Therapaws

[Guest peacehound]

My girl has corns on both front feet, we have had them hulled and they just return quickly. I bought her some therapaws for both front feet and she walks with much less of a limp, the boots really seem to work, however, she trips over her feet and becomes afraid, do you think she will eventually learn to walk in them without a problem? it reminds me of a young teen trying her first high heels. She seems so clumsy in them..I think they are tight enough and her toes go to the end so I assume the fit is good..anyone remember how long it took their hound to get use to the boots and should I buy two more and put them on her back feet even though knock on wood, no corns there.

 

oh, if the princess hound could just have the entire walk area carpeted all would be good~

[GreyTzu]

Turn her loose in the yard with a free-range cat. Problem solved, :rofl

 

Many of mine have worn one or more Therapaws as needed, depending on the issue, and adjusted quickly.

 

Neopaws may also be another option to consider if her Therapaws don't do the trick. I have never really looked at them, so no clue the price or anything though.

[racindog]

She'll adapt. They can even run in them and they'll stay on!

[Guest mirinaaronsmom]

Miri also has a corn, but just on one front foot, so she only wears one boot. She lost the first one I got her that was broken in nicely and she only hopped for a block before walking on that one. I ordered two more and neither of these fits her as well. One of them must have really rubbed her foot because she just would NOT put weight on it. I switched boots and this one she will hop on her three other feet until she gets tired (the diva playing her sympathy card) and then finally she'll walk on it with a lot less limping than without. But this one also rubs her so that her outside toe bleeds sometimes. I'm guessing it's the seam of the neoprene, so I've started putting a bandaid on the seam and that helps a bit, but doesn't last very long. Has anyone else had problems like this? I hate to order another one since they aren't returnable and two out of three don't fit well. Or, maybe I should check into the Neopaws.

 

She also walks kind of awkwardly on it. I'm sorry you have to use two of them. These poor pups. Hopefully once they get broken in (indentations from the toe pads), she'll walk more confidently. I vote for carpeted sidewalks too.

[Guest mysymba]

Oh how sweet ...Symba looks kinda drunk when he first starts out but then he "smacks the paw" down as we say at our house and is almost proud of the noise they make...she will adjust....I also buy little toddler socks to wear under the Therapaw and it seems to help him grip his toes and doesn't seem to bother him as much..just a thought..I get them at the Dollar Store....

[XTRAWLD]

Kasey had Therapaw boots for a while.... they now each have a different set, which replaced our Therapaw set. But teaching them to walk in boots are all the same.

 

It's best to put the boots on and start out on a walk right away. Don't put them on and just leave them on in the house when you first put them on, otherwise they will fuss like crazy with them. They all learn, but like everything, takes some getting used to.

 

On our walks, ours sound like a pair of horses walking down the street. I think they enjoy the sound of the clopping down the lane!

Edited December 16, 2011 by XTRAWLD

[NeylasMom]

It's best to put the boots on and start out on a walk right away. Don't put them on and just leave them on in the house when you first put them on, otherwise they will fuss like crazy with them. They all learn, but like everything, takes some getting used to.

 

Zuri has been wearing one off and on for the last few months to give him extra support after dislocating a toe. I'm a terrible mom, but I was in hysterics the first time I put it on him. He would lift his paw up really high and then swing it forward and stamp it down, it was so funny. But, he got used to wearing it really quickly and now I don't really even notice a limp when it's only on one foot.

 

One thing to consider maybe? I borrowed the one Zuri is using from a friend. She had multiple sizes so we tried the large first, but Zuri FREAKED out while wearing that one - it was tall enough that it went over his dewclaw and I think it really irritated him. So we went to the medium, which I thought was a big snug for his long toes, but they had cut a slit all the way across the back, horizontally (so parallel to the ground) behind the rubber pad, so basically it splits where his joint bends, if that makes any sense. I think that may give him more freedom of movement, but the bottom of his foot is still protected by the pad (and for us the main thing was that his toe would stay in place, which is accomplished by the boot itself). I don't want you to go ruining your therapaws on my advice because I know they're expensive, but apparently the friends who I borrowed it from discovered this sort of accidentally when one boot ripped on it's own. Of course, I haven't had the opportunity to try a non-cut medium on him to see if he walks any differently.

 

If my description isn't making any sense and any one is interested in trying it, I will take a photo and post it.

Edited December 16, 2011 by NeylasMom

[Guest mirinaaronsmom]

Oh how sweet ...Symba looks kinda drunk when he first starts out but then he "smacks the paw" down as we say at our house and is almost proud of the noise they make...she will adjust....I also buy little toddler socks to wear under the Therapaw and it seems to help him grip his toes and doesn't seem to bother him as much..just a thought..I get them at the Dollar Store....

 

A friend of mine suggested a sock also, but it's so snug in there I don't think I'll be able to get her foot in with a sock. Maybe I can find a real thin one, or go up to a medium boot. She's such a little thing (56 lbs.) that I have the small for her. Phooey - I was at the dollar store at lunchtime today. Now I'll have to make another trip - and you KNOW you never leave with only one thing from there.

[Guest peacehound]

thanks so much for these ideas..Neylasmom do you mean cut right at the rubber end? I would love to see a pic if you could..if I ruin the boot I will just have to buy more..smiles..some reason no matter what it costs us we just will do anything for this dog's comfort..thanks again all for the ideas..I like the sock idea also but these already seem so snug for Peace, I hope I didn't buy them too small..I have the T/D size, she is a bigger female, 66 pounds.

[sweetdogs]

Miri also has a corn, but just on one front foot, so she only wears one boot. She lost the first one I got her that was broken in nicely and she only hopped for a block before walking on that one. I ordered two more and neither of these fits her as well. One of them must have really rubbed her foot because she just would NOT put weight on it. I switched boots and this one she will hop on her three other feet until she gets tired (the diva playing her sympathy card) and then finally she'll walk on it with a lot less limping than without. But this one also rubs her so that her outside toe bleeds sometimes. I'm guessing it's the seam of the neoprene, so I've started putting a bandaid on the seam and that helps a bit, but doesn't last very long. Has anyone else had problems like this? I hate to order another one since they aren't returnable and two out of three don't fit well. Or, maybe I should check into the Neopaws.

 

She also walks kind of awkwardly on it. I'm sorry you have to use two of them. These poor pups. Hopefully once they get broken in (indentations from the toe pads), she'll walk more confidently. I vote for carpeted sidewalks too.

 

My Conor HATED his therapaws but liked his neopaws right away. I don't know if it's the shape or construction but for him they're much more comfortable. And they're returnable if the fit is not right. But Ronnie is very good at sizing so you probably won't have to.

[NeylasMom]

thanks so much for these ideas..Neylasmom do you mean cut right at the rubber end? I would love to see a pic if you could..if I ruin the boot I will just have to buy more..smiles..some reason no matter what it costs us we just will do anything for this dog's comfort..thanks again all for the ideas..I like the sock idea also but these already seem so snug for Peace, I hope I didn't buy them too small..I have the T/D size, she is a bigger female, 66 pounds.

The T/D is the size I'm using for Zuri. Honestly I think he needs something in between the T/D and the T/E. The smaller size does cause his toes to rub and he was starting to get some irritation, but that was also where he had a little bump from the dislocation so maybe it would have been okay otherwise.

 

Anyway, as requested, pictures:

 

The cut is in the cloth, right above the rubber. Sorry, the photo is sideways but I can't fix it on my phone.

 

Here's the back of the foot. I think it just gives them more movement in the wrist.

[Guest peacehound]

thanks so much for these ideas..Neylasmom do you mean cut right at the rubber end? I would love to see a pic if you could..if I ruin the boot I will just have to buy more..smiles..some reason no matter what it costs us we just will do anything for this dog's comfort..thanks again all for the ideas..I like the sock idea also but these already seem so snug for Peace, I hope I didn't buy them too small..I have the T/D size, she is a bigger female, 66 pounds.

The T/D is the size I'm using for Zuri. Honestly I think he needs something in between the T/D and the T/E. The smaller size does cause his toes to rub and he was starting to get some irritation, but that was also where he had a little bump from the dislocation so maybe it would have been okay otherwise.

 

Anyway, as requested, pictures:

 

The cut is in the cloth, right above the rubber. Sorry, the photo is sideways but I can't fix it on my phone.

 

Here's the back of the foot. I think it just gives them more movement in the wrist.

thanks so much for these pictures, very helpful..I do think I will try the cut, makes perfect sense to me, to give more freedom..hubby walked her this morning and tried making the boots loose and Peace walked right out of them..learning experience I guess..thanks again, I appreciate your help!