Life Vest for Dogs

What have people here used? I have two dogs, both pit bulls, one is about 55 lbs and the other 90 lbs. Also does anyone use any kind of ladder to get them back on the boat??

Just a question, why does your dog need a life vest? All the dogs I have ever had can swim, and swim for a long time. This includes the two Wa Wa's we have now.

Our dogs come up the swimstep. They get their front legs on it and then we put our hand behind their head (while we're on the back of the boat) and they pull themselves up. Works well with a swim step that's close to the water. An IO may be a little harder.

Knee, I will guarantee that those Pitbulls will not swim. They WILL drown without a floatation device. I had a Staffordshire Bull Terrier (the original pit dog) and he couldn't swim or float for his life. Had to save him a few times when we were in San Diego on dog beach when he ran into deep water trying to get a tennis ball. $.02

(Message edited by dabell on April 27, 2009)

they are not the best swimming dogs and just like people I would rather be safe then sorry. Getting back on the swim deck is not that hard just thought I would make it as easy for them as possible. They are kind of chickens when it comes to new things so if it is easy they will do it over and over.

Will back up the fact that pitbulls are not the best swimmers. My big guy always trys to hitch rides on the back of my brothers Labrador.

Come on guys help him out. Overtons has multiple dog vests as well as a dog step but I have heard many people say they put their hand behind his head and push.

One cool thing about a vest is the handle across the back. I've heard about the hand behind the head trick, but Zeus and i still can't get it figured out. Picked mine up at petsmart, IIRC.

the ones at overton look kind of cheap, I think my best bet may be to go to a pet store and try them on

CWB has new dog lifejackets. They look okay.

www.cwb-tv.com

My pit swims like a fish. I've always had trouble getting any thing to fit her right around the chest. I would just google dog life vests.

I wish I had a picture of the look on these two kids faces when we were the lake one day and I was throwing a sick for her. She lost the one I threw so she found a replacement.......except it was about 6 feet long and 6" round. When she came swimming in with that thing the kids eyes just about popped out.

Here is a couple of pics. of my dog's vest.
It's a Scooby-Doo vest. Bass Proshop Special!HA

http://www.altrec.com/ruff-wear/k-9-float-coat-dog-life-jacket?sku_id=474772&cm_mmc=Mercent-_-Froogle-_-Ruff%20Wear-_-15076-474772&mr:trackingCode=71CA16FF-3E24-DE11-A0FB-0019B9C2BEFD&mr:referralID=NA

I have a 130 lb american bulldog. this thing floats him well and fits very well on his body. Your pits have a similiar body and this would work well. he has used it 3 yrs in a row now and never had a problem.

My dogger always wears a vest. Not because he cant swim but because he gets tired and it is way easier to grab the top handle and pull him in. Here is a pic. He has been rocking the CWB Dog vest.


CWB Dog vest

Yes that is actually my dog. He is a celebrity.

^^haha nice.

we should have a ''show us your dog'' thread.

There already is one in the pictures/audio/video forum.

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/87667/658623.html?1240767596

I have a weim/springer/lab mix that was made to swim and you can't get her out of the lake. But I bought her a vest at Gander Mountain so I can float out on a raft and play fetch with her in the water all day without worries.

The best part is that you can grab the handle on the vest and she'll pull you around on the raft.

my dog can swim, but at a tourny last year the ball she was playing with blew into the water and headed across the lake. She was not going to come back until she got her ball. Fortunately the jet ski pick up craft got her ball and then she came back. Here is Raley sporting her vest!

My pit loves going to the lake. She actually fits well in a friends ex wifes side entry vest! I would NEVER let her go without, better safe than sorry. She swims like a fish but the minute her butt goes under she sinks like a rock..like when trying to get on the swim step. We do the hand behind the head trick and it works great. We cant keep her out of the water though.

I have a pair of Border Collie mixes. One swims like a fish. The other will swim, but he's pretty lazy.
Last summer I rented one of those Hobie kayaks that you pedal instead of paddle. Pretty slick.... pedal my ass around the lake with a beer in my hand, one dog on the back & one swimming all around. Both with their vests on.

My wife bought the vests from PetSmart. Frankie now knows that he can swim all around the lake.... and he does. Chases ducks for hours.

We have vests for our Aussie Shepard and Lab, they both swim great but when ur flyin around on a donzi its best to be safe.

cyrus just wears a regular old style hunting vest but i think im sold on the cwb vest, gotta keep the mut pimpin you know!!!!

evil0ne, thanks for the link!!!!

The best dog vest bar none. Search And Rescue (SAR) dogs use them...

www.ruffwear.com

My dog Ellie - I have since found a smaller jacket that fits her better. I put the jacket on her because rollers really throw her off her game, lol.

thanks for all the post. I looks like I am going with the ruff wear one. My dogs are pretty stocky and those look the best. Keep the pics coming!

Good deal edgar. Good looking dogs everyone!!! Its cool to see how many other folks take theirs out with them. My pit is about the size of your smaller one...55lbs. They make great dogs too I dont care what anybody says. My old lady was part of the stereotypers before she met me. Now she is basically an advocate for them and realizes how ignorant she/others were/are.

Great dog pics!

Johnathon, what does your dog have in the water with it? Our 'staff destroys anything round in minutes - hence part of the reason for the life jacket - she gets excited whenever she sees mooring balls! I'd love to find a rugged large ball for her, but haven't found anything yet. I thought a basket ball might work, but that lasted 2.5 minutes.

Sean, love the pic of the dog's Jet Pilot jacket when she is sitting btwn you guys - complete with the outstretched paw! Classic.

We found the "Fido Float" works extremely well for Angel, our 40 lb Amstaff. (Don't ask about the name, she came with it from the breeder). Anyway, the best features are the two balanced lifting handles and the mesh section that conforms to her chest / belly. Trying to find a well-fitting jackt for a large chested dog like a pit/staff/boxer can be an issue. The Fido Float seems to have solved it. The two handles make it really nice to lift her in and out of the water as my boat doesn't have a swim platform.

My parent's have a single handle jacket for their lab with two underbelly straps and I wouldn't recommend something like that as a. you can't lift the dog if desired / required and b. the straps don't fit nearly as well as the mesh. Yes, lab and a jacket is strange too, but he likes to float / lounge around in the water with it on!

Believe it or not, the 'staff likes water just as much as the lab and swims just as strong - took her a while to figure it out, but once she did, she was all set! She spends hours down at the dock "nosing" a ball to the edge of the dock and catching it. Every 5th or 6th shove with her snout she lets it go and jumps in after it. Quite amusing to say the least!

Anyway, here are a couple pics of the Fido Float. Note the mesh underbelly in the third pic.

Great to see all the pits/staffs. My Mom nearly had a heart attack when we adopted one 6mo before our son was to be born. Now she (and several others in my family) understand how bad a rap the breed gets.

Anyway, I bought a neo doggie vest from Boaters World that is nearly identical to the CWB when he was learning. Like others, I was afraid he would sink like a lead weight. To my surprise he didn't and now he's a pretty good swimmer (not lab/golden good, but pretty good). Once he got the hang of it the vest didn't seem to help all that much so now I generally only put it on him if he's been at it for a while.

and Edgar, lovin the 73 split bumper. That's my favorite year.

Here is a picture of one of our dogs. I believe the dog vest was purchased at overtons.

Jaak, My dog has a gaint Jolly ball in his mouth. They sell them at Petsmart. It usually last all summer, before I have to buy a new one. He loves that thing.

Here's a video of our ruffwear coat in action. This is a 5 year old vest with lots of swimming miles. We used it here to teach a friends dog to swim and boost his confidence dock jumping. Two weeks before this video this dog had never been swimming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbtDwFFFioc&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fsavvydog%2Eb logspot%2Ecom%2Fsearch%3Fupdated%2Dmax%3D2008%2D08 %2D24T11%253A30%253A00%2D07%253A00%26max%2Dresults %3D7&feature=player_embedded

how do you keep the dogs nails from scratching the seats and/or sunpads? I have 2 jacks and i want to bring them with us buy am afraid that it will be end of my seats. thanks.

My dog is 75lbs he is ALWAYS on the boat with me and I've never had a problem.

GD, what is that your using for the dog to get back on the dock?

Steve: I've never had a problem with the dogs scratching the seats but I remember once not wanting to take them because it was right after I cut their nails.

Ryan: Thanks, It's actually a 71 well at least the shell the drive train is 2008!

Steve, I cut and file my dogs nails before we go out. I also lay towels down and tuck them into the seats when she goes. The worst she has done is scratch/claw my teak swim step when she jumps off into the water...I sand them out every winter. Check out my pics above, I am pretty anal about the care of my boat.

A vest for your dog? LOL.

I knew a guy who was a commercial fisherman. Live catch. Special 42' boat with all the tanks to keep the fish alive. He was about 6 miles off the central Cali coast at night when his boat split in half and sank in 30 seconds. The coast guard put it down as a 'whale strike'...but 'off the record' told him he was likely clipped by a submarine conning tower...but the Navy will never admit it...and the sub likely never even felt it.

Either way...his boat sank in 30 seconds...6-7 miles off the Cali coast in 20 knot winds (luckily sideone shore). He kept a paddle board, compass, lightsticks and 4 mil wet suit at the wheel. His dog was with him. In the water, he was able to get on the suit...and started paddling. His dog was swimming next to him.

After about 4 hours...he lost track of his dog...and thought maybe he drown (or worse). At about 6 a.m....after 6+ hours paddling....he made it to shore. He then realized that his dog did not drown (or worse). He was already on the beach.....playing fetch with some early morning beachgoers.

Your dogs are MUCH stronger swimmers than you think....

(Message edited by kitewake on May 07, 2009)

For dogs with long or sharp nails use Soft Claws http://www.softclaws.net/default.asp caps, cheap and work well to keep the vinyl in good shape. While i don't worry about our Doxie hurting the vinyl he does periodically go into a digging binge looking for his favorite toy and these save the day!

All dogs can swim, it's instinctive. Not all dogs can swim worth a crap though. Certain breeds won't last thirty minutes. A vest is a smart way to allow your dog to have fun without himself or you worrying.

HA HAHA !!!! Those are great Razzman! I was looking at some boots for her like the ones people use on hunting dogs..just to be safe. But I think she would get them off somehow. This is PERFECT, what a great idea. I will be ordering some. Thanks for the post!

I took a new photo of my dog last night;

Edgar,
Hold out for a neoprene one that has some sort of zipper on the chest. They seem more secure and comfortable esp. since I would also suggest using the loop on the back to get your dogs back in the boat. I have a 90 lb. German Shepherd.

yikes that's a tiny dog!!!

Ok, who's sprung for the Straightline leash?

This thread reminded me of it.

Haha sweet, although my flatmate's dog would make short work of it.