There is just something about water that we humans can’t resist. We love spend summers on it, in it, and around it. We don’t think twice about making sure the children wear a life jacket but we sometimes take for granted that our dogs are natural born swimmers. Many of them are not good swimmers or, even if they are, couldn’t make it from the middle of the lake if they ended up in the water. We are seeing more people use life jackets for their dogs so we did a little digging to find out which ones were considered to be good ones.
Kyjen Outward Hound Life Jacket
The key to a good life jacket for your dog is, of course, buoyancy but it also helps to offer a few other features. This jacket has a convenient handle along the top for easy rescue or restraint if needed. The accents are reflective and the jacket itself is lightweight. The bright color would be helpful in finding your dog across a large span of water and it comes in all sizes.
It may take some time to help your dog adjust to the jacket so most manufacturers advise you begin helping them get used to it long before you are going to need it. You can start with just a few minutes per day.
Ruffwear K-9 Float Coat
This jacket offers a strong handle to assist your dog out of the water and is ergonomically designed to help keep his/her head up as well. Reviewers are generally happy with this life vest regardless of the size of the dog. It is higher priced but most have stated that is is very well made.
Fido Float Dog Life Jacket
This jacket comes with a full-length zipper rather than clips. It is intended to be easy on and off. It is recommended for longer legged dogs and comes in bright yellow or orange. It is built to prevent twisting and from keeping the dog from swimming out of the vest and is made of the same material as life vests for human beings. There are front and back handles for easier lifting on your part.
If your dog loves the water you can worry less when they are wearing their vest. We hope all of our campers have a safe and enjoyable stay, including the four legged ones.
