Reston Man Engineers ‘Faux Paw’ for Injured Dog

Reston resident Don Chernoff recently used his engineering background and concern for his dog Sunny to invent a sturdy shoe that he says has improved the pet’s quality of life.

Chernoff, inventor and founder of Skyroll luggage said Sunny, now 12, had a tumor in his left front paw. The paw was amputated about two years ago.

Sunny got a prosthetic from the vet, but the dog kept breaking it and chewing on it. That’s when Chernoff was inspired to design one himself.

“I thought using a sneaker on the bottom would work better, and it did,” Chernoff said in an email.

Chernoff said he destroyed his old pair of Nike Zoom Vapor 9 shoes. He used the shoe parts and duct tape, to upgrade into a “faux paw” — and now Sunny gets around much better.

Chernoff says he is not looking for a patent, a deal with Nike or to make more shoes. That is, unless Sunny breaks his current faux paw.