In winter the problem in a city is not the cold but what is spread on the pavements. Salt and de-icers eat into pads, get into cracks and cause chemical burns. The dog then licks its paws and swallows all of it.
Who needs boots
Dogs with short hair between the toes and thin pads — toy terriers, Italian greyhounds, chihuahuas. Dogs whose paws are already damaged. Dogs walked along central streets, where there is the most de-icer.
Most medium and large dogs walking on snow in a park rather than on salted asphalt do not need them. Boots change a dog's gait, and wearing them constantly does no good.
What to do without boots
Wash the paws after every walk. Not a wipe with a cloth but an actual wash in warm water — salt dissolves, a cloth just smears it. Between the toes too.
Trim the hair between the pads. Snow packs into it, rolls into ice balls and rubs.
Apply protective wax before going out. It forms a film and keeps salt out of cracks. Ordinary hand cream will not do: it softens the pads, and a soft pad is injured more easily.
Signs the paws have suffered
The dog limps or sits down mid-street and lifts a paw. It licks its paws at home longer than usual. Redness between the toes, cracks, blood on the snow.
If a dog suddenly goes lame on a walk, look between the toes first: more often than not it is an ice ball or a piece of glass, not a fracture.
When to see a vet
Deep cracks, pus, a swollen paw, lameness that has not passed within a day. A de-icer burn looks like redness and peeling skin — that is not something to handle on your own.