Canada Pooch vs Walkee Paws suspender boots

Short answer: The Paw Test's read of 41 owner reports: neither suspender boot clearly wins on staying on, because Walkee Paws has more owners who say the boots stay on (6 of 21, against 2 of 20 for Canada Pooch) and also more who say they fall off (5 of 21, against 3 of 20). Canada Pooch has the better overall record, with 7 owners happy and 2 not, but most of its complaints are about fit: 5 of 20 say the legs or back strap were the wrong length or too tight for their dog, and 4 of 20 describe gait or comfort problems.

This page covers suspender boots only. For ordinary boots and how to measure paws, see the best dog boots for Canadian winters.

What suspender boots are, and why owners try them

Suspender boots hang each boot from an elastic strap that runs up the leg and over the dog's back, so the boot is held from above, not just at the ankle. Walkee Paws are built like leggings with a rubber boot at the end, hooked over the back like a harness. Canada Pooch Suspender Boots are separate boots on adjustable elastic straps joined across the back. Many owners in our set tried them after regular boots failed; a Doberman owner bought them because "other boots just kept falling off".

How we counted

We didn't test either product. We read Reddit threads, a poodle forum, a Facebook group and Trustpilot reviews of each brand, and counted only owners describing their own dog, one report per person per product. That gave 41 first-hand reports: 21 on Walkee Paws and 20 on Canada Pooch. Hearsay, questions and posts that looked like promotion were left out, and one report can count under several topics. Read how we review for the full method.

Trustpilot reviews lean negative and are harder to check, so we also ran every count without them. That leaves Canada Pooch with 17 reports and Walkee Paws with 15, 32 first-hand reports in all. Without Trustpilot, Walkee Paws looks better (4 of 15 say they stay on, 3 of 15 that they don't, 7 of 15 positive overall). Canada Pooch barely changes (7 of 17 positive), but both early-wear complaints drop out.

Most stay-on reports, both ways

Walkee Paws Easy-On Dog Boot Leggings

Verdict: Walkee Paws Easy-On Dog Boot Leggings get the strongest praise and the strongest complaints. Fans say they're the only thing that stays on their dog; critics say they slid off, didn't fit or made their dog walk stiffly. It's the one you can buy on Amazon.ca.

Good for

Dogs that kick off ordinary boots

Not for

Dogs that run fast; dogs with very tiny paws

• Positive overall9 of 21
• Stayed on6 of 21
• Dog walked well in them2 of 21
• Negative overall8 of 21
• Came off5 of 21
• Size was off3 of 21
• Stiff gait or dog refused to walk3 of 21

Counted from Reddit, a poodle forum and Trustpilot. Without Trustpilot: 4 of 15 say they stayed on, 3 of 15 that they came off, 1 of 15 mixed. Sources

What owners like

• For the owners it works for, nothing else stays on: one wrote "Truly the only thing that stays on my dog"
• A mini poodle owner said it was easier for the dog to get used to walking in them than in regular booties
• A Doberman owner said the boots have "lasted a whole winter so far no issues" despite long nails

Watch out for

• Coming off is as common as staying on: one owner said they slipped off her dog's paws on any incline
• Sizing: one owner ordered two sizes for different front and back paws and said "Neither are true to size"
• Tension: a Trustpilot reviewer said the fabric "pulls as they walk"

Who it's not for: a dog that sprints. Even a happy owner warned, "If they run fast, sometimes the back legs fly off." An owner in r/service_dogs said they "wouldn't stay on, which is their whole claim".

Sizing: the size complaints are boots that didn't match the paw; one owner whose dog has very small paws found the smallest size still too big. Measure front and back paws separately against the brand's chart. Walkee Paws also sells from walkeepaws.com, a US site, so check shipping and returns there.

Check price on Amazon

Who should buy which

• Your dog is small and kicks off every boot: try Walkee Paws first; two owners who say they were the only boots that stayed on have small dogs.
• Your dog is big and very active: Canada Pooch has the most convincing stay-on report for hard play, and Walkee Paws owners warn that back legs fly off at speed.
• Your dog is long-backed, tall or lanky: be careful with both; Canada Pooch strap length is a common complaint. Check the return policy first.
• You want to buy on Amazon.ca: Walkee Paws. Canada Pooch is sold on its own site.
• You mainly fight salt, not lost boots: neither has salt reports; an ordinary boot or a paw balm may be simpler.

Do suspender boots help with road salt?

Owner reports can't tell you: salt is why many people in these threads buy boots, but no owner described how either product did against it. Environment Canada says that on average 5 million tonnes of road salts are used on Canadian roads each year as de-icers, and its assessment concluded that high releases were having an adverse effect on freshwater ecosystems, soil, vegetation and wildlife. Either way, rinse or wipe paws after salted walks (see paw care after winter walks).

For warmth on the rest of the dog, see the best winter dog coats in Canada; one Canada Pooch owner pairs them with a jacket in deep cold.