How to Teach Your Dog to Wear Winter Boots

When winter arrives, your dog needs extra protection. Despite the cold temperatures, they still need to take walks and work out their excess energy. That’s why some owners have their pets use dog boots for winter dog safety in Henderson, NV. If your pet is reluctant to step outside when it’s cold, teaching them to wear dog boots can help keep them warm and comfortable.

Here’s how to train your dog to wear boots. Spoiler alert: it involves a lot of treats:

• Introduce the boots: Most dogs are not going to be pleased with boots on their paws. Before you show them exactly what you intend to do with the boots, set them near your dog. When your dog looks at them, give them a treat. The idea is for them to associate wearing the boots with a reward, so they’ll be less recalcitrant later.
• Put one boot on one paw: The next baby step, after they’ve learned that boots mean treats, is to put one boot on one paw. Don’t fasten it, just put it on their paw and reward them immediately. Then take it off. Repeat this process a few more times. If your dog hates having their paws touched, you can start even slower by rewarding them when you touch the boot to their paw.
• Try again with their other paws: Once you’ve successfully gotten your dog to wear one unfastened boot, try the entire process again. See if you can work up to getting all four boots on. Remember, this can take a lot of time, so start your training well before you think you’ll need them to wear winter boots.
• Try fastening the boots: When you’ve gotten your dog to acquiesce to boots on all four paws, you can then try fastening them. Reward your dog, and then take them off. Repeat as many times as it takes for them to be comfortable.
• Encourage them to walk: After you’ve trained your dog to put up with the boots and fastening, now you can encourage them to walk around your home. (They will probably look ridiculous, which you can record and use to skyrocket yourself and your pet to internet fame.) Reward them for trying.
• Play with them indoors: After your dog starts getting comfortable with wearing their dog boots indoors in Henderson, NV, make it a regular part of their playtime. Again, the idea is to get them comfortable with the boots in a variety of situations and activities, before you take them outdoors in the boots. Make sure to reward them periodically, whether that’s with treats or attention.
• Go outside: Finally, the moment of truth is here. Take your dog out for a walk in their new winter boots. With any luck, they’ll be acclimated to the sensation and will enjoy their walk—but if they don’t, at least Henderson rarely gets very cold.

Once you’ve trained your dog to walk in winter boots, why not take them to The Soggy Dog for a DIY bath? Contact us today for more information.

Categorised in: Dog Boots

This post was written by Writer