Winter Is Coming. Is Your Dog Going To Wear Boots Or A Coat?

I hate to say it but.....winter is coming. If you are someone who wants to use a coat or boots on their dog, now is the time to make a really good positive association with these new items. It takes time to get your dog used to having them put on along with walking in them.
If you wait until you want to use them you will likely not be successful. You might end up with a dog that struggles every time you try to dress them.

First - decide if you actually need to use boots or a coat on your particular dog. I don’t use them daily on my dog. I do use a cream on the paws in winter when there is a lot of salt on the sidewalks and I did teach all my dogs to wear boots for when I need them.

The city often dumps piles of salt on the sidewalks and that can be very uncomfortable to a naked paw.

The boots I use have a very large opening at the top so they are very easy to slip on and cover the leg, not just the paw.

Purchase now. Work with one paw/boot at a time. You can use a lick mat, or yummy treats when pairing the boot and handling the paw. The simplistic version is: see the boot = get a treat. Feel the boot touch a paw = get a treat. Slip the boot on = get a treat. Take the boot off.

Practice putting on and removing. Feed when on. Gradually increase the amount of time it’s on the dog’s paw.

Do this with each paw. Wearing a boot when standing still is very different than walking with them.

Does your dog love to play? When the boots are on play fetch or tug or whatever game your dog loves. Teach your dog that the boots are fun to have on and gets him used to wearing them and moving at the same time.

It's best to ensure your dog is comfortable with handling, in general. If you have a dog who is not comfortable having body parts touched, it will be more challenging to prep for boots or coat.  Your first step, in that case, is to work on handling.

This doesn’t have to take weeks and weeks to train (unless your dog has handling issues).  Some will whip through each step quickly.

Know your dog. This might be something you will do every year for the rest of his life. It’s worth taking the time to do this properly so neither of you is frustrated every time you need to dress.