Long Term Report: Muttluks Inc. All Weather Muttluks "Dog Booties"
Date: November 23rd, 2004 Manufacturer Information Name: Muttluks Inc. Website: http://www.muttluks.com	Product Information Manufacturer: Muttluks Inc. Model: All Weather Muttluks Year of Manufacture: 2004 Color: Yellow & Black Size: Medium MSRP: $35.16 (US) Listed Weight: N/A Measured Weight: 4.7 oz (133 g)

Long Term Test Results

My collie survived another summer of packing and a couple hundred miles (320 km) of trails, but not all of the credit goes to the Muttluks.  I used the Muttluks sparingly for several reasons.  As previously stated in my Field report they didn't perform well off-trail or in snow.  Steep off-trail conditions generally require maximum footing and I found that the Muttluks interfered with steep climbing and traversing through boulders.  The same goes for snow as they compromise the dog's grip and increase sliding. About 40% of my trekking is off-trail, so that eliminated a good portion of test opportunity.

Unless the Muttluks are firmly secured they roll over and instead of walking on the leather foot pad, the dog is waking on the nylon upper.  When firmly secured they must irritate her paws, because when given the opportunity she will lick the booties.  Additionally, and most annoying, she tries to rub the pack off when near shrubbery. She has never done this before and only when the Muttluks are firmly secured.  If I don't secure them tightly, they seem to cause less irritation, but then I have to occasionally reseat them so she isn't walking on the nylon uppers.  During none of the trips did I observe any worn hair/bare spots on her paws, so I have to conclude that the Muttluks are more of an irritation, and not causing pain.

Because of the irritation, and her acting like a poorly trained pack mule trying to rub off her pack, I limited the use of the Muttluks to trails that were very abrasive on her paws.  My collie generally carries a 15 lbs (7 kg) pack, and under adverse trail conditions her feet begin to hurt.  Even with the pack lightened, I occasionally have to resort to aspirin to get her moving after a day of tough trail.  The Muttluks did a fantastic job of protecting her paws, and she never experienced the sore-paw syndrome that normally accompanies several days on rough trail.  One of my trips in Oregon had 13 miles (21 km) of incredibly abrasive trail and I kept the Muttluks on her all day.  The whole day was over broken sharp rock that would have normally destroyed her paws.  When we arrived at camp that evening she was tired, but she wasn't licking her paws.  My hiking partner even made the comment that we were lucky to have the Muttluks, otherwise the dog would have been in tough shape.

The Muttluks show wear, but I'm sure I'll get another season or two out of them.  The leather sole is tougher that I had suspected, and the stitching is in good order.  I suspect it wouldn't take long to destroy the Muttluks if they rolled over and the dog was walking on the nylon uppers, thus it is advisable to keep a close eye on them.  Even though the stitching is in good order, I'll be covering the stitching and areas of wear with rubber cement to insure a couple more seasons of use.  As per my Initial Report, I was skeptical on durability, but have been pleasantly surprised on durability and performance.  Again, I can't reiterate enough that they have to be firmly secured and watched to ensure that the leather soles remain under the dog's paw.

Tester Information & Background

Name: Andy Rad

Gender: Male

Age: 47

Height: 6 ft (1.83 m)

Weight: 165 lb (75 kg)

Email: aisrad@cableone.net

I started backpacking 21 years ago, mostly 3 day trips with at least one 7 day trip per year.  By backpacking, I’m referring to summer, winter camping, and fall hunting.  About half my trips are light weight solo and the other half with my family.  I own a llama that was purchased when my 3^rd child was 2, some 10 years ago.  This allowed me to continue backpacking as a family activity.  When I’m not with the family/llama I tend to take less-traveled trails or bushwhack the hard mountainous terrain in and around Idaho.  In recent years I’ve begun substituting a collie for the llama.  The majority of my trips are in central Idaho, with a few into northern Idaho, eastern Idaho, and eastern Oregon.