Best dog life jacket

Birker2020

Birker2020

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I've been open water swimming the last couple of weeks at a new place that my two friends go to. It's been lovely although yesterday it absolutely pelted it down with rain and the water was bouncing off the surface making it hard to breathe or see or even orientate yourself. Easy to see how you could drown in such a scenario. In the end we were sensibly called out as we had lightening very near.

I've booked in next month for a dog swim and I'm taking Summer. She's never been overly keen on water but I think that's because she had no real exposure to water, and i feel she would enjoy it, if she had the chance. She jumps into a friends pond with their two dogs so she's not opposed to water, just not very used to it. So I want to make the experience as positive as possible for her by buying a very buoyant life jacket. And in light of how quickly the weather changed things yesterday, I need something with a good level of buoyancy too so I can make sure she is safe.

Can anyone recommend me one please? Thinking of spending up to £30.

Particuarly like those that have a neck float. As in photos. She's around 18kg and about 22 inches along her back.
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Getting in the water yourself is a good way to encourage a dog for sure. However, just be aware that the constrictive feel of a life jacket can put some dogs off*. Also, if there are a lot of people around making noise, that also may be discouraging for your dog. I would advise getting a wet suit/waders on yourself, on your own, and then taking her somewhere quiet where there is an easy walk in entry and encouraging her to follow you. Make it fun for her - a positive experience and be very careful how far you push an older dog out of their comfort zone. Alternatively, if she has a 'best mate' that is a good swimmer take her out with him/her. Swimming is a great non-weight bearing exercise, helping with mobility and weight loss. :)

* I had a young dog that the vet advised hydrotherapy for. The dog would swim in the ford and river and was pretty confident for an 11 month old. The physios insisted on the jacket, even though I assured them that the dog could swim. (Elf & Safety!) It was a disaster; against my better judgement I took him back one more time, but it stressed him so much I said never again. I did my own hydrotherapy in the local river but it took the best part of two years to get that dog to voluntarily swim again without any incentives.

I'm sure you wouldn't, but please do not do what I have seen some folks do - that is to throw their dog in when wearing a jacket. That is guaranteed to put the dog off for life.
 
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Sandstone1 said:
I would be very careful of making her go in if she does not want to. How old is she?
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She's 12. She has swum before in a cave when the tide was in, my partner stood the one end, she was the other and I waded in with her and let her go when she was floating and she swum well.
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gunnergundog said:
Getting in the water yourself is a good way to encourage a dog for sure. However, just be aware that the constrictive feel of a life jacket can put some dogs off*. Also, if there are a lot of people around making noise, that also may be discouraging for your dog. I would advise getting a wet suit/waders on yourself, on your own, and then taking her somewhere quiet where there is an easy walk in entry and encouraging her to follow you. Make it fun for her - a positive experience and be very careful how far you push an older dog out of their comfort zone. Alternatively, if she has a 'best mate' that is a good swimmer take her out with him/her. Swimming is a great non-weight bearing exercise, helping with mobility and weight loss. :)

* I had a young dog that the vet advised hydrotherapy for. The dog would swim in the ford and river and was pretty confident for an 11 month old. The physios insisted on the jacket, even though I assured them that the dog could swim. (Elf & Safety!) It was a disaster; against my better judgement I took him back one more time, but it stressed him so much I said never again. I did my own hydrotherapy in the local river but it took the best part of two years to get that dog to voluntarily swim again without any incentives.

I'm sure you wouldn't, but please do not do what I have seen some folks do - that is to throw their dog in when wearing a jacket. That is guaranteed to put the dog off for life.
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No I wouldn't just throw her in, but we feel it would be good exercise for her if we could do it regularly if we find she enjoys it. And as its been so warm lately we thought it would possibly be a nice experience for her with me swimming along side her.

I wouldn't have her in there for very long to be honest just a few minutes thee first time.
 
Life jackets are all much of a muchness. Mine swim once a week but in a dog swiming pool. Cooper has gone from absolutely not, no way ever to being super confident and now jumping in with great enthusiasm

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Far too much enthusiasm at times

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Floyd doesnt enjoy it, but with months of very slow work and a pool change he is now happy enough doing it. Its far from his favourite thing, but he considers it fair work for the reward now. A change of pool to one with a platform slightly under water has helped hugely. I'm with him the whole time holding the handle of the jacket and guiding him, making sure hes moving correctly.

Cooper does roughly 30mins with some breaks and hes more tired than when he races. Hes super fit, does 2 miles galloping at 30mph and doesnt even notice. For him swimming is on par with roughly 5 to 7 miles over rough terrain, almost all at a gallop or canter, very rarely does he average less than 25mph on a walk. Floyd does 5 or 6 laps of the pool now with a little rest between each one. Hes shattered after that. He can do the same walk distance as cooper but he does it at a much slower speed and doesnt do race training either. Both of them are the ideal weight and fit. Do not underestimate how much hard work it is for a dog. While swimming is excellent for them if done well, if they dont have the correct posture and movement they can do a lot of damage to themselves VERY quickly.

I've been swimming mine for months and still wouldnt do unsupervised swimming with Floyd as I need the instructor to watch him and help me correct him if his posture isnt right. Cooper isnt an issue now but to start with he needed a lot of work to push through from behind. He still forgets he has back legs sometimes.

You would be much better off with an older compromised dog to go to a proper pool first, see if she likes it and make sure you know how she should move and what issues to look out for
 
I’ve used the orange one in the image you’ve posted before, it was fine.

Our spaniel is a really confident swimmer, but when we take him out in rivers or the sea we put a life jacket on. Mainly as it’s easier to pull him out and back onto the paddle board!
 
Splash2310 said:
I’ve used the orange one in the image you’ve posted before, it was fine.

Our spaniel is a really confident swimmer, but when we take him out in rivers or the sea we put a life jacket on. Mainly as it’s easier to pull him out and back onto the paddle board!
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Thanks Splash. I will purchase that one. I think she might take to it like a duck to water. She's quite a playful dog and she seemed to enjoy splashing about in our friends pond so who knows.
 
Birker2020 said:
we feel it would be good exercise for her if we could do it regularly
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As she has arthritis in her elbows, hydrotherapy treadmill would likely be better than swimming.

That was the recommendation of the physio at the facility I took my last dog to, they had both pool and treadmill on site.

Why not book a physio appointment for Summer and see what the recommendation is for her.
 
Sandstone1 said:
12 is pretty old for a dog so be careful. Having seen a old dog drown its not something I would want to see again.
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I don't see any reason why she'd drown in a lake full of people, whilst having me next to her and wearing a life jacket.

Do old dogs never go swimming then? What about hydrotherapy, don't older dogs do that?
 
skinnydipper said:
As she has arthritis in her elbows, hydrotherapy treadmill would likely be better than swimming.

That was the recommendation of the physio at the facility I took my last dog to, they had both pool and treadmill on site.

Why not book a physio appointment for Summer and see what the recommendation is for her.
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^^^ This. Moti has arthritis and IVDD he has physio to help keep his core strong and supple. Swimming, I have been advised is not ideal for him as it is difficult to make sure he moves correctly. He has physiotherapy at home and water treadmill, now every other week, as maintenance. He also walks in a shallow running stream locally - it comes up to between his shoulders and knees. He loves it in hot weather. We have been advised not to encourage him to swim. He is approx 9 years old and a lightweight terrier.
 
Clodagh said:
Birker… please only take her if she enters the water voluntarily. Please, please don’t carry her in and force her to.
And 20 minutes is an incredibly long time for an unfit dog. If she enters the water with you, no force, I’d maybe do 5 minutes maximum.
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Floyd, younger and much, much fitter, is 9. After months of swimming monthly and then 6 weeks of swimming weekly, is still only doing an absolute max of 10mins and thats a lap, brief rest, another lap, brief rest. Cooper, racing fit, runs 2 miles averaging 25mph for fun, does 20min and is absolutely shattered. He also started very gently.

The risk isnt drowning, the risk is causing horrible soft tissue damage. I am so careful with mine to make sure their posture and technique is spot on. Its why I go to a dog pool with an instructor. Cooper still needs corrections now and again after months of lessons.
 
Clodagh said:
It’s not bordering, if she carries the dog in and forces it to swim for 20 minutes I hope someone will call the rspca. But I suspect the poor dog will be dead by then.
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The life jacket DOES NOT FIT! It is far, far too long and will impede the dogs ability to swim properly.

She pretends to ignore me, so can someone make sure she sees this. Bad enough to bugger the dog up swimming it in a lake on her own, but to do it in that life jacket is asking for problems :(
 
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