You may not think you need boots for your dog, but even if you don’t hike in the winter, or walk your dog on hot surfaces, dog boots are an important part of any hiking kit. Should your dog tear one of its paw pads on a hike, or suffer some other injury, having a dog boot available can be a lifesaver. Finding dog boots for hiking that stay on can be a real challenge but after a lot of trial and error, in winter and summer, we’ve found what I believe are the best dog boots for hiking in sand, snow, or salt.

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Ultra Paws Dog Boots

Normally, I am all about Ruffwear – we use many of their products on our camping adventures, and even our everyday collar and leash come from Ruffwear. However, their highly-rated Ruffwear Grip Trex boots ($75 a set) would not stay on my dog. They have great traction, but only one strap. Luckily, I found Ultra Paws Durable Dog Boots on Amazon. At half the cost of the Ruffwear boots, I hardly expected this dog hiking boot to work. My motto in life, after all, is “you get what you pay for.” Much to my surprise, they are fantastic, even for a busy dog like Bailey!

These boots do not have traction on the bottom, so they do take some getting used to, but I believe the two velcro straps on each boot are the differentiating factor that makes these the best dog boots that stay on. About twice a season, I throw them in a mesh bag and toss them in the washer. We’re in our 6th season with this original pair. I also carry at least two on our backpacking trips, just in case Bailey gets an injury or cracked pads from hiking on rocks. (so far, so good, though!)

Best Dog Boots for Winter

Having dog boots for winter is important for several reasons. If you like to be out in the deep snow for more than a quick walk, dog boots keep snow and ice from balling up in your dog’s paw pads. I often use Musher’s Secret wax to keep the snow from balling up in Bailey’s paws, but boots add another layer of protection. In cities, boots are great for protecting your dog’s paws from salt and chemicals that go on the sidewalks in winter. Chicago was especially harsh, so much so that in one winter, the salt from my shoes melted through a copper boot tray. Not only will it harm the pads on your dog’s paws, but imagine what happens when they lick those chemicals off their paws! We found Ultra Paws to be the best dog boots for winter and having these handy extended our walks greatly. Bailey LOVES the snow, but her paws can only handle the cold for a little bit.

Dog Shoes for Hiking

When we lived in the Sonoran Desert in Tucson, having dog socks for summer was equally important as it is for Midwest winters. Sandy surfaces can reach painfully hot temperatures (of course, if the air temp is too hot, we stay home!) There are also all kinds of jagged volcanic rocks, cactus spines, and other things that can hurt a dog’s paws. I always carry our dog booties in my backpack as an emergency backup in case Bailey injures a paw. With the exception of Great Sand Dunes National Park, we don’t use them for hiking as dogs need to breathe through the pads of their feet to regulate temperature, but they were a must for the hot sand that day!

Best Dog Boots for Summer Walks

Tucson summers are pretty awful, and the blacktop pavement where we live can easily reach 150 degrees on a sunny day. Even a short walk would be enough to give Bailey blisters on her paws. So we use our Ultra Paws dog boots for even our short mid-day walk when it’s super hot out. Our new routine is to go stroll the aisles of our neighborhood CVS but to get there, we have to cross a bit of hot pavement. These boots are truly a lifesaver!

Drawbacks of the Ultra Paws Dog Boot

After eight years, these boots are still going strong and that’s with pretty frequent use now that we live in a cold weather climate again. They are machine washable, and I toss them in the wash a couple of times a season. There are very few drawbacks to this particular dog boot, and none of them are a big enough issue for me to try another pair. However, these factors may be important to you.

• These dog boots don’t have reflective velcro straps, which would be nice. However, the majority of our long walks and hikes are during the daytime, so this isn’t a big issue for me.
• These are somewhat water resistant, but not entirely waterproof dog shoes. If you were using these in an emergency and needed a waterproof boot, you could simply use a plastic bag inside of this boot.
• The sole is not a rubber sole or a non-slip sole, so it can be slippery for your dog. If ice is your main concern, then the Ruffwear dog boots may be the better option.

Check out my ultimate gift guide for adventure dogs!

The pros of these dog boots far outweigh the cons. They’re easy to put on, and you can’t beat the price!

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