Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I have bought 5-7 different types of dog boots over the past 3 winters for our soon to be 3-year-old Irish Setter. Information on Dog/Use: 50lb. Irish Setter, lives downtown Chicago, goes out a minimum of 3 hours every day sometimes more & for longer periods of time. I am always rotating two sets of boots--a set worn in the am will dry all day & won't be worn again until that night. If your dog needs to wear boots I would HIGHLY recommend you use/rotate at least two sets otherwise they won't be given adequate time to dry & will get really stinky. My main criteria for boots are that they are easy/fast to get on, fit dogs paws, stay on and hold up to at least 3 months of high use. Past Boots I have tried or used -Pawz, Black, M: Very difficult to get on, dog was wearing them as "bracelets" within 30 seconds bc they had ripped to shreds. I have not seen these balloon boots work for active dogs that are over 30lbs. -Ruffwear Summit Trex, Storm Grey, Size 2.5: these boots were nearly impossible to get on with the tight socks like opening--returned for that very reason. -Ultra Paw, Black, Size M: these are originally difficult to get on the first few times at there is pads/foam bumpers in the ankle area which help to keep the boots on once outside but also make them tricking to initial get the dogs paw in. Pros- these are relatively cheap on any website ranging from $20-35. Cons- cheaply made, very slippery and plastic cracks/rips within a few months of use. -Kurgo Step Strobe Boots, Yellow/Grey, Size M: difficult to get on originally but gets easier with time as they have a longer neck (think doggy high tops). Pros- these have a bungie and Velcro strap that secures them on your dog’s paws. They have held up really well and are likely going to last us 1.5 winters (every other pair is one winter at best). Cons- lights burned out fast and after 3 months of use two boots started to get cracks in the sole where the battery pack for the lights is located. However, considering the rest of the shoe is fine I made a tiny cut with a exact knife, removed the batteries and used a ton of "Shoe Goo" glue on them. -Canine Equipment, Black, Size M: these are by far the best boots and we are on our 3rd pair in 3 years. I consistently keep one of these sets in Keenan's rotation. Pros: they open very wide making it really easy to get on your dog’s paw. They come with two boots for the front paws and two for the back paws--this size difference helps with appropriate sizing (dogs front paws are bigger than their back). Pretty good trends on soles, not as nice as the Ruffwear Vibram soles but they do the job. Cons- they can be expensive ~$50-65 a set and you have to make sure not to set them on wool rugs, etc. as the Velcro will grab it and over time they will not stay as secure & we have occasionally had a boot go flying in the air. -Ruffwear Polar Trex, Forest Green, Size 2.5: I had high hopes for these boots and rightfully so at $100 a set. Pros- very high quality boots Cons- impossible to get on dog’s paws, were much smaller than other brands listed for 2.5" dog paws, zipper cover at the top of fabric did not actually cover the zipper once it was on the dog’s paws. I was concerned that will any amount of extended use (30minutes) they would start to rub and cause a hot spot on my dog’s ankle/leg. I bought them from Myhoovesandpaws store and have started the return process. I will update review once I know how that Amazon store handles their return process.