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Dogs On Boats


ruthless
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But they do look good in them... as well as the safety aspects if they fall overboard...

My cousin and his wife are big on sailing, and their dog has her own life jacket... especially as she has a habit of trying to jump over to any boat her mum happens to be on... lol!

T.

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My 2 BC's are both avid boaties & great swimmers. They both have life jackets & wear them where ever there is heavy traffic on the water, speed boats etc & if there is a lot of tidal water current, change of tides or rips for their own safety. People aren't looking for dogs swimming when they are out on the water & no matter how well dogs swim in strong current they will tire very quickly. So they are worn foremost for their own safety but must admit they do look very cute too :)

Edited by BC Crazy
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Highly desirable. A friend of ours once lost their mini-Dachshound (Sp?) overboard from their speed boat. And that was only on the Nerang. Could not find the dog for love not money. They finally did get her back after about a week - quite the worse for wear.

She did get to shore but would not go near people and was hiding out. At least it was a well populated area and she was eventually tracked down. That was pure luck. IF she had been wearing bright safety jacket, I'm sure they would have found her a lot sooner.

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IMHO, I think it should be made law for our pooches to wear life jackets while out & about on the water. It only takes a second for an accident to happen. About as long as it takes to pop their jackets on. Both mine guys are so used to wearing them as soon as I pick them up they race over to me & just stand their waiting to get suited up. They know it means FUN :)

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And here's my boy, all sun screened up as well

Photo0094.jpg

Very smart indeed - has he ever fallen in and you have thanked god for having a life jacket on him?

No, I mustn't tell a lie; this was for a swimming session in an indoor dog pool! I just posted it cause i love that photo :). Although... If I ever did take him on a boat I would put one on him for sure as he isn't a strong swimmer at all and panics if he gets water in his ears. I love him like a child and I would put a life jacket on a child so then him too.

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And here's my boy, all sun screened up as well

Photo0094.jpg

Very smart indeed - has he ever fallen in and you have thanked god for having a life jacket on him?

No, I mustn't tell a lie; this was for a swimming session in an indoor dog pool! I just posted it cause i love that photo :). Although... If I ever did take him on a boat I would put one on him for sure as he isn't a strong swimmer at all and panics if he gets water in his ears. I love him like a child and I would put a life jacket on a child so then him too.

Same donski, I have never been able to have kids so my dogs are my children. I am not 'silly' with them though. I still treat them like dogs. I don't try & humanise them. But if I had kids they would wear life jackets so why shouldn't my dogs.

You would be surprised how many people just look & shake their heads, like I'm mad & I often get " can't your bloody dog swim?" Not that the comments bother me. As long as my guys get to experience everything & have fun SAFELY , thats all that I need worry about :)

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Same donski, I have never been able to have kids so my dogs are my children. I am not 'silly' with them though. I still treat them like dogs. I don't try & humanise them. But if I had kids they would wear life jackets so why shouldn't my dogs.

You would be surprised how many people just look & shake their heads, like I'm mad & I often get " can't your bloody dog swim?" Not that the comments bother me. As long as my guys get to experience everything & have fun SAFELY , thats all that I need worry about :)

Nope, my dog can't swim! She's a pug, she sinks like a stone. I haven't got her a life jacket before now because she was still growing, but now at 14 months she's basically full grown so I'm getting her one. We don't go on boats, but we do go to the beach and sometimes she tries to follow the bigger dogs out when they are chasing balls etc

What are the best lift jackets for smallish dogs? I like the look of this one? http://waggle.com.au/ezydog-b2/standard-dog-floatation-vest-p85

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Minimax, they are the exact same ones my 2 have. They are excellent ! Really well made, we have had ours for ages & they get used heaps as we live on the coast. They have a handle on the back which is good if you need to pick them up for any reason. They are very visable. Sonny has got a yellow one & Stella has cammo pink one & even in the late afternoon you can see thas they have reflectors on them as well. They actually do help them float as Sonny especially likes to float around & has no trouble doing this with his jacket on & in no way do they hinder their movement as he can run around in the shallows no trouble as well.

Happy swimming :)

Edited by BC Crazy
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Minimax, they are the exact same ones my 2 have. They are excellent ! Reall well made, we have had ours for ages & they get used heaps as we live on the coast. They have a handle on the back which is good if you need to pick them up for any reason. They are very visable. Sonny has got a yellow one & Stella has cammo pink one & even in the late afternoon you can see thas they have reflectors on then.

Excellent, I might try and pin Max down to measure her and see what size she might need and order it for her!

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Just a couple things on dogs and life jackets, always a good idea to have a long line (specific type lightweight nylon boating line)attached to handle on dogs life jacket.

Relative who are also long time huge sailing buffs, take their dog everywhere on the vessel they have learnt from experiencing many different types of sea conditions that it is very easy for a dog to get washed overboard, they never use to have a life jacket on their dog (kelpie/BC X) and this dog was mad keen water dog he would jump off boat quick as lightning and had no fear, always swimming to starboard and the owner has a little below water line deck, dog would just jump back on board etc. Someone convinced them dog would become shark bait and a tether line would be recommended, they put the dog in a life jacket and it got washed overbored in a storm and the last they saw of it was as it was being swept away by the strong current and wind with said life jacket acting as as it should and dog not having enough strength to fight the conditions.

Some weeks later a phone call to them from a concerned person to inform them their dog had been found running up and down the beach of some remote place, identified by this fluro yellow and red vest and the collar and ID. No one seriously believed the dog would have survived its ordeal that night let alone make it to a safe shore. Owners and dog were reunited and since then mesh net has been placed completely around the boat sides and dog is kept in a new vest with this nylon long line firmly attached so if it should go over board again at least they can reel him in. :)

this is the brand of life vest they use -> http://www.topdogs.com.au/products/Ruff-Wear-Portage-Float-Coat.html

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