Ask any of Boots & Bark’s walkers and they will tell you what a struggle it is to find quality, waterproof footwear that holds up to the demands of professional dog walking, particularly during colder, wetter months. Since 2018, from 8am to 5pm our team has been hitting muddy trails, treading through long, wet grasses and navigating boggy wooded ground to give our dogs the best possible walk in the best nature that a British winter has to offer.
Therefore, we know a thing or two about staying dry and comfortable in these conditions that we’ve found wreck all but the hardiest of footwear and here we’ve compiled the best of what we’ve tried and (more than) tested over the years.
Which are the best dog walking boots in 2025 at a glance?
Best boots overall – Harris Dry Boot
Best short wellington boot – Hunter Original Chelsea Boot Shoe
Best casual rubber boot – Muck Originals Pull-On Ankle Boots
What features do we look for in our go-to dog walking boots?
The stresses that Dog Walking puts on footwear varies greatly but what we look for in a boot doesn’t. The requirements of support, comfort and all day waterproofing in a lightweight package, any seasoned walker will tell you are universal but professional dog walkers also require boots to be tough. This is due to three things.
- Miles – we walk a lot of miles, sometimes 100 miles a week and an average walking boot made of anything but good quality materials, well joined together will not last even 6 months under this mileage. In addition to this, ‘all day’ when we refer to waterproofing really means our expectation is 8 hours minimum of dry feet regardless of weather conditions.
- Tending to the animals – this may sound strange but bending down or squatting to tend to the animals results in flexion of the boot’s upper, specifically on the seams (or welds) in the front portion of the boot. Too many times we’ve seen boots fail at this very point.
- Running – sometimes, you’ve just got to run and this can add additional stresses to the boots, again towards that front portion of the upper as well as general stresses across the
Why you can trust Boots & Bark
Our product recommendations are based on real-world tests conducted by our dedicated team of walkers. The nature of our work means we replace kit regularly and are always on the hunt for the best products at the best prices which we pass on to our readers. No manufacturer ever sees copy before publication and we do not accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews.
Overall winner:
1. Harris Dry Boot
£88, The Dry Boot Company
Best overall boot, 9/10
We like: Tough, supportive, very comfortable, all day waterproofness, very cost effective.
We don’t like: Little on the heavy side
A medium height, 100% waterproof, lace-up classic that we simply could not live without.
We cannot recommend this boot enough, over 70% of our staff have a pair and our founder Lucy is on her third!
Harris Dry Boots are a predecessor to the Viking Dry Boot, with this updated version featured in country brown in addition to other internal improvements to the long-standing classic.
Built from 100% natural rubber construction, the Harris features fully welded seams and additional layering around known weak points, providing dependable 100%, all day waterproofing for the wettest conditions.
This rugged shell is extremely tough and hard wearing and is matched with a super soft inner padding which is fastened around the foot and ankle by the fool (and mud proof) external D-lace system which is riveted in place through the outermost layers of rubber. This combination provides great support and all day comfort which we simply haven’t found in a 100% waterproof boot before.
Uppers aside, the sole of these boots offer incredible grip, particularly noticeable when compared to Vibram type soles which are often not soft enough to provide the required grip in wet conditions.
The Harris’ tread is a clever design, it’s spaced out and not too deep, detering large clumps of mud and does a good job at ‘self cleaning’. However, the team at dryboot have cleverly added a steel shank, inset under the arch which ensures rigidity of the entire boot when kicking off stubborn mud.
The Harris Dry Boots are the whole package. They may not be quite as stylish as other makes and models but they are all day waterproof, supportive and comfortable. And for well under £100 we think they’re truly unbeatable.
Top tip: We like to match these with really thick, woollen socks for added warmth during the winter months.
2. Hunter Original Chelsea Boot Shoe
Unisex £72, Amazon
Womens (more colour options) £88, Amazon
Best Short Wellington boot, 7/10
We like: All day waterproof, affordable, very fashionable, easy to clean, relatively lightweight
We don’t like: Pull-on style less secure and supportive than laces, we have read some concerns over durability.
A stylish country romper we wanted to hate.
Arguably the most stylish boot on the list at a very affordable price. Hunter has done well to establish themselves as the chic and premium alternative to classic Wellington boots and even better (we think) for securing a spot on this list.
Overall, the Hunters function as a perfect, low Wellington with our only criticism being an unfair comparison in support in which, the Harris’ lace system takes the gold. Still, the Hunter’s elasticated section holds the seamless rubber upper to the foot, shin and calf very well and combined with a good heel they are supportive and comfy.
This waterproofing is very good, with no observable hindrance to our ‘all day’ criteria, the rubber at the top sits snug against the leg creating a good barrier from rain and the seamless rubber construction is impermeable to wet underfoot conditions.
Some reviews online have raised issues with durability, showing images of delamination and tears in the rubber uppers along stress points but we haven’t experienced this, so far they seem to hold up.
The Hunters have no shank in the sole. This keeps the boot light but may result in excess flexion of the sole over time lending itself to splits and tears, time will tell.
Note: This is the original chelsea boot version of Hunter’s welly range. We found the raised heel of this design much more comfortable than the flatter sole found on their other wellingtons which in two cases didn’t provide enough arch support resulting in achy feet.
3. Muck Originals Pull-On Ankle Boots
£135, Muck Boot Company
£135, Amazon
Best casual boot, 6/10
We like: Fashionable, very durable and comfortable.
We don’t like: Not ‘all day’ waterproof in rainy conditions, and more costly than alternatives
For a stylish boot that offers all day comfort and a competitive dryness, these will be suitable for a wide range of walkers and outdoor enthusiasts.
The comfort of these boots can’t be understated, they are extremely comfy, with a memory foam insole and a sturdy, grippy sole which also benefits from a steel shank for increased rigidity when treading uneven ground and kicking off mud.
The slip on nature of the Muck’s will never be as supportive as a lace up system, still the neoprene holds the boot on well and offers some good insulation during the winter months.
The waterproofing is effective and the rubber is well laid throughout the upper with few exposed joins and good reinforcement over the toe. The seams are also reinforced with very robust welding.
However, we’ve found after a couple of hours the neoprene elements tend to retain water which spreads into the boot and can transfer to trousers or socks. This, combined with the open topped nature of the pull-on style makes them unsuitable for sustained wet weather conditions – puddles and even occasional small streams are fine but hours of torrential rain hitting the top of the boot results in wet feet.
We’ve rated these boots a 6/10 as they don’t hold up to our specific waterproof requirements, however we can’t deny that where we find fault, others will find a very attractive, durable and very supportive short boot that will provide dryness in wet, underfoot conditions for many hours.
Note: We tried the Muck zip up ankle boots which retail for double the price of these originals. We found them more supportive and the waterproofing was better but once the zip got clogged with mud it was rendered useless and eventually broke due to the increased force needed to operate it.
The Elephant in the room that isn’t for us.
Brasher Country Masters
(or similar)
£195, Amazon
Solid traditional walking boots 7/10
We like: Fashionable, beautiful leather, extremely comfortable, all day support.
We don’t like: Not 100% waterproof and costly.
Brasher has done well in recent years to establish itself as a solid provider of mediumly priced, well built walking boots for men and women. The Country Master 2 is no exception to this and we feel these boots from Brasher represent the truest middle-ground in medium to top-tier walking boots.
In our experience walking boots in general offer good support and comfort but only the full leather variety ones with Goretex or similar membranes provide waterproofing comparable with full Rubber, an essential requirement for us. However, this comes at a cost.
There are many other brands like Brasher that we can recommend for walking boots, these include:
- Scarpa, Amazon, £100 – £250 – most comparable to Brasher
- Meindl, Amazon, £150 – £300, comparable prices but German made.
- Danner, Amazon, £150 – £300 – very stylish, excellent build quality
- Altbergs, £200 – £400 – high end, UK made to order with free bespoke fitting and lifetime repairs
In reality you can often find these boots from Brasher or Scarpa and similar in sales at Blacks or on Amazon for as little as £99 but if you’re tempted at the £200 price range you should probably be looking at a pair of Altbergs which will set you back only another £30-£50 and are 100% british made with lifetime repairs.
However, we feel that these mid and upper tier walking boots are an expensive overkill for dog walking. This is because they don’t offer much more value in mileage, waterproofing or support beyond the Harris dryboot which you can buy two of for the Brasher’s advertised £185 RRP.
In Summary: Rubber Trumps Leather
So there you have it. We prefer rubber boots over leather and more breathable textiles for the winter months as they ensure all day waterproofing, comfort and in the case of the Harris, seriously good support.
Durability wise, rubber is tough enough and stable enough for our needs. It’s also really easy to clean, our walkers can simply rinse off their boots from their cars using the little dog washers and they don’t need to worry with it drying out too quickly and cracking like what can happen with leather.
One note on the waterproofing, with boots such as the Muck Boots. A pair of waterproof trousers or gaiters can really help with dry feet in the wettest of conditions.
Thanks for reading this guide, we hope it has been useful and given some good pointers on what to look for and expect from products when dog walking.