Dog Safety For Our Water Loving Dogs  

Water loving dogs enjoy summer family boating, going to the lake and lots of swimming. Dogs love to swim, some breeds love the water and are natural swimming dogs.  Even the water loving dogs need the same water safety protection we would put on our child. Dog safety is our responsibility.

Dogs can be caught up in strong water currents that make swimming impossible.  They can be throw from a boat and not be able to swim to land.  They can be injured and not be able to swim out of the water.  Get the point?  The same things that cause people to drown can happen to your dog if he isn’t wearing a dog life jacket.

 All dog life jackets are not made equal.  Some are safer than others.  The biggest difference I’ve found is how the floation material is arranged around the dogs body.  If the floation material is mostly on the dogs back that is not a good design because the straps for the dog life jacket will move up around the dogs underside while the floation device floats above the dog.  Basically there will be gaps between the dog and the floatation device so your dog will not be able to stay upright above the water.

The only dog life jacket I use or recommend is the Ruff Wear K-9 Float Coat. They use a  1680-denier ballistic nylon that provides better strength to weight ratio with a material that has proven to stand up to the test.   This material and design keeps the dog floating above the water without falling over underwater.

The vest’s dual color panels contrast against neutral backgrounds making your dog easy to see.  There’s also a reflective strip on the sides to make your dog easy to see in low light areas.

I like the side release buckles for easy on and off.  A great plus is the hidden D-ring for attaching a leash.

Sizing:

*Girth = measurement around widest part of rib cage

In-between sizes: Choose the smaller vest for a lighter load and less bulk.

Never take for granted that your dog is safe on water, especailly while boating.  Make sure your boat has dog life jackets along with the people life jackets.

Dogs swimming in local creeks
With temperatures due to be high again soon, it’s great if dogs can swim, but there aren’t many places to do it nowadays.
See Spot do yoga
The water also provides a resistance throughout the range of motion that allows dogs to lengthen strides while minimizing pain. Swimming. Sometimes pets need a little more movement.
Emma Takes a Swim 
Last summer she learned to swim – she watched the other dogs swimming and paced, frustrated, back and forth on the rocks, and once she made up her mind to take the plunge, off she went.
Fact or Fiction: All Dogs Can Swim
Fact or Fiction: All dogs can swim? Fiction! Though it may seem like all dogs are born natural swimmers, most dogs need some water training.

This is a group of water loving dogs!

Technorati Tags: Dog Life Jackets, dog safety, Ruff Wear K-9 Float Coat, swimming dogs, water loving dogs