Pawz rubber dog boots work better than in-store fancy footwear for pets because there are no zippers or clasps and they stay on pet paws until you take them off.

Manufactured by Pawz and sold through high-end dog catalogs such as "inthecompanyof dogs.com" these dog booties look and feel like little baloons only thicker.  They come is a variety of colors and sizes from extra small to extra large and there is a nice breed-sizing chart which can be found at the maker's website here:

http:www.pawsdogboots.com.

The boots come 12 to a package and cost around $15 a box.  They are made of natural rubber and are waterproof.  I use them because the area I live in often puts deicer and other harmful chemicals on the sidewalks.  It also helps to prevent frostbite between the pads of a puppies toes.

The beauty of the boots is that they go on and off easily, you just stetch them open and slip over the ball of the dog's paw.  They are flexible and colorful and prevents ice clumping on the paws.

The downside is that because they are rubber they tend to slip on ice which can be extra hazardous on stairways.  I remind my dog he cannot run in them.  Also, because they are elasticized, they do tend to get a little snug after 15 minutes or so of wear.  I notice my little Shih Tzu enjoys wearing them because he can go outside in freezing weather, but starts to pick at them after 15 minutes or so.  They do not insulate like sheepskin boots would, so perhaps his paws are only getting cold.

I purchased mine through the catalog "inthecompanyofdogs" which has a lot of high-end dog beds and specialty items for pets.  The boots can be found at page 27 of the YuleTide 2008 catalog and their phone number is 1-800-544-4595.

They advertise that the boots protect against ants, pesticides, mud, salt and snow.  The pet is able to feel the ground with these boots on and so these may work for dogs who normally refuse to wear other kinds of boots.  The boots can be reused over and over and made to fit the dogs exact size ranging from 7/8 inch to 5" across.  The extra little sizes are yellow, X-small-orange, small (Shih Tzu size) are red, M-black, L-purple, XL-green and cost $19.95 not including shipping.

Other snow boots I have tried, including infant knit booties, simply fall off the dog's paws or the dog can bite them off.  These stay on until you decide to remove them.  Because they are made of rubber they are easy to clean and saves you from defrosting the dog's paws.  My pet gives this product a "high-five."

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