Retrievist / Reviews / Apparel / Best Dog Life Vests and Dog Life Jackets for Water Play
Best Dog Life Vests and Dog Life Jackets for Water Play
While some dogs are water lovers and natural swimmers, other pups aren’t, and if you plan to spend any time near the water with your dog, water safety experts recommend that you invest in a dog life jacket. In fact, because dog body types vary, some pups will struggle in the water because of short front and hind legs, a heavy base, short snout, etc. A dog life jacket will improve buoyancy and increase visibility in case of an emergency.
Overall Best Dog Life Jacket
- Keeps dogs upright
- Provides good buoyancy
- Great quality
- Easy to get on and off
- Good security
The RUFFWEAR Float Coat is the best of it's kind. It comes in four easy-to-see bright colors with reflective stripes for enhanced visibility. It also features closed-cell foam panels that allow your dog to swim and float naturally while remaining in an upright position. It also features a strong handle to aid you in getting the dog in and out of the water. <...
RUFFWEAR suggests measuring the widest part of your dog's rib cage to choose a size. From more than 1,500 reviewers, this life jacket gets a high average rating of 4.8.
It feels comfortable on and supports a natural upright position while dogs are in the water.
What Humans Love:This is a reliable dog life jack from a quality brand so dog owners can trust it will keep their pets safe.
The RUFFWEAR Float Coat is the best of it's kind. It comes in four easy-to-see bright colors with reflective stripes for...
RUFFWEAR suggests measuring the widest part of your dog's rib cage to choose a size. From more than 1,500 reviewers, this life jacket gets a high average rating of 4.8.
Best Budget Dog Life Jacket
- Simple
- Secure
- Adjustable
- Affordable
- Reflective
- Effective
This straightforward dog life jacket is made with dense foam panels to help dogs stay afloat, making it a good choice for less-than-strong swimmers. It features reflective strips for added visibility and adjustable straps for a secure fit. This life jacket comes in a range of sizes from XX-Small to X-Large.
Dense foam panels provide easy and comfortable flotation for dogs.
What Humans Love:This sturdy life jacket keeps dogs safe in the water without breaking the bank.
This straightforward dog life jacket is made with dense foam panels to help dogs stay afloat, making it a good choice fo...
Most Durable Dog Life Jacket
- Comfortable
- Secure
- Safe
- Durable
- Adjustable
- Well-Fitting
One of the Outward Hound Granby Splash Dog Life Jacket's best features is a front neck float that helps keep your dog's head above water while he is swimming. This jacket also has dual handles to help you get your dog out of the water faster and easier. It's adjustable on the sides, so you can make this jacket tighter or looser depending on fit.
The neck float keeps dogs' heads above the water, which can be a lifesaver in emergencies.
Thanks to the dual handle design, it's easy to lift your dog out of the water.
One of the Outward Hound Granby Splash Dog Life Jacket's best features is a front neck float that helps keep your dog's ...
Our Other Favorites
- Insulated
- Safe
- Secure
- Reliable
Designed with novice swimmers in mind, this dog life jacket features extra-buoyant foam neoprene side panels for maximum flotation. It includes thermal insulation to keep dogs warm in cool water, and features quick-release snaps and adjustable straps, making it easy to take on and off.
- Secure
- Reliable
- Insulated
- Safe
Designed with novice swimmers in mind, this dog life jacket features extra-buoyant foam neoprene side panels for maximum...
- Well-Fitting
- Secure
- Feature-Filled
- Reflective
This dog life jacket is full of features to optimize dog safety and comfortability in the water. It includes a front panel with a flotation flap to keep dogs' heads above water, and features three adjustable straps with side release buckles. Also included are reflective strips for visibility and a D-ring for a leash attachment on land.
- Feature-Filled
- Reflective
- Well-Fitting
- Secure
This dog life jacket is full of features to optimize dog safety and comfortability in the water. It includes a front pan...
- Lightweight
- Comfortable
- Will dry quickly
- Great price
- Lightweight
- Easy to get on and off
The Paws Aboard Dog Life Jacket comes in playful prints to add a little flair to this PFD. One of the key features is a mesh underbelly that allows for water drainage, air flow, and easy/quick drying. Reviewers note that taking accurate measurements is key to making sure you get the right size out of six options for your dog, although the collar and mesh und...
There are some reviews that suggest the Paws Aboard life jacket is not as buoyant as other jackets, although it still gets a respectable 4.4-star rating.
- Great price
- Lightweight
- Easy to get on and off
- Lightweight
- Comfortable
- Will dry quickly
The Paws Aboard Dog Life Jacket comes in playful prints to add a little flair to this PFD. One of the key features is a ...
There are some reviews that suggest the Paws Aboard life jacket is not as buoyant as other jackets, although it still gets a respectable 4.4-star rating.
- Makes them feel safe in the water
- Comfortable
- Several great features
- Lightweight
- Low price
The Vivaglory Dog Life Jacket with extra padding has a patented design that makes it very durable, thanks to the ripstop 600-denier oxford cloth. Built with extra padding, it gives your pup up to 50 percent more buoyancy. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps will have nothing on your dog. The removable front float assists in relieving neck pressure.
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Reviewers rave about this product with several claiming that it helped their dogs enjoy the water even more. However, Vivaglory reminds owners never to leave dogs alone in the water, with or without the vest.
- Several great features
- Lightweight
- Low price
- Makes them feel safe in the water
- Comfortable
The Vivaglory Dog Life Jacket with extra padding has a patented design that makes it very durable, thanks to the ripstop...
Reviewers rave about this product with several claiming that it helped their dogs enjoy the water even more. However, Vivaglory reminds owners never to leave dogs alone in the water, with or without the vest.
- Comfortable
- Safe
- Sturdy
- Extra Buoyant
The EzyDog Doggy Flotation Device boasts that it is made with 50 percent more flotation material than most other pet life jackets. This extra buoyant material promises to keep your dog in an upright swimming position. It has a contoured neck and reflective piping for nighttime visibility. You won't have to dig deep to find reviews that say this is a great qu...
- Sturdy
- Extra Buoyant
- Comfortable
- Safe
The EzyDog Doggy Flotation Device boasts that it is made with 50 percent more flotation material than most other pet lif...
- Comfortable
- Fits well
- Helps them swim
- Easy to find perfect fit
- Great price
- Sturdy
The Queenmore Dog Life Jacket is made of quality oxford cloth with polyethylene foam and a mesh underbelly. It features all of the bells and whistles in a quality dog life jacket — quick-release buckles, adjustable straps, durable grab handle, and reflective strips for visibility. The vest comes in six sizes, and Queenmore provides a detailed sizing chart ...
The design choices are unique: gray shark, pink shark, and pink fish. There’s a durable D-ring on the back. This vest gets a 4.4-star rating.
- Easy to find perfect fit
- Great price
- Sturdy
- Comfortable
- Fits well
- Helps them swim
The Queenmore Dog Life Jacket is made of quality oxford cloth with polyethylene foam and a mesh underbelly. It features ...
The design choices are unique: gray shark, pink shark, and pink fish. There’s a durable D-ring on the back. This vest gets a 4.4-star rating.
- Lightweight
- Comfortable
- Easy to wear
- Durable
- Great for multiple use
The Outward Hound Standley Sport Experienced Swimmer Life Jacket is made of extra rugged ripstop nylon, making it super durable and perfect for repeated use. Your pup will appreciate the lightweight construction of this vest and how easy it is to move around while wearing it. Outward Hound and several reviewers note that this vest is best for a skilled swimm...
The vest comes in five sizes, all with double handles and leash attachment.
- Durable
- Great for multiple use
- Lightweight
- Comfortable
- Easy to wear
The Outward Hound Standley Sport Experienced Swimmer Life Jacket is made of extra rugged ripstop nylon, making it super ...
The vest comes in five sizes, all with double handles and leash attachment.
What Is a Dog Life Jacket?
A dog life jacket is a personal flotation device for a dog that is equipped with special features such as a grab handle, D-ring, and reflective accents. Some jackets aid in keeping your dog buoyant and are ideal for nonswimmers, while others are made for stronger swimmers. However, you should never leave your dog unsupervised in the water, even when he’s wearing a life jacket.
You should put a life jacket on your dog if she will be near a body of water and is a puppy or an inexperienced swimmer. Some dog owners put life jackets on strong swimmers, too, because they can tire out in large bodies of water. All dogs should wear life jackets on a boat.
Dog life jackets work when fitted properly. Imagine you take your dog out for a ride on your motorboat, sailboat, or kayak. Suddenly, he’s overboard, and you have to get him safely back onboard. A quality life jacket that fits him properly will keep him afloat, make it easier to spot him, and provide a solid handle you can use to haul him to safety.
To provide proper flotation assistance, the vest should be form fitting but not restrict breathing, the same as a flotation vest on a human. The jacket fits close to the base of the dog’s neck, and straps should be adjusted properly with ends secured. It shouldn't be so snug the dog can't paddle. You should also be able to easily grab the handle at the top of the jacket.
No, there are also some breeds such as Bulldogs who have a weight distribution that would not make it possible for them to swim very well without a life vest. Short-legged, long-bodied breeds like Dachshunds can also struggle in the water.
