Healthy paws are essential for active dogs, and booties are a great way to protect them!

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of situations when booties can be useful:

• To prevent injuries on rough terrain
• To protect injured or healing paws
• To stop snowballs from forming between the toes
• To shield against road salt in winter and hot pavements in summer
• To protect against foxtail seeds and other debris
• To prevent the dog from licking off paw ointment
• To protect dragging paws in dogs with mobility issues

Rigid dog shoes should be avoided, as they stop the dog from feeling the ground properly and are often too heavy, increasing the likelihood of them falling off. Booties should never interfere with how the toes make contact with the ground, which is why we offer two types of soft booties, made from different materials.

Tibesti booties or Kipmik booties, which should you choose?

Tibesti Booties

Tibesti Booties are designed to keep your dog’s paws safe on dry land and rough surfaces all year round. Made of level 5 anti-cut material and dipped in nitrile rubber: they’re tough, breathable and water resistant.

What are the many uses of our Tibesti Booties?

→ Prevent injuries on rough ground

• Rocky mountain trails
  Some mountain trails can be extremely sharp and rough on a dog’s paws. While we don’t recommend using booties for every hike, it’s a smart idea to keep them in your bag in case you come across particularly harsh terrain during your adventure.
• Canicross, bikejoring, dog scootering, kart, dryland mushing training
  When a dog is pulling, their paws hit the ground with more force than when simply walking. If the trail has sharp debris, a pulling dog is at a greater risk of injury.
• Search and Rescue
  Search and Rescue dogs are trained to locate people in difficult conditions, including through rubble and collapsed buildings. Countless hours of training make these dogs highly efficient and independent so their handlers don’t need to follow them, which means they can’t check for potential hazards. While training environments are controlled, real-world situations may involve broken glass, jagged tiles, or metal shards.
• Urban Exploration (Urbex)
  Exploring abandoned buildings with your dog can be a great bonding experience, but these locations often hide dangerous debris such as sharp glass, nails, and other hazardous materials scattered on the ground.
• Glass shards on beaches and other places
  Unfortunately, human activity often leaves dangerous waste behind, including broken glass. On beaches, these shards are usually hidden in the sand, posing a serious risk to dogs walking or digging.

→ Protect injured or healing paws

Tibesti Booties can be used to cover and protect an injured paw pad, helping prevent further damage or infection. It’s best to use two booties, even if only one paw is hurt, to keep your dog’s posture balanced and reduce the risk of putting too much weight on the unprotected paw. Maintaining symmetry helps keep your dog comfortable and supported during recovery.

→ Avoid contact with road salt in winter

Walking on salted roads can dry out and crack your dog’s paw pads over time. Some de-icing salts are even harsher and can cause chemical burns after just a few steps. If your dog already has a small cut, exposure to salt can be extremely painful and increase the risk of infection.

→ Shield paws from hot pavement in summer

In summer, surfaces like asphalt and sand can get dangerously hot. Tibesti Booties, with their durable rubber coating, offer reliable protection from these burning surfaces.
Remember: when the air temperature is just 25°C, the pavement can reach 52°C, that’s hot enough to burn paw pads in under one minute. Always test the ground with your hand before heading out!

→ Improve Grip on Slippery Surfaces

The nitrile rubber coating gives the booties extra grip, helping your dog move more confidently on smooth or slippery terrain.

→ Protect against foxtail seeds and debris

Foxtail seeds are notorious for getting between the toes and burrowing into the skin, often causing hidden injuries. In areas where foxtails are common, dog booties offer an effective way to prevent exposure.

→ Prevent licking of paw ointment

Paw balms and ointments are great for soothing and healing irritated pads, but only if they stay on! If your dog licks them off, the saliva can actually dry out the pads even more. Wearing booties after applying ointment helps it stay in place and do its job.

→ Protect dragging paws in dogs with mobility issues

Some dogs may have partial or full paralysis in one or more legs, causing their paws to drag along the ground. Over time, this can lead to painful scrapes or even open wounds. Providing proper paw protection is essential to keep them safe and comfortable.

→ Use on snow?

Tibesti Booties are suitable for casual use on snow, such as short walks or everyday winter outings. However, in very cold conditions, the rubber can stiffen. That’s why for long-term use in deep snow or extreme temperatures, especially for working dogs, we recommend fabric-based booties like our Kipmik Booties instead.

▸ Size

The Tibesti Booties are available in 6 sizes (XS to XXL) and can be purchased individually or in packs of 4 or 48.
For the best fit, the bootie should not be too tight. Your dog’s paw needs to be able to spread naturally, just as it would without a bootie. A proper fit ensures both comfort and functionality.

Kipmik Booties

Kipmik booties are ultra-light fabric booties designed primarily to prevent ice balls from forming between your dog’s toes.

Kipmik booties have been trusted by hundreds of mushers for decades and are among the most used booties in long distance mushing.

When are Kipmik Booties useful?

→ In the snow

Kipmik booties are designed to stop snow from forming painful ice balls between the toes. These can be hard to remove and may make your dog reluctant to keep walking.
Fabric booties are commonly used by mushers, but they also work well for ski joring, snowy hikes, or winter walks. They are resistant to extremely low temperatures!

→ On dirt trails

Kipmik booties made from Cordura 500D can sometimes be used on rough trails, like in canicross competitions, if you're looking for a lightweight option. However, they can wear out quickly on abrasive surfaces and are not recommended on wet terrain as they’ll absorb water, making them heavier and more likely to fall off.

→ At home

• To protect injured or healing paws
  If your dog has a wound on their paw, Kipmik booties can prevent them from licking or chewing it. While wounds need some airflow to heal, a bootie offers protection when you're not around to supervise.
• To prevent the dog from licking off paw ointment
  Paw balms and ointments are great for soothing and healing irritated pads, but only if they stay on! If your dog licks them off, the saliva can actually dry out the pads even more. Wearing booties after applying ointment helps it stay in place and do its job.

▸ Size

Kipmik Booties are available in 4 sizes (S to XL) and are sold at a lower price per unit the more you buy, you can order from 1 to 600+ booties.
For the best fit, the bootie should not be too tight. Your dog’s paw needs to be able to spread naturally, just as it would without a bootie. A proper fit ensures both comfort and functionality.

How to use dog booties?

✓ Adjust the velcro securely

Make sure the velcro is tightened enough to keep the bootie in place, but not so tight that it restricts circulation. A good rule of thumb: slide one finger between the bootie and your dog’s leg to check for proper tension, this is especially important with elastic velcro fastenings.

✓ Watch out for the dewclaw when using booties

On some dogs, booties stop just at the height of the dewclaw. If this is the case for your dog, you can bandage under the dewclaw before putting on the bootie so the dewclaw’s nail doesn’t press into the skin.