Epiks Shoes, accuracy of the sizing chart?
 

I have been eyeing the Epiks shoes for Lu and wondering how accurate the sizing chart is? There are no stores nearby where I can take her to see exactly what size she wears. Lu is 3 lbs 7 ozs, on a good day and about 8" at the shoulder and pretty slight.

I figured the easiest way to get an accurate measurement of her foot would be to touch her paw to some water and then have her stand on some paper and trace the outline with a pen and measure that. :animal-pa I have also measured her foot with a see through ruler and her foot seems to be 15/16 of an inch or 2.4 cm. According to the Epiks sizing chart that would mean Lu would probably take a size 1. However, I also know that sometimes size charts can be off by a fair amount and so I'm wondering what other people's experiences have been comparing the measurement of their dog's foot to the size of Epiks that fit properly.

AllDogBoots is a member here and if you contact Karen she is amazing with helping you to pick the correct boot for what you need and getting the correct size. I am not sure about Epiks, but she has tons of shoes and boots. She really helped me out with what would work for Jada.Dog Boots | Dog Shoes & Dog Booties

Thank you, I will give that some thought. I was hoping maybe some members with hands on (paws on ) experience might be able to shed some light as to how accurate the Epiks sizing chart is. It has seemed from things I've read that Epiks have some decent science behind their design. Wouldn't mind hearing about other brands as well though. Unfortunately most dog shoes do not come in a size that will fit Lu so my options are kind of limited. Thanks so much for your suggestion. Having more options is a good thing.

I would get a 0 for Lu. Uni has the size 1 and she is about 1" wide in the paw and about 5.5 lbs. However Uni is very slender in her legs and paws.

Thank you so much for weighing in on my question. That's exactly why I have been wondering about the correct size. Lu is just under 3.5 lbs but when I measure her feet (and I have measured and re-measured) they come in just under 1". I'm in Canada and not actually converted over to meteric in my head but for little measurements it's kind of helpful. . .

Lu's feet are 2.2 - 2.3cm wide
3.3 - 3.4cm long (from back of pad to end of nails)
4.5cm around her ankle

2.54cm = 1"

The Epiks chart says size 0 is 1.78cm and size 1 is 2.29cm. According to that Lu should wear size 1. Most dogs Lu's size seem to wear size 0 but maybe she has big feet? (She doesn't seem to but what do I know) I realize a few cm here or there is not that big of a difference but yet it is the difference between sizes and what will fit will and what will be too small or too large. I wish Epiks used a length measurement as well. . . (That might have helped a bit.)

Have you been pleased with the Epiks shoes? Have you been using them long? I know they say that they have lots of science behind the design but I know for humans improper fitting shoes can cause all kinds of joint issues and pain and so I have wanted to be sure whatever I put on Lu's feet will not cause any issues for her. Unfortunately there aren't a great number of options for really tiny feet.

I know it will take time for Lu to adjust to wearing something on her feet but I think in the end she will be much better off. She goes to the bathroom outside and when she walks on the gravel she walks like it hurts her feet and now that the grass is getting dry she seems to find that quite uncomfortable as well.

Sorry for rambling on. I'm just really excited to be able to talk with someone who has some experience with these shoes.

:thumbup:

Karen goes above and beyond to help! OP, I would contact her...I am sure she will help you.

I have read really good things about Alldogsboots and so I went over to the site to take a look but the only shoes they have that would fit Lu are the Pawz and the Neopaws shoes. Pawz won't give enough protection from sharp objects and I used the Neopaws Original several years ago with a much larger dog and they worked quite well but were a bit of a task to put on. I was hoping for something a little more conveient to put on and off and a little less utlitarian in appearance. For a less restrictive type bootie or shoe I wish the Mini Meshies or another shoe called Pom Preece Mesh Dog Shoes, which are kind of like the Ruff Wear Bark'n Boots, were made small enough but no luck. As best as I can tell there are only a couple of brands around that make a shoe small enough. Not a lot of options sadly.

Can't hurt to PM her for some advice. She may know something about the shoes you are interested in.

I would still go for the 0. I originally went w the 2 for Uni, they were so big they would spin around on her. She measured btwn a 1 and 2, so I sized up but should have gone down instead. I really like them, they are nice quality, but I didn't realize they aren't real suede, they are microsuede. We use them when it rains as Uni's hair soak up water really quickly and ends up w her while arms soaked.

I like how the soles are rounded and not flat like a lot of dog shoes are. It's a more natural walking motion for them. I trained Uni to like them by putting them on then getting out a high value treat. So she would follow me around trying to get some. She does well in them. Every winter I get them out and will have to retrain her again, but usu only takes a few mins.

Yes, of course you are correct. I will get ahold of her and see what advice she may have.

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences with these shoes with me. As far as the shoes being microsuede and not suede that is actually a good thing. Microsuede is quite a durable fabric and doesn't stain nearly the way real suede does.

I'm glad to hear that Uni does well with these shoes. I'm hopeful Lu will aslo do well with them. Have you found the size 1s to still be quite roomy for Uni or are they a snug fit? I think I agree that Lu would likely wear a 0 I've just worried a bit that maybe the sizing chart is accurate and so she is actually a size 1. I know it would be strange as she is quite a bit smaller than most dogs who wear size 1 but it could happen I suppose. Thanks again for all your help.

Epiks
 

Hi! I have the size 0 and they actually fit Sophie's tiny feet (she is 2.5 to 3 lbs, 7" topline, so pretty tiny). Epiks make the smallest shoes size, even though they all say size 0. So the good and the bad: They have a lot of padding on the inside and firm rubber soles. The sizing seems to be true to size; however, they also tend to come off because there isn't a Velcro strap to hold the zipper up. They also make a 'knocking' sound from the zipper 'knocking' against the boot (not sure if she doesn't like to sound or the vibes from it). She likes soft boots soooo much better that the arch supports or rubber soles so if someone can make them for you, maybe that would be better??

Do you make your own soft boots or have someone else make them for you? What sort of pattern have you been using?

I wish someone made a soft boot that was tiny enough. I like the idea of them and I suspect that Lu would prefer them to a formed shoe. I have read where some people have cut the fingers off of gardening gloves and used those for soft boots and for around the farm that would be fine but it would be nice to have something a bit more professionally put together for around town. I think the Mini Meshies design is pretty cute but they don't come small enough.

We have not had a problem with the zipper falling down ever. Uni is not the skittish type so the knocking sound does not bother her, but yes there is a clinking sound. There is an elastic around the back of the boot. Uni's has not fallen off while walking or running, but she has kicked them off once when she was jumping on her hind legs barking like mad on her leash and I was not moving. She jumped right out of her boots. But this was the only time, she wanted to move and I didn't.

The 1s are snug, the 2s were roomy and were too big, as I said spun around on her. The inside is soft padding and the insoles are memory foam. I think as long as Lu's nails are kept at a nice short length the 0's should be fine.

Oh also you can PM member AlaskaYorkie, he uses these booties that are soft but not waterproof with a velcro top I believe. These are good for dogs who don't like the feeling of wearing boots too. I forget who sells them, but he will know.

Thanks so much. I suspect in the end Lu will likely have a couple of pairs of shoes or boots. I can see where a more formed shoe might be helpful in some instances and where a soft boot might be nice other times.

I have to say I love being able to throw around ideas here and get input from people who have differeing views and experiences. It is wonderful there are places like this where we can do this sort of thing. Thanks so much to everyone.

No problem! :) You should post more often! I see you joined in May. Have you tried the Off Topic section with the games and stuff? There are lots of fun threads around. There are a few "foodies" around here too and we have a few food threads in the off topic section as well.

Oh and of course, let us know what you ended up getting and post some pics! :)

No I dont have a pattern but I wish I did! I wish even more that someone could make some for me!

I have done the kids glove thing and it works pretty well, but ya, it could look better!

As for the measurements: of course I cant find my measuring tape to save my life BUT for Sophie, her feet are about 0.5 inch wide, and 0s fit pretty well. They dont pull off too easily when the zipper is up.

Mine don't have the elastic around the boot... but these Epiks are 3 years old. I've been using the grooming bands -which still don't work because the zipper still falls down half way. If they have solved that problem, the Epiks are definitely worth the shot! Thanks for the suggestion of the other boots!!

Sophie's feet are 0.5 inches wide? My goodness that is tiny and definitely smaller than Lu. If Sophie's feet are about 1/2" wide and size 0 fits her pretty well then maybe size 1 would be the correct size for Lu.

I got in touch with alaskayorkie and he sent me the site address of the lady he gets his fleece booties from. They are just fleece, but he said he has tried lots of different booties and these ones have worked the best. He also said they seem to keep his dogs feet warm even if the snow does dampen the fabric some and that they even help on ice for a bit of traction. I like the idea of fleece booties even if I do get a more formed boot as well.

I also got in touch with alldogboots and she suggested maybe going with the NeoPaws. She quite likes them, they do make really tiny boots and I have used the NeoPaws Original High Performance boot on a much larger dog several years ago, and they worked quite well. For going out for a walk or longer jaunts they might be worth considering but I would still like something that is a bit quicker to put on and off for potty runs when the weather is nasty.

With regard to the Epiks Lu's measurements do seem to indicate she would wear a size 1 but dang I would hate for them to be too large. Although if I order a size 0 and they're too small that wouldn't be any better. I have been told that the size chart is pretty accurate but I sure wish someone actually carried them where I live or that Epiks had a print off foot chart with paw or boot shapes in the correct sizes rather than just measurments. I'm going to have to make a best guess if I go with the Epiks.

Thanks so much everyone for all of your input. Lots to consider.

Oh on the topic of shoes and booties I did want to mention that yesterday I came across an article about sled dogs and that they sometimes wear booties etc. However, they also explained that dogs sweat through their feet and the sweat can be trapped by a bootie or shoe and cause fungus and other health issues if kept on for long periods of time. They said sled dogs have to be monitored because they can become overheated even though it is cold outside if they wear booties during a long race. Just something to keep in mind as I know there are people who put shoes, slippers and booties on their dogs all the time simply for the cute factor or leave them on because it's a pain to put them on and off. Being able to ventilate their feet is important. I didn't know there was a risk of a dog getting overheated even in the cold or the sweat building up and growing greeblies until I got reading about it but it makes sense. I knew that dogs bodies work quite a bit differently than ours and that their natural temperature is higher and they sweat differently etc. I just hadn't thought about what that means with regard to jackets and footwear etc. My dogs don't really wear jackets and footwear unless the weather is particularly nasty but still it's something I will monitor a little bit better now.

I don't envy your decision! Soph is only slightly smaller than Lu as far as height and weight.... what is the return policy? I do think they fit Sophie well, but to be honest, I have never had a boot smaller, so I don't know if she would be better off in an even smaller boot. As far as the fleece ones go- people I know rave about them! Don't hold water, have traction on ice (unlike the rubber sole), breathable, and are stretchy and apparently comfortable. Could you post the link?

Sadly most places won't allow you to return shoes for health reasons. I have measured and measured Lu's feet and it really does seem like she would wear a size 1. . . as long as the chart is indeed correct. If Uni's feet are about 1" and she wears a size 1 and they fit snuggly but 2s were too big and turning around on her feet and Sohpie's feet are about 1/2" and she wears a 0 and they are not turning around on her feet and I had another lady tell me her 4 lb yorkie wears 1s but they are almost too small and that her dog should maybe wear 2s instead. . . Ahhhh!!!!

The chart says that size 1 fits 2.29cm and Lu's feet measure between 2.2 - 2.3cm. If the chart is indeed accurate then size 1s should fit perfectly, at least that's the theory. Still going to mull that over before I bite the bullet though. The darned things aren't exactly cheap.

Here's the link that alaskayorkie shared with me for the fleece booties.
www.heidiandcompany.com

He mentioned the photos aren't great and that I might have to take his word on how good they are (and have to admit he was correct). He also sent a link to a video of his yorkie Jillie running around in her booties on glaring ice and she is having a blast! He said that he didn't figure Jillie would have even gone out for a walk without the booties on. With them on she didn't seem to have any issues with the cold or ice. With the rave review from alaskayorkie who says he's tried quite a few different kinds of footwear over the years, and the fact that I can't find even one other place that makes tiny booties, I think I may have to give them a try.

I think with all the additional info, and if Sophie's paws are actually 1/2" wide, then I say go with the 1s. Also ordering some fleece ones that Alaskayorkie suggested wouldn't hurt either, they are very inexpensive.

That's kind of what I'm thinking too.