Bought these because my dog started running her paws raw. She loves running, but her paws just can't take that abuse from concrete. I tried getting her to just run alongside me in the grass, but she wouldn't have it! Fine, you wanna run on the concrete, then you get dorky dog boots!
I looked at more expensive "shoe like" boot options with rubber soles, laces/velcro, tread, etc... but had a few reservations: will they fit her paw right? Will they stay on? Will she even tolerate wearing them? They were so expensive, I was hesitant to try any of them. Despite these being a multi-pack, this seemed like the best bang for my buck, and alleviated all of my reservations about the more traditional looking dog boots.
I don't think I'll ever buy a "real shoe" for my dog. I've done twelve runs with these boots now, all about 3 miles in length. The first time we put them on, she stumbled around the house in a hilarious manner, and I was happy I hadn't spent more money on these boots that were sure to be a failure (not by their design, just my dog being an adorable, intolerable dork). Hilarious stumbling aside, I didn't drop that cash for nothing, and she was going to try them for a run, darn it!
Tips for first timers: At first I thought I'd be able to turn these inside out and "roll" these on to her foot, but the opening at the ankle was too tight. That definitely wasn't going to work. I put a treat in front of the dog, had her "leave it" (which for her means, stare and drool at the treat until hooman gives the "OK!"), and used both my hands to stretch the boot open. I then picked up her paw and fanangled it inside of the boot. I recommend keeping a finger in the boot while you slide it on so you can squeeze any air out before letting go entirely, otherwise you can get a "balloon foot" effect that... probably causes no ill effects, but it sure looks goofy.
Anyway, after parading around the house in her dorky boots, we hit the trails. As soon as we arrived at our usual running path with our usual running buddy, she forgot they were even on and the confused walking subsided. They make an adorable "pit pat" noise as she runs. They absolutely stay put if I've put them on properly. I once found that I didn't quite get her foot to the bottom of the boot, and it caught on the concrete causing her to stumble. Her paws were happy as could be after the run - no bleeding!! Yay!! She doesn't beg for them to come off after a run, either, so I'm pretty sure they're comfortable. I keep her nails trimmed well (and keep a closer eye on her nails, now that they aren't being worn down by the concrete so much), and have yet to puncture or run through a boot. That's AT LEAST 36 miles of running in those boots with no failures. Amazing. For the price, I'll definitely be buying more whenever the time comes, and I don't expect it to be soon. I can't imagine a way that a "real boot" is superior... maybe if warmth is a concern?
She still walks around like an idiot when I put these on every morning on carpet (see attached video - please forgive the darkness, it's 4:30 in the morning), but once running has commenced, she absolutely forgets they are there and walks/runs like normal. 10/10, will recommend to anyone who wants to embarrass their sensitive-pawed dog in front of all of their furry friends. I bought the large size and my dog weighs 50-55 pounds.