada Pooch site.