“My Dog Chewed My Cowboy Boots!”: Can Chewed Up Boots be Repaired? Yes! How to Have A Cobbler Fix Chewed Leather Boots

“Oh No! My Dog Chewed on My Cowboy Boots!” Can They Be Fixed?

It is a painful sight – we come home from work and our favorite cowboy boots have been chewed to pieces by our best friend! No, not your human best friend 😊 Your friendly pupper has gone to town and destroyed your boots with chewing. Around the time you snap a picture and shout to your friends – “my dog ate my cowboy boots!” you probably start wondering what to do next. If you find yourself wondering what to do when you find out my dog chewed my cowboy boots then you have arrived at the right place.

I mean look at these boots posted by a user that his dog got a hold of – that was a sore sight to come home to I am sure!

Any hope in reparing these?
by u/hmarty4 in cowboyboots

At this point you are starting to wonder can chewed up shoes be repaired and if so can a cobbler fix chewed leather? Where to start? In this handy guide we will talk about the options for steps to repair and prevent this in the future.

My Dog Ate My Cowboy Boots – What Next?

First things first, remind yourself that your little buddy didn’t mean to hurt you and don’t take it out on them. We love our boots, but we also love our doggos!

The Strange Bond Between Dogs and Boots

Understanding the Appeal: Why Do Dogs Love to Chew on Boots?

What is it about your cowboy boots that makes our canine friends find them so appealing? Dogs have a  sense of smell that is far superior to humans and they get a lot of info through their nose. And boy, do your cowboy boots hold quite the medley of scents – the leather smell, your sweat, traces of the places you’ve been and walked – all these factors are going to contribute to a scent profile that dogs can find irresistible.

Moving beyond just the smell factor we all know that many dogs are born natural chewers – especially when young. Chewing on things is part of how they explore their world, relieve stress and/or boredom, or entertain themselves. Yes, it could be that your dog is bored is why they chewed up your boots. With a tough, satisfying texture to gnaw away at, the texture of the cowboy boot leather can be an appealing chew toy to a curious pup.

Initial Damage Control

Step 1 – When you discover the unfortunate scene of the potential demise of your boots – let’s ensure the safety of our dog. Your dog could have swallowed bits of leather and you will want to monitor for any unusual behavior or health changes such as signs of discomfort, vomiting, loss of appetite, or changes in bowel movements. If you notice anything out of the ordinary then contact your vet immediately for further guidance.

As for taking care of the damaged boots, gather up all of the loose pieces you can find. If you decide to try to repair them any bits and pieces can help.

Take a look at this post from someone about a chewed up pair of alligator boots. That is one expensive looking pair of boots. I am sure their heart sunk at first. However, you will see that all was not lost.

Friendly reminder to not leave your boots where your dogs can get them
by u/Heavy_Ad_4430 in cowboyboots

Can a Cobbler Fix Chewed Leather?

The short answer is yes. A skilled cobbler can work wonders on your chewed-up leather cowboy boots. An experienced cobbler can patch bite holes, replace any chewed out sections, and fix teeth marks.

Check out the follow up post here where the same person shows the boots in a repaired condition. Definitely some skilled work going on there.

Update on those chewed up American Alligators I posted a few weeks back
by u/Heavy_Ad_4430 in cowboyboots

How Do You Fix Chewed Leather Boots?

An experienced, professional cobbler will have years of experience in their craft with various tricks up their sleeve to repair your chewed up boots. To start off the are going to have to give you a good overall assessment – are you looking at some surface gnawing or is there deeper damage to the leather. Depending on this they can use a mixture of leather patches, adhesives, and replacement parts to restore their condition.

The details of the boot repair process for a gnawed on a pair will depend largely on the breadth and extent of the overall damage. If you are lucky enough to escape with minor scratches, these can usually be smoothed out and reconditioned to bring it back to a normal state.

If it went a little deeper and there are more punctures or torn sections, you may have to move up to using leather patches and/or adhesives to bind and seal up the damaged areas. The focus here will be to get a good color match and texture match to make the repair as invisible to the eye as possible.

If you are unfortunate enough to have major damage you might have to replace complete sections of your boot. This process is more involved and involves cutting completely new pieces of leather and then hand stitching them in place – a much more labor-intensive process, but one that can bring new life to your boots.

It probably goes without saying, but the more exotic, colorful, or elaborate the design of your cowboy boot the more difficult it will be for a cobbler to repair the chewing damage.

Bottom line – the answer to “How to fix dog-chewed leather boots?” is that your local cobbler can do quite a lot to bring them back to good health.

Prevention: How to Keep Your Boots Safe From Future Canine Attacks

Ok, what now? In the aftermath of a chewed up boot incident how do you avoid it from happening again? Here are some of our tips to keep this from happening:

1. Store your cowboy boots high and out of reach: Keep your boots in your closet or put them on a high shelf or dresser where your dog can’t reach them to use them as a chew toy.
2. Put them behind closed doors: Always close the room off if you are going to leave them on the floor or on a boot rack on the floor. Prevention is worth a pound of cure. Always close your closet or bedroom door if you aren’t in the room and keep them away from your boots.
3. Provide them chew toys to play with: If your dog has other dog-friendly chew toys they can play with this can keep them from taking an interest in chewing your boots.
4. Use deterrent sprays: This would be a last resort suggestion with a persistent chewer. There are sprays that emit a smell that dogs don’t like. If you put a few spritzes on your boots it could keep your pet away and stop them from chewing. The concern here is does that either damage the boot coloration or does it make the boot smell bad to a human.

Wrapping it all up

Let’s all admit it, the idea of coming home to the beginning of a “My dog chewed my cowboy boots!” story isn’t what any of us want to end the day. However, if it does happen, remember that your boots can most likely be repaired and by taking some easy preventive measures you can also take steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again. And if it does happen you will  know to engage your local cobbler for repair options. I have been fortunate that my dogs have always stayed away from my boots, but there is always a first time for everything!

FAQ’s for Dog Chewed Up Boots

Can a cobbler fix all different types of chewed up leather cowboy boots?

Yes, a good cobbler should be able to fix you right up with almost all types of chewed up leather boots. They can be too far gone, but most damage can be repaired.

Can I repair my chewed up cowboy boots myself?

While it is possible for minor surface damage to be taken care of at home with some conditioner or cleaner for most major damage you are going to need a professional cobbler’s attention. This article on mink oil alternatives has some good cowboy boot conditioning recommendations.

What can I do to keep my dog from chewing on my cowboy boots?

The best methods are to keep them stored up high out of reach or to keep them behind closed doors. Making sure there are dog friendly chew toys for your pet to play with can also turn their attention to something else other than your boots.

My dog has a consistent habit of trying to chew on my boots – What can I do to break this bad habit?

Most dogs do best with consistent training and continuous reinforcement. Be sure to provide alternative chew toys and redirect their attention as steps to help break the habit. Consulting with a dog trainer for advice or a few training sessions can also work wonders with most dogs in need of behavior tweaks.

How to Fix Dog Chewed Leather Boots?

Taking your boots to a professional cobbler for repair is the most straightforward answer for almost all repairs that go beyond some simple touchup or recondition work that you can do at home.

How much can I expect to have to pay to get a professional cobbler to repair the cowboy boots my dog chewed up?

The true answer is that the cost of repairs your boots will need can and will vary widely – it will depend on the extent of the damage, the skin of your boot, the going rates of the particular cobbler you choose, and other factors. That being said you can expect to see a range anywhere from under $100 for more minor fixes up to a few hundred dollars or more for more complicated repairs.

You can watch a Youtube video that is based on a summary of this article by going here: https://youtu.be/YvwO-qztZMQ