Dog Life Jackets, Do You Really Need One?

Over the summer I have noticed that more dogs are wearing Dog Life Jackets and so I have set out to find out if they are really required or just another unnecessary consumer item.

Do Dogs Need Life Jackets?

For Brachycephalic breeds and for boating activities including SUP boarding and kayaking, your dog needs a life jacket. For strong surf or river currents, your dog should have a life Jacket. If you go to calm beaches, rivers and lakes and the shoreline is a gradual incline into the water, then you don’t need a life Jacket.

Me and my dogs have spent a lot of time in the water and our dogs have never had life jackets. So it intrigued me as to the reasons why they are becoming so popular. I have also since found out that certain Brachycephalic breeds are the ‘at risk breeds’ that benefit from the added buoyancy that a life jacket provides.

In addition, did you know that there are also certain breeds that are like the Olympic Swimmers of the dog world. See below for these and also the different scenarios that I have outlined that require you to put on the doggie life Jacket.

When you Don’t need a Life Jacket

Me and my dogs have been in almost every water scenario which includes the backyard pool to the surf, from a still lake to a raging river and even a flash flood, and for the most part, i hadn’t needed the dog life Jacket. However, I have realized that these scenarios (except for the flash flood) have been fairly safe and I have found out that there are only a few scenarios where you don’t really need a dog life vest.

I have also found out that certain breeds of dogs require a life jacket more than others as they are ‘At Risk Breeds’ These dogs have difficulties swimming which can be noticeable straight away. So I recommend that these breeds always put on the life jacket before getting into the water.

Ill explore the different environments on where it is safe to get your pooch wet and second ill talk about breed types which will form a guide, so you are aware of the risks. We can then use this knowledge to help best inform you on a purchase of a dog life jacket if you haven’t looked at any before.

Still Water with Shallow incline.

Whether to put on your dog life jacket is really determined on where you are going to swim. If you are at the edge of a bay, lake, or a still beach that has a shallow gradual incline into the water and you intend to remain there. Then you don’t need a life jacket. Most of the time when I take my dog swimming, this is the scenario.

In this safe environment your dog will use his own judgement of how far he will want to swim in. Most of the time your dog will only get his legs wet, unless they are comfortable in the water in which they can swim out safely.

Don’t force your dog, just let them enjoy running in the shallows of the water, dogs love this.

Backyard pool

Your pool is a perfect controlled environment to teach your dog how to swim. Its preferable that you have a pool that has underwater steps that lead out of the pool and not a pool ladder. It is important for your dog to know where the entry/exit steps are in the pool as this will give him confidence on knowing how to leave the pool.

I recommend keeping the pool fenced and only letting your dog jump in when you are also getting in the pool or supervising. For this you don’t need a life jacket but make sure your dog understands which way to go in order to get out of the pool himself.

Once your dog knows this, don’t be surprised if he starts doing his own belly flops when he jumps in.

Beaches with small waves

For dogs who love swimming, you can swim with your dog on a beach with small waves. For some dogs, the surf and waves can be a source of real excitement.

Have a rule that you only go in as far as your dog can stand or where the water is at your waist height or lower. That way if your dog gets tired you can support him. He can head back into shore as it’s not too far back to shore.

In strong or even medium surf this is not recommended. Only go out when the waves are low. Learn to read the beach and only swim where the waves are breaking, as either side of the breaking waves is a Rip / Under-current which could be strong and is to be avoided. If in doubt put the life jacket on.

Dog Paddle

Did you know that most dogs can only swim continuously for about 2 to 5 minutes and then they can get totally exhausted.

Adding a life jacket allows them to float and rest in the water. This is why it’s so important that your dog swims in shallow water where he has close access to the shore or has a life jacket in every other scenario.

Environments where you would need a Life Jacket

For any areas of water where there is not a shallow incline into the beach, lake or river then its best for your dog to wear a life jacket.

Also rivers with strong currents or beaches with strong surf can also be dangerous as your dog can tire easily and the current can take them. In this scenario I would not go swimming and if you have to go boating then always put on the life jacket.

For all boating, I would always put on the life jacket on my dog. This applies for all Stand up Boards, Kayaks, Canoes, Fishing Boats, Sails Boats, Speed Boats and Luxury Yachts.

When a dog falls off a boat, this can be a shock to your dog which can startle the dog and create a panic, especially if the water is cold. This can have an effect on the dogs swimming ability and is why it’s so important to wear a dog life jacket even in calm waters.

Also having a dog life jacket on your dog makes it easier for you to lift your dog out of the water by the handles.

Breeds that should always use life jackets

At Risk Breeds

There is a multitude of reasons on the internet why certain dogs breeds cant swim. I do believe that some Brachycephalic breeds with severe shortened noses are more at risk of taking in water and having breathing problems when swimming, which puts these dogs at greater risk. The below list is just some of the Brachycephalic breeds which have trouble breathing. for a general rule, the shorter the nose in comparison to the dogs head the more trouble it is going to have breathing when swiming. so its best that all breeds with short noses where life jackets around water.

Some of these breeds include:

Bulldogs,
Pugs,
Pekingese,
Shih Tsu,
King Charles Spaniel,
Griffon Bruxellois etc,

I would side on caution and always have a life jacket, even in control situations, just to be on the safe side, especially if they already love the water. Other circumstances where I would always put on a life jacket is if there are older dogs or dogs with pre existing conditions.

Apart from Brachycephalic breeds, all other dogs should be able to enjoy the water and the shoreline of a calm beach, bay or river without the need of a life jacket. As long as the environment is safe to do so and they are being supervised you should be ok.

If the dog is going boating or you are encouraging your dog to go swimming into the deep water then you should have a Life Jacket regardless of the breed. As mentioned dogs have a short supply of energy while swimming, and a life jacket also allows them to rest in the water without having to get back to the shore line. It will give them confidence while in the water and most likely stay out in it more.

Supervision

All dogs need supervision when being in and around the water. so that being said, don’t think that a certain breed cant swim. Some of the reasons on the internet of why certain breeds cant swim which include their head is too big, legs too small, body too fat, too skinny, too much fur, too little fur and so on. If you’re curious about a breed, just google the name of the breed with the word ‘swimming’ and a multitude of photos and videos will come up.

Regardless of the shape of your dog, a Life Jacket would benefit every dog.

If you are going to go in the water with your dog and you are going to supervise this and the environment is safe to do so then I don’t see that there is a problem, despite the breed of dog you have (expect the at risk Brachycephalic breeds mentioned already).

Check out these amazing photos by Seth Casteel Underwater D ogs which depicts many breeds of dogs loving the water.

The Olympic Swimmers

If you are looking for a dog to buy and you are always around the water then the breeds below might be more suited to your lifestyle. The list below are the Olympic Swimmers of the dog world. They were bred for swimming duties and have physical attributes like water repellent coats, webbed feet and more buoyant bodies.

These breeds that are know to swim well are:

Coonhound
Newfoundlands
Weimaraners
Otterhound
German Shepherds
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers
Irish Water Spaniels
Poodles
Vizslas
Portugouses Water Dog
German Shorthaired Pointers
Labrador Retrievers
Wirehaired Pointing Griffons
American Water Spaniel

These dogs, once learned how to swim, will take to the water easier, and most likely swim longer than your average dog. Again if you are going into rough waters or boating activities its still critical to get them a life jacket.

How to choose the right life jacket

There are literally thousands of reviews and products out there for an array of life jackets. This can make it hard to choose the right one. So I have outlined the features to look out for when choosing a life Jacket.

Straps

First and foremost it must allow the dog to float. Some life jackets have the floating padding on the upper sides and back of the jacket and worse they have thin straps that go around the belly of the dog. When in the water the dog will only be held up by these straps.

This is probably not the most comfortable on the dog, but in strong surf, river currents or boating activates you want something that will wrap around the dog better then a few straps.

The thin straps are the only thing keeping your dog in the jacket and this can’t be that comfortable and cause skin irritations. It also can make some dogs top heavy and they are still working hard to say centered. It’s best to get a life jacket that has a lot of support under the dog, so that the dog’s weight is distributed.

Also some life jackets are thick and sturdy, while others are thin. It’s best to get a good quality jacket with thick foam that fits snuggly on the dog and not flimsy.

The best jackets to get are ones that have completely wrapped around the sides of the dog, that are adjustable. Also look out for a Jacket that fits under the neck of the dog. Choose one where the jacket has to slip over the dog’s head as there will be no seam at the neck. This will provide the greatest benefit for buoyancy in the water.

Other features that make life easier are the grab handles, this is especially important for boating, as a lot of the time you will be lifting them up in and out of the boat. Also lead attachment and additional loop are great for when you get to sure.

The Best Dog Life Jacket that I most Recommend are:

Ruffwear K9 Float Coat

After looking at the market on what’s available and understanding what I have learnt from my research, Float Coat is the best as it give the most comfortable neck support that is free from straps and buckles as this is tucked away. These can be very important for dogs with shorter necks, or necks that have many skin folds like Pugs, Bulldogs, Shar Pei and mastiffs.

If you want to see if there are any others life jackets to consider then the Kurgo Surf n Turf and the ExyDog Doggy Floatation Device are also just as compariable as the Ruffwear. All these are easy to clean, machine washable and UV Stable. Be sure to check out the measurements when fitting buying on amazon.

Based on the criteria these three are the best for your dog, and they are easy to clean, machine washable and UV Stable. Be sure to check out the measurements when fitting buying these products.

I hope that this article helped you and that you will be enjoying the water with your pooch soon.