What is a dog's life jacket?
A dog’s life jacket is not an accessory, but a necessity. This is a key element in the complete safety program that every dog ​​owner prepares for the pet. Life jackets are available in a variety of colors. They are bright and eye-catching in the distance. Some models have neon stripes and accents that can make your dog come alive in dark water.

Neoprene is the material of most life jackets. This amazingly lightweight synthetic rubber material is completely resistant to water, weather (wind, heat, cold, etc.), and oil.

An important feature that every high-quality dog's life jacket should have is comfort. Freedom of movement is essential for every dog. Because these creatures are very active, there is no jacket to restrict the dog's chasing, running, and swimming movements.

Nowadays, you should follow different dog life jacket sizes.

Small coat
Puppies are not born swimmers, they don't even seem to love water. Moreover, if you plan to spend the day by the water, your dog will be inseparable from the dog life jacket. There is no difference in structure, design, or material of life jackets of different sizes. Representatives of Terrier, Papillon, Spaniel, Shih Tzu, Pomeranian, Maltese, and other breeds fall into this category and require very few life jackets.

If you have a puppy and want him to learn to swim in a short time, then you should get an XXS dog life jacket. These are small coats. They are designed to provide comfort and safety to the smallest dogs and puppies.

Medium coat
Medium-sized dogs (Akita, Foxhound, Staffordshire Terrier, Australian Shepherd) need suitable life jackets to provide good water safety. A series of brands offer amazing products. They make medium jackets with velcro, fasteners, clips, and even zippers. Considering that these dogs are heavier than small dogs, a firm fixation is very important.

Oversized coat
Larger dogs need larger and stronger jackets. The manufacturer’s size guide must be checked to make the correct choice. Only a very suitable life jacket can function and save your dog in an emergency. The seams should be firm, the leashes should be fastened, and the structure of the jacket should not hinder the dog's urination. Take this into consideration.

If your pet is a healthy Boerboel, Anatolian Shepherd, Bullmastiff, Doberman, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Mastiff, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard, you may need an XL dog life jacket or XXL dog life jacket. Everything depends on the age and weight of the dog.

Benefits of using dog life jackets
Despite widespread misinformation, not all canines are good swimmers. Some breeds are not suitable for swimming at all, puppies and old dogs are not strong enough to resist water waves, and other breeds have health problems. All these dogs are at high risk when in the water. In this case, a life jacket must be worn. Whether you plan to row a boat, spend the day on the beach or in the swimming pool, if your dog is with you, make sure he is wearing a life jacket. These are the five basic reasons why your pet should wear a vest every time he engages in water sports.

1.Swimming ability
Not all dogs are born swimmers. People with big breasts and small hind limbs are very heavy and swim badly: dachshunds, boxers and bulldogs cannot successfully stay afloat. Smaller dogs (Shih Tzu, Pekingese, Yorkshire Terrier) swim very well, but quickly become cold and cannot live long in the water. Even if a dog has the ability to swim, if it becomes tired, he is still in danger.

2.Emergency/accident
You cannot always control everything, especially everything that appears in the sea. Dogs that fall or jump off the boat have little chance to swim back to shore safely. But once he puts on the life jacket, he will stay afloat even if he is tired to move on or lose consciousness.

3.visibility
The waves make you invisible to the dog falling on the boat. At the same time, river flow is even more dangerous. The wave motion is almost impossible to make your pet quarrel in the water to breathe. Life jackets are always brightly colored. Some even have reflective details that make the dog eye-catching in the dark.

4.Convenient handle
If your pet falls from the boat, if he is wearing a life jacket with a handle, you don't have to jump into the water to catch him. Thanks to the latter, you can drag him back to the boat and keep it there until you get close to the coast.

5.Inner Peace
Life is unpredictable, even a few seconds is enough to make terrible things happen. In order to keep your pet dog in trouble when it is swimming or falling from the boat or dock, please rest assured that you should buy a high-quality life vest.

Author's Bio: 

Welcome, my name is David and I have owned many pets throughout the years from cats, dogs, ducks, and rats to spiders, snakes, and terrapins. I am passionate about sharing helpful information about caring for pets and promoting their health and welfare.

Reference:The 10 Best Dog Life Jackets Vests for 2021