Dog life jackets????

[HONEYMOMMY]

So advice needed.
We have two king charles cavaliers and a samoyed. I have been looking a lifejackets for them and there are too many choices.

The crewsaver look good but there are others a bit more designer looking, so..... What does your dog wear?

Ready for a few joking post as allways..

 

[No Regrets]

We have a couple of Dogs (Lhasa Apso, and Pug) but only make them wear jackets when tidal, just in case we sink.

They have NEVER jumped off the Boat.

See how it goes!

 

[HONEYMOMMY]

It's the see how it goes part that worries me..... I would rather buy them and start off with them wearing them just in case..... I am NOT jumping in as a boat hook on a lifejacket loop is much nicer for me, although lifting a samoyed back on board may be a challenge. LOL.

 

[No Regrets]

Sure, get them jackets, but you'll soon see that you'll only need them for secial occasions....

 

[watson1959]

Two young 'labradors here....no lifejackets: once theyre in the water they are happy and strong

They just sit on the seats with their noses out in the breeze......

 

[HONEYMOMMY]

I have spoken to the captain (well he thinks he is). We shall leave it and see thanks to your wise advice.. Perhaps followed in a while by my posting of the pictures of all three dogs chasing rowers down the thames.. lol

 

[TrueBlue]

We're not dog owners but dog friendly and observe what owners and their hounds do.

Smaller dogs appear content wearing them and the handle variety (on the jacket) makes sense as it is easy to hoist them aboard or possibly via a boat hook.

For larger dogs they are probably happy to be afloat if they fall in and more likely to swim ashore. Small dogs may well flounder and tire quickly.

Just my untutored opinion...

 

[mlines]

King Charles Cavalier.

Bought a lifejacket and she always wriggles out of it.

The other summer threw her off the boat into the sea off Studland Bay only to find she could swim just fine (never having seen her in water at all before then)...and the look on her face had us laughing for months.

Second picture proves she survived ok!

 

[thejonesey]

Slippy boat!

We have an intelligent lab/collie cross who love the boat and the water.... the only problem is that she struggles to get any "purchase" on the bathing platform and has fallen it three times!! Getting her out of a marina with a lifejacket is easy as it has a handle on the back but without it.... well things become a much wetter affair with me dangling over the platform etc. The jacket is worth it just for the ease of use IMHO.

 

[HONEYMOMMY]

Love the pictures.. I think we will need to do the thrown in dog swim check, if it fails throw in the child that swims the best (or is costing us the most) to retrieve our beloved doggie. Then buy the lifejackets..

 

[ianc1200]

Only have the dog wearing it (a Crewsaver) in tidal waters, with a black head you can't really see him swimming, also the handle on the top very useful for pulling him out.

 

[Brayman]

Whatever you all decide, if the dog falls in DON'T go in after it - they always find their way to safety!

 

[Kilter]

Most dogs swim well, the LJ is most use for a) spotting them and b) hauling them out of the water so worthwhile IMO. Ours wears a crewsaver.

 

[mlines]

Love the pictures.. I think we will need to do the thrown in dog swim check, if it fails throw in the child that swims the best (or is costing us the most) to retrieve our beloved doggie. Then buy the lifejackets..

Actually, we did throw the child in as well...with a life jacket as the water is cold away from the shore even in summer.

 

[HONEYMOMMY]

Oh I know all to well about not going in after someone, or something.

When I was a child I swam in the Thames regularly, jumped off Marlow bridge and worked at JG Meakes boat yard. At about age 10 I would sit in there putting seacocks and strainers together. Not really acceptable for a pretty blond girl.. But I loved it...

I am a lot older now.. lol

Crewsaver were the ones I looked at, the others looked bulky anyway... so decided.. if we buy its crewsaver..

 

[HONEYMOMMY]

Actually, we did throw the child in as well...with a life jacket as the water is cold away from the shore even in summer.

We think our second son is the one to throw in as it will save in uni fees.

 

[DukeII]

We bought a lifejacket for our wuss-bag whippet but she was so clumsy with it on we thought it would actually more likely cause her to fall in than if she wasn't wearing it and could move around freely. She hates the water and wouldn't jump in through choice (even walks around puddles), she's in the cabin in locks and sunbathing on the back seats most other times.

It was one of these:

http://www.ezydoguk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=26_76

 

[HONEYMOMMY]

We bought a lifejacket for our wuss-bag whippet but she was so clumsy with it on we thought it would actually more likely cause her to fall in than if she wasn't wearing it and could move around freely. She hates the water and wouldn't jump in through choice (even walks around puddles), she's in the cabin in locks and sunbathing on the back seats most other times.

It was one of these:

http://www.ezydoguk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=26_76

I looked at those but thought the collar piece looked bulkier than the crusaver one from the picture....

 

[njsail]

We have a Portuguese Water Dog and a Silky terrier. I have my suspicions the Water dog is a furry dolphin. Our home waters are dark and when she's in the water the black on black looks almost invisible so for piece of mind we keep a small yellow vest on her. It also helps having the handle on the back. When I need to transfer her from water to swim platform and someone is helping from the platform. On our last boat underway she would walk out onto the bow spirit and lay down. Too much for my heart to take so I had to net the bow off limits. The small terrier is the devils spawn and always getting into some mischief. He's not a fan of swimming but he's always running around the boat and hanging off the rail underway. A bright orange vest helps. I've had to pick him up after he went in and the handles on the back of the vest can be caught by the hook on a dock pole. The vest gives him a fighting chance.

My biggest fear with either one is they will exit the boat underway without me noticing. The vest gives me a little less tension knowing they have an increased time in the water. Assuming they don't become a part of the food chain while I'm searching for them.