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I know, dog shoes are kind of ridiculous. After all, they are animals with feet designed to be shoeless. Most dogs have zero issues running and walking in nature. But there are definitely times that shoes are beneficial to our pups.
Harsh winters with salty sidewalks and scorching asphalt in the summer are two great examples of city dogs needing shoes. Even out in nature, our pups can hurt their pads. Our main problem right now is cactus spines.
I think I’ve talked about the chollas before. All cactus are sharp but these are on another level. And they have microscopic barbs facing the opposite direction so pulling them out hurts just as much, if not more, than when they go in.
Sheila is great at avoiding the actual plants. Unfortunately, these cacti break off into little segments and are scattered everywhere. This has caused quite a few tiny paw injuries. And it breaks my heart when I have to pull one out for her. So I started making her wear shoes when we leave our campsite. (Our area is bare dirt so we can pretty easily avoid any stabs.)
I had a couple of cheap Amazon pairs that sucked. They were a pain in the ass to put on, they have weird hard rubber soles that made her walk funny, and they were constantly falling off. And the worst part, the cactus spines were still getting through them!
So after looking around and asking online I narrowed it down to three choices.
Ultimately, I went with the Muttluks because I liked that they had a soft sole rather than hard rubber. I felt like this would feel more natural for Sheila and I didn’t want her to lose any of her coordination or mess up her movement.
I judge dog shoes by four factors.
- How easy do they go on?
- Do they stay on?
- Do they protect the paws?
- Are they cute?
How easy do Muttluks go on?
I was actually surprised by these. They have a similar style to some cheaper ones I’ve used in the past. Those were an absolute bitch to put on. These go on so nicely!
The stretchy part opens easily and my dog’s foot slips right in. Time will tell if the stretch eventually wears out but so far I love how simple these are to get on.
Do Muttluks stay on?
It’s so annoying when you spend 10 minutes struggling to get shoes on your dog and one goes flying into the air as soon as they run.
Again, because these look so similar to ones I’ve previously tried I expected to have issues. But they stay on so well! I don’t know if it’s the way the straps close? Cheaper shoes just have a velcro strap you wrap around the leg. These have a little plastic loop that seems to hold the velcro strap in place better.
In the week we have been using these only one has fallen off ONE time. And to be fair, I was testing how loose I could make the strap before it came off. So yes, so far I will say these stay on really well!
Do Muttluks protect the paws?
I was hopeful that the suede soles could hold up to cactus spines and I am pleased to say they have!
I have found a few spines stuck in the leather but it doesn’t seem like any of them make it all the way through to the paw. Sheila has not stopped once to ask me for help, limped, or pulled one out with her teeth. (I know, she’s hardcore.)
Are they cute?
Obviously, this isn’t really important when so far they have exceeded my expectations. But let’s be serious, I enjoy cute accessories for my dog.
Unfortunately, no, these aren’t that cute. The style we have only come in black and yellow. So glad I found the black because I hated the yellow.
I do like that they have a reflective stripe, and solid black is fine. But if these came in hot pink I would be super stoked! Maybe someday.
Muttluks Cons
Besides not being the cutest, there are a couple of things I don’t love.
- Sheila hates them
- They aren’t cheap
Sheila hates them
She’s not really a fan of any shoes so I didn’t expect her to be thrilled whenever I pull them out. But I figure eventually she will associate them with adventure and that will make her feel better about them.
But as of right now she literally turns around and walks away when I grab them. She will begrudgingly let me put them on but I feel bad that she is obviously bummed.
Normally, her consent really matters to me. We work together and I don’t force her to do things she clearly is unhappy with. But this is a matter of safety so I made the decision to continue putting them on her.
I’m wondering if maybe I got a size too small and her nails are too close to the end? I got the size according to their measurements but we know those things aren’t foolproof. Her nails are about as short as they can be at the moment but we are working on them. Maybe as they shorten she’ll be more comfortable in them.
Are Muttluks expensive?
I knew going into this that I’d be spending a fair amount of money on literal shoes for a dog. Which felt weird. I know “expensive” is subjective but I’m a pretty cheap person. But I also love my dog so I was willing to do what needed to be done.
I bought these for $50 at a local pet store. The Ruffwear ones were going to be around $40 and the RC Pets were about $80 so I guess we ended up mid-range?
Because they have worked out so well I feel good about spending the money. But I know that $50 for shoes for an animal can feel a bit steep.
Ultimately though, I do feel they are worth the price!