Are you considering going out for a swim in lakes and ponds with your Golden Retrievers? Then you might be wondering does your dog needs a life jacket.
Do Golden Retrievers Need Life Jackets? Golden Retrievers are waterfowl dogs which makes them efficient swimmers. So, most of the time, adult golden don’t need a life jacket. But if the lakes, ponds, and rivers you visit have deep and cold water, then keeping your golden retriever in a life jacket is essential. Because in cold water dog’s muscles get easily tired, which increases the risk of drowning.
Well, this is a tiny answer!
Here are some other facts about the “dog’s life jacket” that you should know, whether you have a golden retriever or other dog breeds.
Life jackets are a life-saving thing, so Yes, it’s a must-have thing on boats for both dogs and humans.
Usually, if the dog isn’t well trained, they can become scared or excited, and both situations are pretty dangerous on the boat if the dog isn’t wearing a life jacket.
Dogs quickly get excited about anything, whether it’s a fish, seagull bird, or nearby boats.
If the dog gets excited on the boat, it can be troublesome for everyone because once the dog gets excited, it will immediately jump off the deck. And if not, then the dog will run or jump here and there all over the boat, which ends up making him slip off the boat.
On the other hand, sometimes the boat’s loud engine sound makes the dog scared, where the dog, in an attempt to get rid of the loud noise, makes the wrong decision and jumps off the boat.
In both situations, if the dog is not wearing a life jacket, then it can be pretty tough for a single person to pull the dog back on the boat.
While with a life jacket, it’s easy because most of the dog’s life vest comes with a durable handle on the back, which makes it easy for the owner to pull out their dog from the water.
Are Dogs Required To Wear Life Jackets On Boats In Texas?
Every state and country has its own rules about boat safety for humans and dogs.
So whether your state and country have a rule for dogs to wear a life jacket or not, you must take precautions and keep a life jacket on your dog whenever you are out on the boat with them.
It’s always better to be safe; than sorry!
Do Dogs Need Life Jackets On Kayaks?
Kayaking usually takes place in rivers, lakes, oceans, as well as in surf zones, and all of these places have deep cold water, which makes the life jacket necessary for dogs, especially the one that comes with a handle on its back.
Although kayaks have no high side walls as a boat has. So if there is something that catches your dog’s eyes, the dog will jump off of the kayak as it’s pretty easier for them to jump off the kayak than boats.
But it’s quite hard to pull them back on the kayak without a life jacket.
A dog on the kayak with a life jacket makes you less worried, even if your furry friend falls into the water.
Do Dogs Need Life Jackets In Pools?
Family dogs such as golden retrievers, Irish Setters, pugs, and others love to follow their owners everywhere, where their owners go, even in the pool.
But most of the family dogs aren’t so well trained to get out from the pool on their own once they get in. So, in case the dog accidentally falls into the pool in the absence of its owner, it can be hazardous.
If the dog isn’t able to find his way to exit the pool, he will get tired and then drown.
So, Yes, dogs should wear a life jacket in the pool, no matter whether the owner is there or not, or the dog is well trained or not.
Of course, if you have an above-ground shallow water pool or kids pool, then you don’t have to keep your dog in life jackets. But still, keep a close eye on your dog because sometimes things change unconsciously.
Well, why I said that to “keep a close eye” is because brachycephalic dog breeds like pugs can easily drown even in shallow water. After all, they aren’t good swimmers.
Can You Put A Human Life Jacket On A Dog?
There is no rule that you can’t put a human life jacket on a dog. But that doesn’t mean you can use human life jackets on your dog for real, as these are made keeping humans in mind, not dogs—because human life jackets have completely different designs and sizes.
Although human life jackets wouldn’t work the same on the dog as their own would do. Also, that life jacket will not fit right on dogs and are a bit heavier for them as well.
So rather than doing some kind of experiment with your dog’s life, buy your dog a dog’s life jacket because dogs’ life jackets are not expensive.
And there are hundreds of affordable good quality dog life jackets available in the market to choose from. Some of them are also mentioned below.
How Do I Choose A Life Jacket For My Dog?
Here are certain things that you should always keep in mind whenever you shop for a dog’s life jacket, such as:
Grab-Handle Design: Only choose a life jacket that has a strong (single or double) rescue handle because these handles help a lot to lift out a dog from water in case of emergencies.
Sizing Based On Girth: Usually, all the life jackets come with adjustable straps which make a nice fit on the dog. But still, it’s always better to measure your dog’s girth to find a perfect match.
Comfortable Material: Comfortable Material is a must because if the material isn’t comfortable, it can cause skin irritation and rashes, which can be painful in saltwater. So always choose a life jacket that has advanced high-quality breathable material.
Bright Color: Bright colors are one of the necessary things in a life jacket because bright colors such as yellow and bright green enhance the visibility that helps to spot the dog even from a long distance.
Light Weight: Putting on a lightweight life jacket makes your dog feel more comfortable than the heavier one. It also helps them during swimming.
How To Measure A Dog For A Life Jacket
Commonly you just have to measure your dog’s girth because it will help you determine almost the perfect size. However, if you want to take the exact size of your dog, you have to take three measurements such as dog’s length, the Grith, and the Neck area’s length.
Once you determine your dog’s size, there could be two situations. For example, maybe your dog’s size is the same as mentioned in the product, or maybe, the measurement is somewhere between sizes.
Of course, if the dog’s measurement is the same, you’ll surely go with the same product. But in case of the size in between, you should go with a large size, as it would be the perfect fit for your dog.
How Much Is A Dog Life Jacket?
Commonly good quality and reliable brand dog’s life jacket pricing starts from $15 and can go up to $100+.
Here is the comprehensive list of dog life jackets with brands, price, size, and rating.
Dog life jackets come in all different styles and variants, but all of them have the same process to put them on.
So basically, to put a life jacket on a dog – first, you have to slide the life jacket over your dog’s neck and simply close the buckles around the neck, and then just buckle up all the belly and waist straps. Lastly, check all the buckles for a secure fit.
That’s how you can easily put a life jacket on your dog.
How Tight Should A Dog’s Life Jacket Be?
As a general rule of thumb, a dog’s life jacket should be tight enough that you can easily fit two fingers between the jacket and dog from all sides, such as the neck, belly, and waist area.
If it is quite hard for you to tuck fingers in between, loose straps a little bit, or if it is not possible, better use a slightly larger size dog life jacket.
And if it’s too loose, try to tighten its straps or change it with a different life jacket because if a dog wears a loose jacket, it can easily come off the dog’s body during swimming.
How Does A Dog Life Jacket Work?
Dog’s life jacket works because of its high-quality buoyant material, which is made of waterproof fabric from the outside, and typically stuffed from the inside with floatable material. And that floatable material provides the maximum buoyancy in the water, which helps the dog float when in water.
Although, adjustable straps and bands are attached to these jackets, which help to keep the life vest on the dog’s body, even in the high ocean currents.
And the same life vest-making concept used in a human life vest.
However, there is no difference between dog’s and human’s life jackets except their size and design.
How Do You Teach A Dog To Swim With A Life Jacket?
Dogs are good swimmers with or without a life jacket, but sometimes these life jackets bother them if the dog hasn’t worn this kind of thing before.
If you want to teach your dog to swim with a life jacket on, you have to make him comfortable first.
Attach a life jacket to your dog when he is playing with his favorite toys. Let the life vest be attached to his body for 5 to 10 minutes before you take him into the water.
Now encourage your dog to step in the shallow water with a life vest on once he feels comfortable in it, take him into the deep water, and play fetch with him with his favorite toys for a couple more minutes.
This way dogs can easily learn to swim with life jackets on.
