In the past few years, there is no question that the revolution of stylish dog shoes and boots has hit the market. From Hound Hiker Boots to FouMa Dog Sneakers, having your pet in some type of "paw" protection is not only fashionable, but certainly functional. Although some people may think it's down right silly, owners, especially to little breed dogs, are now thinking "outside" the box and realizing that dog shoes aren't just a fashion accessory to an outfit, but simply a necessity!Little breeds, especially, have tiny, soft paws. Because many of these dogs are constantly carried in fashionable pet carriers or held in the arms of the owner when out in the public, they are not exposing their paw pads to the elements of the outside world (hard, rough surfaces) as much as a bigger dog may. Therefore, their pads do not harden as much. Consequently, when a little tiny dog is finally walked freely on concrete, asphalt, etc... their paws can become quite sensitive, especially if the surface is too hot or too cold. Black asphalt, for instance, is very hot to the touch in humid weather. Ever try walking barefoot on it in the summer yourself? The same applies to small dogs that have very soft pads on their feet. Moreover, if an owner is not closely monitoring the conditions of a walkway, fine, sharp pieces of debris, glass or even ice salt can become quite hazard to these little, soft pads as well.
Because designers are always trying to follow the trends of the fashion world, it is not uncommon to see stylish protective shoes that match outfits in their collections as well now. Just ask Lara Alameddine, owner of Little Lily and pet fashion designer to the celebrities. Actually, Lara founded her business in 2002 while walking the streets of West Hollywood with her 5 lb Yorkie who accidentally stepped on a shard of glass. With the recommendation of her vet to seek out shoes for "Lily", she was unhappy of what she was finding in her local pet stores. Therefore, with some careful planning and creative design work, she developed the first fashionable, but protective booties for dogs in the USA and trademarked the name LilyBoots. With dog shoes came dog clothing and that's when the story of Little Lily began.
For a pet to walk in shoes, it is certainly not in their nature to do so. Therefore, if you have never tried placing shoes on your pet's feet, it will require some training and patience on your part in order for your pet to get adjusted and walk perfectly normal in them. Usually, it can take as little as a few hours to a few days of an adjustment period; depending on your pet's personality and level of tolerance. Simply having a pet wear them for short periods of time and gradually increasing the wear time in them will have your pet strutting its stuff in no time; even if it's not on a fashion runway in Hollywood!
