Yesterday while sitting outside at Starbucks having my daily cappucino, I happened to notice a women walk by with a small dog. I looked down and saw that the dog was wearing shoes, stylish ones that you would find in a doggie designer store. At first I thought that this was odd but then realized that those little shoes probably protect him from the hot concrete in summer and dog boots will protect him from the cold and salt on the roads during the winter.  Keep in mind that your dog will walk a little funny when he first wears his new shoes or boots because they will seem bulky and heavy to to him. Try putting the shoes or boots on for a short time each day until your dog gets used to them. Give him a treat while he is wearing them so that he associates wearing his new shoes with something good. Praise him while he is getting used to his shoes.  Make sure that you keep his nails short and take the shoes off after a long outing. I wouldn’t advise shoes or boots if your dog is the size of a St. Bernard!