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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.
Dog Life Jackets: A Buying Guide
Whether your dog is an Olympic swimmer, first mate on the boat, or is putting his paw in the pool for the very first time, a dog life preserver is a smart safety precaution.
Dogs who are just learning to swim tend to paddle only with their front legs, while their rear legs try to find solid ground. A life vest keeps them afloat and horizontal on the surface as they learn to paddle with all four legs.
But even expert swimmers should wear a flotation device. They can tire while out in open water; rough currents or cold water can quickly exhaust your dog. Senior dogs, especially, can tire easily, or they may suffer from hip or joint problems that make it difficult to swim. A life jacket keeps your dog buoyant until you can get him to safety, and it makes it easier to handle him during a water rescue.
Key Features of Life Jackets for Dogs
Vest or jacket: If your dog is primarily a pool dog, a vest should be sufficient. Life vests are lighter weight than life jackets and cover less of the dog's body. These are also a good choice for first-time swimmers and swimming lessons, since they may feel less restrictive to a newbie. If you’re taking your dog on a boat on open water, however, a life jacket is the safest option.
Fit: Regardless of where and how your dog swims, a life jacket should fit snugly around your dog's body, without restricting the movement of his legs and neck and without any chafing. Most have buckles, which makes them easily adjustable to get just the right fit.
Handle: The jacket should have a handle on the top that is easy for you to grab and that's sturdy enough should you need to pull or lift your dog out of the water.
D-ring: You may not need this if your dog mainly hangs out in the backyard pool, but it's handy in open water and on the boat. It's not hard to imagine a dog slipping overboard in rough water or getting caught in an ocean current. If you can quickly clip on a leash, you'll be able to keep him within range until you can safely rescue him.
Reflective strips and bright colors: For boating and open water, choose a brightly colored life jacket. It makes the dog visible to boats and people in the water and helps you locate him quickly in an emergency. Reflective strips are an added precaution.
Headrest flotation pad: Some life jackets are constructed with extra flotation material that sits under the dog's neck. This keeps your dog's head above water should he become exhausted, injured, or incapacitated. It's a smart choice for dogs that spend a lot of time on boats or in open water, since even the best swimmer can get in trouble. You can also find life jackets that come with a detachable front flotation pad.
Abdominal flotation padding: Some dogs need more help floating than others. Life jackets that have flotation material instead of straps under the belly provide extra buoyancy.
Quick Tips About Buying a Life Jacket
Look for a life jacket that provides buoyancy, flotation, visibility, a snug fit, and a strong top handle.
Measure your dog carefully before buying. A life jacket only works well if it fits well.
Spend some time getting your dog used to his new flotation device, even before he hits the water.
Never, ever leave your dog unattended in the water.
Practice your dog’s recall on land before you try it in the water.
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.
