Why Pomeranians Actually Need Boots (And When They Don’t)
Pomeranian paw pads are tiny, and the fluffy fur between their toes works like a trap for ice balls. When it gets below 20°F outside, those ice chunks make your Pom limp and can actually cause frostbite. This isn’t just about making your dog look cute.
Salt and those chemicals people put on sidewalks to melt ice? They’re really bad news. They burn your dog’s paws when they touch them. And you know what happens next – your Pom comes inside and licks their paws like crazy. Now those nasty chemicals go right into their belly. Boots stop both problems before they start.
When your Pom can skip the boots:
• Dry, cold days above 25°F
• Walking on surfaces with no salt or chemicals
• Your dog has super fluffy feet
• You’re only outside for less than ten minutes
Here’s how you really know if your Pom needs boots: Watch what they do! If your dog starts picking up their paws while you’re walking, won’t move forward, or licks their feet non-stop when you get home, boots aren’t just fancy dog clothes. They’re fixing a real problem your pup is having.
Get the Sizing Right Before You Even Open the Box
You need to measure each paw by itself while your Pom is standing up with weight on their feet. Put their paw on a piece of paper, mark the widest spot (including the nails), and measure it in centimeters. Most Pomeranian front paws are about 4-5cm wide. The back paws are usually a little smaller.
Most Poms need XXS or XS boots. But here’s the thing – how wide the boot is matters way more than how long it is. A boot that’s too skinny will twist around and make your dog walk funny, even after they get used to wearing them.
Buy from companies that have sizing charts made just for Poms, or make sure you can return them easily. Picture this: you order boots and three of them fit great, but the fourth one won’t close at all. This happens all the time with small dogs like Poms, so you need a backup plan.
Pro tip from Pom owners: Try the sock test! Before you buy anything, put baby socks on your Pom for ten minutes inside your house. If the socks stay on pretty well, your measurements are probably right.
The Two-Week Desensitization Plan (Not the Two-Minute One)
Days 1-3: Leave the boots near your dog’s food bowl and where they play. Let them smell like your house, not like weird new things. Let your Pom sniff them and check them out. Don’t force anything.
Days 4-7: Put one boot on for just thirty seconds, give a treat right away, then take it off. Do this with each paw one at a time. Don’t put all four on yet! You’re teaching your dog that boots = good stuff, not that they have to obey.
Days 8-11: Put all four boots on inside your house for two to five minutes while your dog is busy doing something fun – scatter treats on the floor, give them a puzzle toy, or feed them dinner. Your Pom is going to walk like they’ve never used their legs before. Try not to laugh right at them (it’s hard, I know).
Days 12-14: First time outside! Start in your yard or driveway, not a real walk yet. Keep it under three minutes. Give really good treats every few steps. Stop before your dog gets frustrated.
Managing the Inevitable Prancing-Horse Phase
That high-step prance where your Pom looks like a tiny show horse? Totally normal for three to ten days. Your dog honestly doesn’t know where their feet are anymore. It’s confusing for them, not them being stubborn.
Keep walking and use a happy, encouraging voice instead of stopping all the time to fix things. Imagine a Pom owner just standing there while their dog does a crazy dance in one spot – that doesn’t help! Moving forward actually breaks them out of it.
If your Pom keeps trying to shake the boots off, it means one of two things: the boots are too loose where they close, or your dog needs more practice time inside before you take them outside.
Take a video of that first outdoor walk. You can watch it later to check for problems. The boots shouldn’t spin around more than halfway, shouldn’t slide down their leg, and your Pom shouldn’t be limping unevenly after those first awkward moments.
How to Tell If Boots Are Actually Helping
Good signs that boots are working:
• Your Pom walks normally after the first thirty seconds
• They don’t lick their paws like crazy after walks
• They can walk farther in the cold than before
Bad signs that something’s wrong:
• Limping gets worse while you’re walking
• You see red spots or raw skin when you take the boots off
• Your Pom sits down and won’t move, even for treats
The ice-ball test tells you everything. After a ten-minute walk in the snow, check between their toes. If there’s no ice stuck in there and the pads look pink and healthy, the boots are doing their job.
Here’s the coolest part: A Pom who really needs boots will eventually run toward them before walks! Once they figure out that boots mean their feet feel good outside, they’ll actually want to wear them. This usually happens after three to four weeks.
Fastening and Fit Adjustments That Actually Matter
The two-finger rule: you should be able to slip one finger (but not two) between the strap and your Pom’s leg. Tighter than that cuts off blood flow. Looser than that and the boot flies off in the middle of your walk.
Check the fit again after five minutes of your dog wearing them. All that Pomeranian fluff squishes down, so boots that felt snug in your living room might be loose by the time you reach the end of your driveway.
That Velcro on the boots? It wears out faster than you think with a fluffy dog. Plan on buying new boots or sewing the closures back on every winter, not every few years.
For Poms who are escape artists with their boots, try ones with two straps – one at the ankle and one higher up the leg. Or put a tiny bit of musher’s wax on their paw pad before the boot goes on. It makes the boot stick a little without hurting your dog.
When to Push Through and When to Pivot
Keep going if you see:
• Your dog acts a little unsure but walks anyway
• Funny walking that gets better within five minutes
• Your Pom gives you annoyed looks but still moves forward
This is just normal getting-used-to-it stuff.
Stop right away if you see:
• Limping that doesn’t get better
• Raw spots or missing fur where the boots close
• Your dog completely shuts down – won’t take treats or listen to you at all
Here’s the truth: You have other options if boots don’t work. If your Pom still hates boots after two weeks of doing everything right, try musher’s wax to protect their paws, take shorter walks more often, or only walk on paths you’ve cleared yourself.
Some Poms never like boots no matter what you do. Even if the size is perfect and you’re patient with training, they just can’t handle how boots feel. That’s not your fault! Some dogs are just extra sensitive about their feet. The smart thing to do is change how you handle winter walks instead of forcing something that makes your dog miserable.
