Doggy Life Vest

[img][/img]

I wholeheartedly believe in vests for dogs, especially those that aren't strong swimmers or if you are out far, for their protection and safety.

Here's our Missy in her vest in our Coleman Scanoe. She has since passed.

sue.t wrote:
We had a dog who loved to be in the water, so much so she would jump out of the kayak in the middle of a lake. The life vest gave us an easy handle to grab to pull her back in, or let her swim and swim and swim without us worrying she was going to sink. She might have been part trout though, as she rarely fatigued in the water.

Excellent points. Dogs can also get tangled in weeds, tire out and drown regardless of how well they can swim. A CFD helps them to stay afloat until help arrives.

NOTE: Avoid letting your dog swim in FL, LA, MS, South GA and even TX lakes because of the alligators who like pets for lunch.

We had a dog who loved to be in the water, so much so she would jump out of the kayak in the middle of a lake. The life vest gave us an easy handle to grab to pull her back in, or let her swim and swim and swim without us worrying she was going to sink. She might have been part trout though, as she rarely fatigued in the water.

Jane,

Good for you. We use our CFD (Canine Flotation Device)regularly when whitewater rafting (like for the first two weeks of July) with our dog. Even for a strong swimmer, they really help keep her head up in rough water. Not all CFD's fit the same however. We like the NRS product because the chest area is open, allowing (I think) a more comfortable fit when the dog is sitting. However, the trade off is not as much flotation. More like the current kayaking PFD's. If you make a fun game out of putting it on, it will make life easier later on.

Steve