Which Boots for Dog Walking?

Muck Boots started out in recognition of a universal problem - muck. Wet, messy, muddy, dirty muck, and we determined to find a solution for keeping our feet warm and dry through it all.  

Over two decades later and we have an extensive portfolio of product designed for various conditions and activities, in a range of heights, materials and colours to suit every taste. 

However, we are still regularly asked the question “Which are the best boots for me?”.  

Understanding what the boots will be used for usually helps us narrow down a choice, and yet there is one activity that remains as diverse as ever in the range of options available – dog walking. 

Throughout the UK and Europe, dog ownership has always been high and in recent years, particularly with lockdown, ownership has soared as many look for companionship on their daily visit to the great outdoors. Studies suggest that prolonged repetition of an activity becomes a habit, rather than a trend, and that goes for many of the activities we began under lockdown. Being outdoors is good for our physical and mental health. Enjoying that with man’s best friend ensures you get out every day and makes the experience far more enjoyable.

So far so good…but what is the best boot for dog walking? 

Well just like our footwear dogs come in a huge range of sizes, colours and athleticism and we walk them in a range of environments – gardens, parks, fields, open countryside, forest, fells, dales, and vales. 

The best place to start is to consider how long you will spend in the boots and over what kind of ground i.e. activity and terrain. 

Often our boots are primarily used in a single environment – sheep farmers need something to cope with the open fields, dairy farmers spend much of their time in the barn, yard, or milking parlour. 

Dog walking can be dismissed as a “light activity” and sometimes it is. However, dog walking can take in multiple terrains in often fickle weather. Walking a dog twice a day seven days a week can also mean many hundreds of miles are covered in the lifetime of the boots.  

For instance, walking a Springer Spaniel over the Pennines for 2 hours a day will likely benefit from a different boot to taking a Basset Hound to the park via a visit to the corner shop. 

If you are regularly walking for an hour or more over uneven terrain, then grip will be more crucial than insulation – think ARCTIC SPORT, MUCKMASTER or APEX. Walking the dog around a park for 20 minutes in the depths of winter may mean insulation is more relevant than grip – think ARCTIC WEEKEND, ARCTIC ADVENTURE or ARCTIC SPORT II. 

The sheer variety of activity and terrain when dog walking can make a simple choice much more involved.  

So, which is the best dog walking boot? – Simple answer is all of them. The practical answer is to really consider how you use them, think about activity and terrain then use the online product description to help make an informed choice. 

Related Categories 

Best Boots for Dog Walking

Best Boots for Muddy Dog Walks

Women’s Dog Walking Boots

Men’s Dog Walking Boots