These
boots are made for walking
Where I’m from, you can drive down the street surrounded
by snowbanks taller than Shaquille O’Neal in the
winter months. When I think of dog boots, I tend to think
of them in terms of frigid weather, ice and salt –
they’re the necessities I strap on my ancient huskies’
feet on the coldest days or when the salt truck has made
its rounds. My dogs don’t particularly like wearing
them, being older when they were first introduced to the
concept of footwear, and well, after all, they are huskies.
But at least, when they come into contact with a few beads
of salt, they don’t fall over in the snow, screaming
at the top of their lungs so that everyone comes running
to find out who’s beating the poor dog (as happened
pre-boots with our lovable Sabrina, who is a bit of a
drama queen).
At the Animal Wellness Expo on June 5 and 6, I experienced
a whole new perspective on dog boots. We were hit with
an unprecedented heat wave that weekend in Pasadena, California.
While historical data showed that time of year was always
gloomy and moderately warm (potential high of 77 degrees),
the temperature rose to 95 degrees and the glorious sun
streamed down relentlessly upon the Rose Bowl asphalt.
Some smaller dogs arrived in carry bags, a few came in
wagons and a handful wore sport protective footwear. The
majority of animals, however, arrived barefoot. We had
arranged for small swimming pools to be located throughout
the show and we purchased extra hoses to water down the
asphalt but we knew we needed to do more for Sunday. When
the canines arrived, we were ready. As soon as people
came through the gate with their dogs, they were directed
to the “booty tent”, where volunteers wrapped
their feet with makeshift booties. Wrapping for four hours
solid before I even looked up, I spoke to dozens of people.
Many were very surprised that their dogs required footwear
at all – they thought their pads were enough to
protect them. Several hikers pondered whether boots would
be a good idea for the trail. The bottom line is, pads
can get cut, chafed and blistered, and footwear is a wise
investment over the lifetime of an animal, especially
if you live in a climate where temperatures can be extreme.
Many people expressed thanks for this new information
and for our efforts to protect their dog’s feet.
When the dogs left the “booty tent”, they
were walking like they had sticky bubblegum attached to
their paws. A couple of hours later, however, many of
these same dogs strolled along as if their new gear was
the most natural thing in the world.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the
volunteers who helped out at the Expo and all the people
who waited patiently at the booty tent for their canine
friends’ footwear. The love we all share for animals
was clearly evident that day.
Wishing you a safe and joyful summer,
Dana
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