Jumping off the dock
Has anyone ever got a puppy a life jacket I am just wondering if I should purchase one.... My biggest fear is that when she is on shore with my mom that she will run after me while I am going in my kayak.... Daina |
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| Yes you can get dog life jackets. I dont have one but others have posted about them here on the forum. I'm sure someone who has one will let you know their experience and where to get one. |
| Glad he's ok! Are sheepdogs lousy swimmers? I would assume they don't take to water like Labs, do they tend to avoid swimming? We haven't brought Mady to any water yet, though we will be visiting a dog-friendly beach in August on Lake Ontario. |
| I had a scare like that recently! Maggie is a great swimmer but when she panics, she goes vertical and cannot get her hips back up to be able to swim. Recently, we were swimming at the lake and Maggie saw a boat which got her all excited because she loves to chase moving things (also a dangerous habit that requires constant supervision) Well, she ran down the dock and jumped in after the boat and landed unexpectedly in deep water so her body was vertical and she was paddling like crazy to keep her head above water. I called her but I quickly realized that she was not able to get into swimming position. So I kept calling her name while I swam out to meet her. I should have just run to the dock, but there was a hedge. Well, when I got to her, she was exhausted, her eyes were glazed over and unfocused, she was bobbing up and down while trying to keep her head up, and all her paddling had her going around and around in tight, upright circles! It was so scary!! When I reached her, I lifted her hips and she swam to shore and forgot all about it while I spent the next week thinking what a close call and how devastated I would have been if I lost my sweetest girl. I also kept thinking that if I had been inside or on the other side of the house what might have happened. So even with dogs who like to swim and swim well, you have to keep an eye on them at all times. There are dog lifejackets and I think those are a great idea too. I should really get one for next time we go to the lake. . . I do think regular beachy shorelines are less dangerous than a dock because they walk in and out. The thing with the dock is that the dog is suddenly in deep water. |
| I've never had any trouble with our OES not liking water. The only real time they wouldn't be good swimmers (not counting when they may panic, like Val's Maggie) is because of the length of the their coat. It would be as dangerous for them as us to try and swim in a full outfit of clothes! Chewie loved to swim as a pup, but then had a "near sinking" scare in full show coat - so he reverted back to only wading. After he finished and I cut his hair down, we have been doing swim rehab...and he is getting his bravery back. I did use a lifejacket to help things along. There are many decent brands of canine lifejackets out there. I have one for my basset - as they definitely are not good swimmers - they sink like rocks!~ For safety, you need to show them how to get in and out of pools (and NEVER to try climbing out the lip of the pool - they will struggle and may even tip backwards if they manage to pull themselves partway out), and if it's a lake/dock - to return to shore. On a boat show them where the ladder is. |
| my cousin does a lot of boating and always has taken his dog. Even before they go out on the dock they put on his life jacket. I am not sure of the brand but it is nice because it has a "handle" along the back. His pup fell in the water once when they were near the dock. he was able to reach down and grab the dog by the handle and get him back. I would look for a jucket with that type of handle so that you can right the dog or pull him to shore if needed. I have only taken Bella to a stream and she has swimmed a little but it is fairly shallow. She did seem a little unsure and I think that if I make this a routine I am going to get a jacket just to be safe. She may go out farther than I want and with a slight current she might have issues. She seemed to like swimming but might enjoy it more if she felt like her hind end stayed "up" where it should to swim correctly. |
| You're not alone! Years ago when our Winston was about six months old he jumped off the dock into water that was dangerously cold. I was ready to go in after him but he just calmly swam back to shore. After that he generally swam in warmer water but would dive off the docks and just paddle around while we'd swim with him. Or retrieve one of those orange training floats. He'd climb out of the water and do it all over again. Over and over. He wore us all out! Never had a lifejacket on him and he was fine but his coat was always cut short so he wasn't carrying a lot of weight around. Nelson on the other hand has always had so much hair that he's more like a boat anchor. He's shown interest in the water would much rather keep his feet touching the bottom of the lake and wade around than to swim. If not for him being a soggy matted mess we probably would buy him a lifejacket just to see how he'd do. |
| That would be frightening. I've never had a near miss in the water thankfully, but the boating sites all offer canine life jackets. I've never used one. They look fitted and have a nice strap loop on the back for easy reaching/rescue. Overtons, Barts or West Marine all have them. |
If it's a place she might visit again, it might be best to repeat dock jump several times so she can confidently and safely get back to shore. Then the challenge might be keeping her off the neighbor's dock because she thinks it's so much fun  We have this life jacket- http://oesusa.com/index.878.jpg . But I've never taken a dog in water over their head... you must be certain the jacket doesn't flip the the dog the wrong way. |
I have this one for Simon and here is the test swim at The Paw's pool for dogs  |
The first time Patch saw a dock she took off and looked like an Olympic diver and plunk, right to the bottom of this cow pond  . I was throwing off the shoes to go in the muck and swim down to get her and here she comes to the surface spittin' and sputterin' - it caught her by surprise. I was almost in tears, but she was like, "well, hell, lets do that again!" Now she loves the water. What a diving diva.ps - and this was just after a day at the beauty shop, all that grooming gone to pond stink! |
| We are looking at life jacket's for Dahlia now. We have introduced her to the lake behind our house and she absolutely loves the water so far (phew) She only walks up to where she can stand, but, pretty soon, she is going to have to go in deeper since we sail, camp etc. I need to get her a life vest so I feel more comfortable especially in the sailboat. We are considering the MTI Underdog. Has anyone ever tried this one? http://www.mtiadventurewear.com/products.php?id=7#feature Description: The life jacket for dogs that is the first ergonomically designed buoyancy aid for the swimming canine. With 90% of the flotation in the water under the chest and neck, the underDOG supports the natural swim angle of the dog. Traditional dog vests pull the body into a horizontal position. With the underDOG the rear is allowed to sink lower than the forelegs, freeing the hind legs to swim more efficiently, while the neck is supported so that the head rides higher above the water line. It works with your dog so they are less fatigued after a long swim - they would tell you so if they could! The split foam body has a mesh top to keep a dog cool. 2 body straps, a neck strap, and a chest strap can be adjusted to fit a wide variety of dogs, including hard-to-fit bull dogs and other barrel-chested breeds. 2 grab handles provide even lift distribution, and are designed to support the full weight of a wet dog. The neck handle doubles as a handy leash attachment point. Generous reflective trim on the body and the neck provides added visibility when in the water or running around the parking lot. Tough Cordura® fabric protects the belly from rough ground cover. The underDOG sets a new standard for canine life jackets. Shell fabric: 200 D Polyester/500 D Cordura®. |
| Just tossed my new Pet Edge catalog as I use their web site instead, they have life jackets. |
| Brick doesn't care too much for deep water. He'll wade in up to his belly and won't go any further. I have to pick him up and carry him out to deeper water and all he tries to do is scramble up my body. I end up all scratched. One time I carried him out into deeper water and let him go. He sank like a stone. I had to reach down, grab his collar, and drag him back up to the surface. |
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