Welcome Backcountry K9!

Just wanted to give a big welcome to Jason and the folks at Backcountry K-9. They're an online store that specializes in outdoor gear for dogs. They are carrying Woof Hoofs dog boots. Check them out at www.backcountryk9.com

Holiday Dog Tips From 'The Dog Whisperer' Cesar Millan!

Holiday Dog Tips From 'The Dog Whisperer' Cesar Millan!

How to Get Your Dog to Wear Dog Booties for a Safe and Fun Winter Season

If you follow any of the pet-related blogs or news outlets recently, you’ve probably read a story about preparing your dog for winter. A staple of any dog’s winter gear is a set of dog booties, especially if you live in an extreme climate and expect to take your dog out in the elements on a regular basis. What I haven’t seen discussed yet is how to actually get your dog to wear them.

When my dog Baxter and I go for a walk and he’s wearing his boots, we always get a lot of smiles and positive comments, but occasionally I hear the remark, “I tried getting my dog to wear boots, but he hates them and won’t let me put them on.” Then they ask me, “Does your dog try to pull them off?” I can see the look of skepticism on their faces when I tell them that Baxter not only enjoys wearing them, he eagerly gives me his paws if he even thinks I’m going to put them on.

It got me thinking about writing down why I think Baxter likes wearing his dog boots and for that matter why some dogs don’t. He’s generally a cooperative dog, but I don’t think he has a predisposition to enjoy wearing boots that other dogs don’t have. He’s pretty much just an average dog.

A History Lesson:

The first thing to consider if your dog refuses to wear dog boots is that maybe at some time in the past they have had a bad experience. Maybe your dog was forced to wear one of those cheap, stiff boots designed to look like a set of Converse All-Stars with blinking lights? The first thing to keep in mind is that when it comes to dog boots, fashion must never come before function. Remember, you’re doing this primarily for your dog’s benefit, not your amusement.

If your dog has had a bad experience, that’s not a reason to give up. It may just mean an extra dose of patience is required. But there is absolutely no reason why any dog can’t be trained to wear boots and even enjoy them. That’s right I did say trained. There is some basic training involved. It’s not like simply putting a new collar on. However, it’s well worth the effort and your dog will thank you in the long run. You’ll be making outdoor trips a lot more enjoyable, comfortable and safer. It may even save you a visit to the vet to treat a cut, blistered or infected paw?

First Thing’s First: Not all Dog Booties are Created Equal:

No amount of proper training will compensate for an uncomfortable, ill-fitting boot. In fact if you’ve had problems in the past you’ll only be reinforcing the same negative feelings in your dog by using the wrong boot.

Here are a few basic characteristics to look for in a good dog boot:

• Flexibility: It should move with your dog’s natural paw movements and not force your dog to change its natural stride.
• Form fitting yet not tight. If the boot is too loose and the material is too rough it can cause friction and irritation. Foot powder helps too, by absorbing wetness and reducing friction.
• Well-designed boots that stay on without having to lash them down with vice grips. If you need to over-tighten them to ensure they stay on, you’re likely cutting off your dog’s circulation. At the same time don’t keep them too loose or even good boots may fall off. It just takes a little practice to find the right balance.
• Good traction. Hard plastic or smooth soles will only make your dog feel more unstable and insecure when wearing boots. A boot with a rubberized sole will provide traction and will help your dog’s confidence with having them on. Dogs get a lot of their sense of balance and control from their paw pads. It’s challenging enough to not have direct contact with the ground. Making them slip and slide on plastic or slick soles may cause your dog to resist wearing them even more.

Now that we’ve got the preliminary stuff out of the way let’s get down to the brass tax. The absolute most important technique to get your dog used to wearing dog boots is consistent, positive reinforcement and association. Is there a single dog in the world that doesn’t get excited when their owner reaches for the leash? For your dog it means there’s a 99.9 percent chance that a walk is coming. There’s no reason why your dog cannot make the same association of putting dog boots on with an exciting, fun, adventure-filled walk. It may be just a chore to us sometimes, but for them it is like a trip to Vegas!

If you put the boots on and then just let the dog wander around the house for a while, it may only add to your dog’s frustration and anxiety. Make sure, especially in the beginning, that as soon as the boots are on you head out for a walk. Not only is it a positive association, it’s a great way to take your dog’s mind off of the fact they have boots on. There are just too many other stimulating distractions to enjoy! Also it’s a great way to release any stress or anxiety your dog may have from having these strange contraptions on.

Dogs respond better to different forms of positive reinforcement than others. You know what works best for your dog. You can do any or all of the following:

• Praise your dog for letting you put the boots on as well as during and after the walk.
• Give theme their favorite treats throughout the experience.
• If you can’t go outside, engage in a fun activity while the dog has the boots on, like playing fetch or some other game. Dogs love attention and abhor boredom. Positive, fun attention is a great way to establish a positive association with the boots.

I’m confident that if you apply these suggestions and take a dedicated, consistent approach to getting your dog used to wearing dog boots, pretty soon your dog will beg you to put them on; just like Baxter.

- Jim Leal, aka, The Dog Cobbler, is founder and owner of Woof Hoofs. The company began out of a desire to share his love of the outdoors with his dog, Baxter. You can ask Jim questions by writing him at jim@woofhoofs.com or by visiting the company website: www.woofhoofs.com.

I'm learning how to make WoofHoofs.com searchable

I'm on a steep learning curve to SEO the website. Linking from other sites is one way to do it. So here goes nothing. And if you are reading this, I would appreciate if you would link to Woof Hoofs on your site too. Thanks for the support! www.woofhoofs.com

The Woof Hoofs Story

Woof Hoofs began as a result of a backpacking trip cut short in California's Emigrant Wilderness, during the summer of 2009. After a nine mile hike into the heart of the backcountry, we set up camp. It was immediately clear that Baxter was not doing well.

On closer inspection he had a badly blistered front paw which made it extremely painful for him to walk. The question at that point was not whether to continue with the trip, but how to get him back home safely and quickly with minimal pain. Carrying both him and a 50 pound pack for nine miles over steep and rugged terrain was not an option.

I administered first-aid and fashioned a "boot" for him out of one of my socks, fastened with medical tape. It was enough to keep the wound clean and prevent infection. But it didn't do much to make it easier for Baxter to make the nine mile trek back to the truck.

Woof Hoofs began out of a desire to share my love of the outdoors with my dog. I was determined not to let this experience cause him to miss out on future adventures.

My quest for a set of boots that would be comfortable, durable and perform well led to a lot of research and some trial and error. But I think I have achieved my essential goal and will continue to strive for excellence. My hope is that when you purchase a set of Woof Hoofs, you and your dog will benefit from all of the thought and effort that went into making them.

- Jim, The Chief Cobbler

Major Breakthrough!!!

Well, all of the design work has finally paid off. Edison said invention is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. I wasn't inventing the lightbulb or the phonograph, but it isn't easy to design a dog boot that will stay on.

I've finally got something I think will work. This is a major milestone and puts the project a big step closer to production.

By the way, scratch what I said in my earlier post. Judging from my latest modification test. Maybe I can produce a shoe that stays on under any conditions?

SuperZoo 2009 and field testing

It's been a little while since my last post. There have been some positive developments to update. I found out that the SuperZoo trade show was happening was happening in Vegas this week. I had an unused ticket on Southwest and was able to book a flight out to the show so I went for it.

The show itself wasn't earthshattering, but it was a very good experience to learn how wholesalers and retailers get together. I was also encouraged that there didn't seem to be any significant competition represented at the show, so it appears there is still a window of opportunity to carve out some marketshare.

So far the testing has been encouraging. My goal is to market a shoe that is affordable, comfortable, durable and that will stay on.

What I am learning is that dogs are remarkably agile and can accelerate, stop and turn on a dime. Therefore it is difficult to design a shoe that can stay on under any circumstances. I'll keep trying, but the goal is quite a challenge.

Dealin with the Man

I spent most of the morning handling the unpleasantries of filing the necessary paperwork to get the business started. It was actually quite painless. My first stop was the County Clerk, where I filed my ficticious name. My friend Sean who works in the Tax Collectors office saw me and it was nice to know I was among friends.

Next I went to the city to inquire about a business license. The lady said it wasn't really necessary until I started making money, so I should wait until the new year. After that I visited my old pal Steve in the planning department for their approval.

Next stop was The Union Democrat. It cost $88.00 to run the public ad for the ficticious name. My last stop was the bank to open a business account.

That's the beauty of living in a small town. I know many of the people I'm doing business with and every thing I need is in a one block radius of downtown.

Tag line

What do you think of the tagline "Woof Hoofs: Shoes fit for a dog"?

Trademark Application submitted

Well, I did a trademark search. The closest to my logo and company name is "Hoof & Woof". The image is of two horseshoes. They sell shirts and some kind of pet apparel I guess. Could not be mistaken for the Woof Hoofs brand or product line.

So I filled out the trademark application and paid my $275 bucks! This is the first major step. It takes quite a few months to process, so we'll see how it goes.

Field test

I took Baxter out to Dragoon Gulch to test the latest prototype of the dog boot design. He seems pretty comfortable with them on and shows no signs of wanting to pull them off. So we parked and got ready to hit the trail (about two miles round trip). About five hundred yards on our way I noticed one of the boots coming loose. I snugged it up a little and we were on our way. Every thing seemed to go very smoothly.

On the way back, I noticed, however, that the boot that gave me trouble in the beginning had spun around bottoms up. The other boot stayed in the right position, but it slipped out a bit. Need to figure out why one performed better than the other. Also noticed the lycra material picks up burrs, which could cause premature wear and tear.

The boots wash and dry well and there were no signs of abrasion on the ToughTek soles. Mixed feelings, but not too worrisome.

Got a good book, Six Week Start-up from the library. Very helpful in mapping out the things I need to launch the company.