# Need traction... Paw-pad stickers? Boots? Wax?



## Chris Wild

Our whole first floor is carpetless. Hardwood and vinyl. Kaiser is doing well adjusting to life as a tripod, but especially when he first wakes up in the morning he can be a bit wobbly and the slippery floors don't do him any favors. Kali's spondylosis is starting to really catch up with her too and she's also having a hard time on the slippery floors.

There's no way to non-slip the floors. Even putting down area rugs everywhere wouldn't cover all the spots they walk. So I'm looking into ways to get them more traction.

One option is paw wax, the kind used by mushers. Not sure it would really provide the traction they need, and also not keen on the idea of getting waxy residue all through the house and furniture.

Another option is dog boots with good rubberized soles. But since this is for indoor use I'm thinking they may get mighty annoyed with the boots, especially if their feet get hot.

So I was looking into these Paw-pad traction stickers:
http://pupgearcorporation.com/Products/P...34Pa38Ta38Sahr0

Anyone had any experience with these things? Do they work? Do they stay on? Will they hold up to the daily romps and play outdoors in the yard (since we can't take them off for outside and them put them back on)? Do the dogs tolerate them well?


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## vomonyxhaus

I used the booties for my boy Rex when his spondylosis made it hard for him..... They worked really well!!! I wouldn't want to be sticking any chemicals(glue) to the pads of my dogs feet... but that is just me...

P.S. I had 2 sets for him so 1 set was always clean in case it rained......


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## Chris Wild

Normally I avoid chemicals too, but according to the product literature the adhesive is medical grade and non-toxic. So between the type of adhesive and the simple fact that we're looking for quality of life management at the moment since neither of these dogs is going to be with us much longer I'm not really worried with any sort of long term affects from chemical exposure. They just won't be around long enough for it to make any difference I don't think.


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## ahlamarana

I have not used the traction stickers, but some other ideas: 

Firm Grip spray- you would probably have to apply it frequently, but it's easy to do. 

Musher's Secret might work, I'm not sure it would be grippy enough. It does not leave residue behind, though.
I have tried leaving booties on my dogs, they chew them off the second they're not supervised.


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## MTAussie

I haven't used the adhesive but I have heard good thing about these, Grip Trex

http://www.seniorpetsupplies.com/products/Grip_Trex_Dog_Boots-30-0.html

(here is the link to Virbram so you can see what they are talking about, everyone has them here they are popular with runners and cross-fit fans here. My husband loves his.
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/)

Description from website:
These dog booties feature two major advancements in dog boots: an upper inspired by human shoes and a high performance Vibram sole built on an anatomical mold, just like human shoes. The dog boot's upper maintains a consistent size, shape, and fit. The revolutionary upper design and construction ensures the dog boots are easy to put on, easy to secure, provide continued comfort, and most importantly, the boots stay on paws-from the first mile to the last. The Grip Trex design with omnidirectional treads and traction zones are customized to the meet demanding needs of active dogs. The sole generates unequaled grip, traction, durability, and performance. Together, these two advancements produce a completely revolutionary dog boot from top to bottom


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## Chris Wild

Sarah,
I didn't know about the Firm Grip spray. Will check into that as an option too. And that gives me the idea that I should be pestering my agility buddies with this sort of question as well.

MTAussie,
Thanks. The Ruffwear Grip Trex boots are the kind I'm looking at. But my biggest worry with boots is I have a strong feeling they wouldn't stay on long once the dogs were unsupervised.


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## vomonyxhaus

I was lucky... Rex knew they helped him so he left them alone....


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## sleachy

My own personal experience...Musher's Secret made my dog slip n slide on the tile floors so may not be the best choice.

I was been searching for a spray on!!! Thank you for that link to Clean Run!


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## arycrest

About 40 years ago, my OES had trouble walking on any slippery surface including hardwood and tile floors. I used a product called TACKY PAWS which was fantastic. 

I googled it and found a product in UPCO called Tacky Paw - SHAWS PAW WAX. I do NOT know if this is really the same product as the old TACKY PAWS or not.
http://www.upco.com/cgi-bin/Upcol.storefront/4ad735bd0134b56cea6dc0a80aa50743/Search/Run


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## kshort

Chris,
If you decide to try the boots, I highly recommend the Grip Tex that MT Aussie posted. They are incredibly durable. Max wore one on his back foot that he was dragging. Our house is mostly carpeted, so he only wore it outside when we were walking. But they're easy to put on and take off and I don't remember one every coming off as we walked, even with him dragging it. The Vibram was super strong. Easy to rinse off in the sink and they dry pretty quickly.


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## kleinenHain

I like the boots but I would put them on for a while then take them off. I put one on once and had it a bit tight or it was just the way my dog was naping that he cut off blood supply to one back leg and when I took it off his foot was quite large. the worry person I am ran him to the vet. He use to sleep at night with them on because of the wood floors I could hear him doing his rounds and would wake me up ( don't do that any longer)

I used the spray once at an agility trial because Max was slipping all over the place ( wasn't a dirt floor) I tried the spray and he slipped even more.

I too would like to know what I could use, thanks for the links.


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## Vinnie

> Originally Posted By: ahlamarana
> 
> Musher's Secret might work, I'm not sure it would be grippy enough. It does not leave residue behind, though.


Chris I have used musher's secret for years and never noticed a waxy residue left behind.









_Edited to add:_ My dog's can't stand the boots. You should see how funny they walk with them. And yes, eventually, they figure out a way to get those darn things off.


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## Chicagocanine

Personally I would not use regular dog boots of that sort for long periods of time. They need to be pretty tight in order to stay on the dog's feet and it can cause issues with circulation. I bought a pair of the Grip Trex boots for my senior terrier when he started having issues with the cold/snow/ice in the winter, and I put them on him in the house for about an hour when I was trying to get him used to them. When I took them off I could see that his feet were a little swollen. 
I have seen dog boots that were held on using "suspenders" which would eliminate the problem of having to be cinched tightly, but I think that may not be as comfortable and may be more likely to be chewed on. 
Example: http://pupspenders.com

I'd probably try Shaw's Paw Wax first--it may help and is fairly inexpensive if it doesn't.


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