Oscar puts the boots to Ruffwear’s Summit Trex Dog Boots

Imagine going outside in this extreme cold weather with no boots on. I picture that kind of uncomfortableness with Oscar every time we head outside at this time of year. Now I know that dog paws are not the same as human feet – paws are built tougher to withstand the elements. But with all this snow, Arctic Vortexes and mounts of salt piled on sidewalks, I think it’s fair to say that paws need some extra protection right now. And that’s why Oscar wanted to test out the Ruffwear Summit Trex Dog Boots.

Oscar’s past with boots has not been overly successful. He lets me put them on (grudgingly), but I’ve had trouble keeping them on, and he’s had trouble going up and down stairs. For the time it takes me to put them on, we’re both pretty worn out from getting them to fit properly. But I’m a fan of Ruffwear’s products, so I wanted to see if the Summit Trex Boots would be up for the Oscar challenge.

About Ruffwear Summit Trex Dog Boots

Let’s talk about what goes into these boots. The Ruffwear-designed outsole provides flexible traction while an integrated stretch gaiter protects legs and locks out dirt and debris. On top, the weather-resistant upper portion keeps paws dry, while an adjustable closure strap gives you control over a customized fit. They look well-built and sturdy coming out of the box, and were lightweight for a boot that features a rubber sole.

Proper Sizing

I wanted to share my boo-boo with you to make sure you don’t make the same mistake. I measured Oscar’s paw on a white sheet of paper. One front paw should be on the sheet, as you hold on to the other (that’s so the paw that’s stand is holding all the weight). Using a pen, I marked the width of both sides of the paw and measured the distance between them. It fell between 1.5 and 1.75 inches, so I decided to opt for the bigger size. Once they arrived and Oscar put them on, I could tell instantly that they were too big. He was tripping over his feet, which was pretty funny for me to watch, but not so fun for him to walk in.

Ruffwear was kind enough to send over the 1.5 inch boots, which were a much better fit. The tips of his toenails hit the end of the boot perfectly, and fit snugger around the whole paw. So if your dog is in between sizes, go with the smaller size.

These Boots Are Made For Walking

To put the boots on, I had to sit with Oscar on my lap. I found the boots were easier to put on the back paws then on the front, but that was due to the positioning rather than the fit of the boots. Thanks to the stretch gaiter, slipping his paw into the boot was fairly easy. I did have to wiggle his paw to ensure that the tips of his toenails hit the end of the boot.

I found that for the boots to stay on, the Velcro strap had to be tight – that meant that the strap encircled the width of his paw. But once they were strapped on, those bad boys weren’t coming off… no matter how hard he tried to kick them off.

With the boots on, Oscar couldn’t go up or down the stairs, so I had to carry him. I think because my stairs are a little steep and he wasn’t used to them. He wasn’t comfortable making the climb. He can get up one or two stairs, but that was his limit in the boots. I’m sure that once he gets used to them, his confidence in climbing the stairs with the boots on will grow.

Inside the house, Oscar wasn’t too pleased with his new kicks, but once we got outside in the snow, his own outlook changed. He was so happy to walk in the snow and on the sidewalks without any pain. His tail was up for the entire walk, which is pretty rare for him. It took him about 5 minutes to start walking comfortably, but once he got into a walking rhythm, no snowbank could stop him (well, not really – I had to pick him up to get over some of the bigger ones left by the snow plow). Thanks to the rubber sole, Oscar had plenty of traction on the slippery sidewalks. Overall, he kept up his normal walking pace, even with the boots on.

The Verdict

If you’re looking for a sturdy pair of dog boots that will last more than one season, the Ruffwear Summit Trex Dog Boots are a smart option. They can be worn year round, and are great for hiking in the woods. I did have a bit of an issue with strapping on the boots tightly so they wouldn’t fall off, but once they were on, they stayed on. It would have really sucked if I lost one during our walks and I had to buy a replacement (you can buy a single boot if this happens to you).

The Ruffwear Summit Trex Dog Boots come in storm gray and burnt orange and retail for $54.95. You can order a set of four on the Ruffwear website.

Note: PetGuide.com was NOT compensated for this review. We received a set of Ruffwear Summit Trex Dog Boots to review. The opinions expressed in this post are the author’s. We provide unbiased feedback of the products and share products we think our readers would enjoy using and learning more about.