The Pacific Northwest is pretty good to its dogs as far as accessibility to the outdoors is concerned. The city of Portland alone is home to 10,000 acres of public parks and natural areas. That land represents at least 279 different parks and natural areas; including one of the largest (Forest Park) and smallest (Mill Ends Park) parks in the country. Throw in the 255 state parks and five national parks and there really is no reason why a dog cannot get some green space from time to time.
Our dogs were born ready for nature. The pads on their feet harden with exposure to tough surfaces. These pads are composed of fat and also allow dogs to traverse through both hotter and colder surfaces than we generally could (although they aren’t immune to the effects of long term exposure!). Also whereas people distribute weight through the entire foot; dogs keep their weight on their toes during locomotion.
The footwear you wear plays a huge role in determining your comfort while on the trail with your dog. Wearing the wrong shoes has painful consequences over the long haul. If you do not size yourself properly you can develop issues such as bunions and corns, as well as more serious orthopedic type issues within the foot that would potentially require a physician’s assistance.
The basics.
As a general rule you should always have both feet measured when sizing yourself up for new shoes. Many people have two different sized feet and no one wants to be surprised mid-walk by an uncomfortable (and now potentially non-refundable) pair of shoes. Try on shoes later in the day, as your feet would have expanded a bit throughout the afternoon. The ball of your foot always needs to feel comfortable within the widest part of the shoe as well and if not will definitely cause discomfort at some point. Once your standing in them make sure you have ⅜ - ½ in of room between your longest toe and the front of the shoe and give yourself a few steps in them laced up before you head to the register.
Pronation vs. Supination
Maybe you’ve heard the terms but never considered them when buying walking or running shoes? These two terms describe the way that your foot will roll while in stride. Over - pronation describes when the foot rolls inward while supination describes an outward rolling of the foot. It’s important to know how your foot rolls while you walk because many shoes are made to the specific needs of both types of foot and getting a shoe that does not handle your pronation properly may cause an issue in the future.
Right shoe for the right environment
Know your terrain. If you find yourself hiking out on rough trails then invest in shoes that have a better grip, provide great waterproofing, and give enough ankle support. Casual walker? Get yourself a pair of walking shoes with a heel that absorbs shock and a flexible area under the ball of foot. If you and your dog are runners then look into running shoes that support the heel but give enough flexibility to your toes while in motion.
The more in line your shoes are with your needs as a walker then the better the experience. It's important that we offer our pets as many opportunities to get outside and that we stay mobile and healthy to offer them the quality of life that they deserve.
Support the locals.
Local Oregon footwear brand, Reshod Walking Shoes , is a great example of a shoe that dog walkers can get behind. Reshod Walking Shoes is an Oregon, female-owned company. Founder/Owner, Coach Carmen has been a competitive walker since 1986. The former US Team member races 50k and spends a lot of time thinking about the biomechanics of walking and how it relates to footwear. After many years at two local athletic footwear companies, she created a technology that promotes heel- toe walking. When walking your dog, you can lose your balance if you are weighted on your toes and the dog is pulling you forward. Leaning back on your heels lowers your center of gravity so you will get better leverage against that forward tug.
The shoe toe box is roomy, very water resistant and long-wearing. The insole is removable to accommodate orthotics or your favorite over the counter insole. The 100% rubber Vibram outsole has a low-lug pattern, which reduces the amount of debris you can inadvertently bring home with you. This isn't a 'one and done' type shoe either; the die-cut and buff construction of the midsole can be refurbished at your local shoe repair shop!