Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2012 - 18

Here's Jackie, wearing an Outward Hound jacket.

Murphy, the extra-large Newfoundland, wearing a Kurgo Surf n’ Turf.

Is the dog likely to jump in the water? Is the dog heavy? Will the dog want to lie down or will it be active? If you can, take your dog to the store to try on the life jacket, or at least make sure you can take it back. See how the life jacket fits, and how hard it is to adjust for a good fit. Check where the straps hit—you don’t want the straps or buckles rubbing sensitive parts. Also, you’ll want to check the way the foam padding rides on the dog—too much foam in the wrong place will make it uncomfortable, if not impossible, for the dog to sit or lie comfortably. One feature that testers found universally important: a lifting strap/handle. If you’ve ever tried to pick up a swimming dog, you’ll agree that having a lifting handle makes getting the dog back into the boat much easier. If your pet needs to be on a leash, having a ring on the collar is another important feature. Safety features to consider include having reflective tape and a life jacket made of bright colors to make it easier to spot the dog in the water in adverse conditions. And, keep in mind, if the jacket has Velcro-style closures, your dog’s shedding might clog it up and necessitate frequent cleaning.

Some things to consider before purchasing

Online extra

For full test results on each life jacket, along with videos of the dogs testing the life jackets, and for a terrific gallery of members’ pets aboard, visit

www.BoatUS.com/Magazine

Click on “Archives” and “It’s A Dog’s Life (Jacket!)” under the June/July heading. between a small and medium life jacket, and the fitting was easier for Stella and Zip than it was for Skipper and Spring. The life jacket that best suited both dogs was the Outward Hound priced at $29.99, which just edged out a foam jacket from West Marine called the Pet Flotation Device, or cleverly called the “PFD.” Our large dogs, a 62-pound golden (Jackie) and a 70-pound golden (Guinness) were more at home in the water than they were on the shore. The large life jackets tested had a greater amount of surface area, which is one thing to keep in mind on a hot summer day, especially for our friends that sport a little more fur. The life jacket that best suited our large dogs was the Outward Hound because of overall performance for active dogs in the water. The economical $24.99 West Marine Pet Flotation Device followed that life jacket—the same results as for the medium-sized dogs. Our biggest dogs, a 90-pound Chesapeake Bay retriever and a 130-pound Newfoundland were very comfortable in the water. Life jackets for these dogs seemed to be the most forgiving for getting a good fit. Adjustments, when needed, were made easily, and the price for the jackets averaged around $50. The life jacket that best suited both dogs was the Outward Hound, just beating out the MTI Adventure Wear Underdog and the Kurgo Surf n’ Turf, which were tied for second place. All three of these life jackets did an exceptional job at keeping these heavy dogs’ hind section afloat, leading to a more horizontal and natural swimming posture while in the water, which greatly reduced fatigue.

Large dogs

Our small dogs, a 12-pound rat terrier (Spring) and a 20-pound Jack Russell (Skipper), neither of which are “water” dogs, had decidedly negative outlooks on taking a plunge. Because they were small, active dogs, there was less wiggle room for a poorly fitting life jacket. Everything from strap and buckle location to amount and placement of the foam had to be just right for the dog to be comfortable. The life jacket that best suited both dogs was the West Marine neoprene jacket, which just edged out the Outward Hound. The West Marine life jacket is a good value as well, coming in at a price of $34.99.

Small dogs

Extra-large dogs

Our medium dogs, a 36-pound border collie (Zip) and a 40-pound golden retriever pup (Stella) seemed to be much more willing to take a swim than our small dogs—not much of a surprise, especially for Stella. There’s a substantial size difference

Medium dogs

NEW! If your boating family includes the four-legged furry kind, check out our new pet injury coverage from BoatU.S. Marine Insurance. For details, visit www.BoatUS.com/insurance/pets. 18
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2012

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