Life jacket for dog

[Expo]

So ... Our quest to buy a share and start out boating "career" has moved a step further as we spent an excellent training day last week learning the ropes (as well as the tillers/locks etc etc) of life aboard a narrow boat. But we took our dog with us, of course. He had never been on a boat in his life before and it occurred to us that he might be a whole lot safer, as us a whole lot more relaxed, if he were wearing a life jacket/buoyancy aid of some sort.

 

Does anyone use such a thing and have any recommendations for something suitable for a portly, middle aged staffie cross to keep him safe in the event he does go overboard?

 

Thanks everyone.

[Guest]

So ... Our quest to buy a share and start out boating "career" has moved a step further as we spent an excellent training day last week learning the ropes (as well as the tillers/locks etc etc) of life aboard a narrow boat. But we took our dog with us, of course. He had never been on a boat in his life before and it occurred to us that he might be a whole lot safer, as us a whole lot more relaxed, if he were wearing a life jacket/buoyancy aid of some sort.

Does anyone use such a thing and have any recommendations for something suitable for a portly, middle aged staffie cross to keep him safe in the event he does go overboard?

Thanks everyone.

Doggy life jackets are widely available.

 

Most chandlers sell them and eBay is a good source too.

 

Weigh your dog to get the correct size.

 

We had one each for both our boat dogs.

[Jerra]

So ... Our quest to buy a share and start out boating "career" has moved a step further as we spent an excellent training day last week learning the ropes (as well as the tillers/locks etc etc) of life aboard a narrow boat. But we took our dog with us, of course. He had never been on a boat in his life before and it occurred to us that he might be a whole lot safer, as us a whole lot more relaxed, if he were wearing a life jacket/buoyancy aid of some sort.

 

Does anyone use such a thing and have any recommendations for something suitable for a portly, middle aged staffie cross to keep him safe in the event he does go overboard?

 

Thanks everyone.

Our friend has a Malinois (Belgium Shepherd) and uses a lifejacket for him. I am not sure of the make or modal but I will email him and ask.

 

One advantage of his lifejacket is that with a dog as big as Ash 30+ Kg the handle makes getting the dog out easy compared to without the jacket.

 

Don't ask me how I know.

[Jennifer McM]

We've just purchased a Baltic for our GSD https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001RH6Z9U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

We asked Willow Wren when booking a couple of training days - they didn't hesitate to advise we purchase a Baltic.

 

It has a big handle on the back, and have even tried it out by swinging our 35k dog with it, without any distress at all - in fact I think he liked it!

 

The jacket also helps with anti-thermal shocks.

[Guest]

We have two large dogs, both of which have life jackets for when on rivers etc. I think they came off Ebay. Plenty of sources. They are especially useful for lifting large dogs out of the water, providing they have a handle on top of the jacket.

[Sea Dog]

Our Lab has a Baltic. Canal sides are often not easy places to retrieve a swimming dog and, as has been said, the handle on the back can be essential. Whilst mine swims like a fish, a dog could be in the water for some time whilst you find somewhere to retrieve it when on a large river, so the buoyancy element could also be important. As an added bonus, when it's been raining you have a slightly less wet dog sharing your boat!

[lockedout]

What everyone else has said really...

 

Our two Border Terrorists wear their lifejackets when we are on Rivers (chiefly the Thames). They can both swim, but in the time it takes to turn a boat round they will have travelled a fair old distance so will need help. Having a handle is really useful, even with smaller dogs, we also made sure that the lifejackets were brightly coloured to help us, and other river users to see the little varmints.

 

Ours are made by Ruffwear - can't remember where we got them, would have been online somehwere.

Edited August 8, 2016 by lockedout

[FadeToScarlet]

Staffies are pretty dense, and not very buoyant; a friend's staffie-collie cross could only just keep his nose above the surface when swimming! Lifejackets are an excellent idea.

[Neil2]

Most staffies can't swim, I suppose it depends what he/she is crossed with but generally this sort of breed doesn't "trim" properly owning to their physiology. All our dogs have fallen in the canal at some point it's almost inevitable so a lifejacket is a good idea.

 

Most chandlers sell them these days, but we got ours from a local pet shop - you need to take your dog along to make sure it fits.

[Sea Dog]

Most chandlers sell them these days, but we got ours from a local pet shop - you need to take your dog along to make sure it fits.

 

Taking him with you is good advice but, whatever you do, don't be lazy and give him the money to go to the pet shop on his own - he'll only spend it all on biscuits.

[Jerra]

Ours are made by Ruffwear - can't remember where we got them, would have been online somehwere.

I think that is the make I was mentioning earlier but couldn't remember.

[sueb]

Harnesses with handles are brilliant but I agree Stafford need more. I just hate dogs wearing waterproof coats in the summer.

[jonathanA]

We got ours at crick show one for the border collie and one for the Labrador. Really useful for fishing the beasts out of locks which seems to be where ours misjudge things and end up in the water. The handle on the back makes it reasonably easy to get them out, can even use the boat hook to grab them.

 

Only problem we've had is in hot weather they get a bit uncomfortable for the animals.

 

It can be a problem trying to get a 30+ KG dog out of the water without a harness or something to grab hold of which is where the dog buoyancy aids are so useful.

[Jerra]

Harnesses with handles are brilliant but I agree Stafford need more. I just hate dogs wearing waterproof coats in the summer.

I was talking about a full life Jacket with a handle not a harness. I am aware of some dogs and their swimming problems.

[sueb]

We got ours at crick show one for the border collie and one for the Labrador. Really useful for fishing the beasts out of locks which seems to be where ours misjudge things and end up in the water. The handle on the back makes it reasonably easy to get them out, can even use the boat hook to grab them.

 

Only problem we've had is in hot weather they get a bit uncomfortable for the animals.

 

It can be a problem trying to get a 30+ KG dog out of the water without a harness or something to grab hold of which is where the dog buoyancy aids are so useful.

Our German shepherds were easy to get out without any aids. A hand on the back of the neck was all that was needed. He had the strength to pull himself out.

[Ray T]

An alternative, we have a Ruff Harness for our JRT.

 

 

 

We keep her tied to the back of the boat as being deaf and having no recall we cannot risk her getting off the boat.

 

The handle is useful for lifting her.

[8 Hairy Feet]

An alternative, we have a Ruff Harness for our JRT.

 

 

 

We keep her tied to the back of the boat as being deaf and having no recall we cannot risk her getting off the boat.

 

The handle is useful for lifting her.

Have same for the cockers

[RufusR]

We have one for Rufus , Not sure how bouyant it will be doesnt look like it is up to much but the main advantage I see is

1. its bright orange and Dog is log coloured so if he goes in he is easy to locate

2. the handle on top gives you a good chance of oiking him out quickly

 

certainly peace of mind to us as American Boxers dont swim well and hate water but he dont like wearing it much bless him

[Ray T]

There are always these for the enthusiast.

 

 

Edited August 9, 2016 by Ray T

[Phil Ambrose]

Life jackets are a boon, we had them for all our 4 dogs because you never know when they will take a unintended dip.

One dog, a black Yoodle was almost blind and she always wore her jacket, one night prior to lights out I let them all out on our mooring plot , only 2 returned, the 3rd was running up and down the river bank so out came my torch to see something bright orange heading for Yarmouth on a strong ebb tide. I gave chase in my dinghy and hooked her out, near to death as water had ice floating on it, but for the jacket she would have been a gonner.

We fitted her jacket with a flashing LED to make her easier to spot in the dark.

I should point out that the dogs were supervised even though our garden plot was enclosed because I worried about such an event happening but with Pip bring black meant she went in unnoticed.

Phil

Edited August 9, 2016 by Phil Ambrose

[whitty1]

We got one each for our dachshunds after one jumped off the back and went under the boat. Thankfully we switched the boat off inmmediately and he surfaced close enough for us to grab him and fish him out. He recovered a lot quicker than we did! The other never left his bed on the roof so wasn't a danger but Malcs had his on whenever he was out of the cabin after that. Ours were from Active Hound.

 

[Bobbin]

My little Staffie has both a life jacket and a very strong harness as the life jacket can be a bit too hot on a very sunny day. But for safety I keep her in the cabin when we are in a lock. It's quite right that Staffies are not good swimmers, my friend's Great Dane pushed my staffie in the canal off the towpath and she could just keep her nose above the water.