How, Why, and Where to Get Your Canine Life Jackets

As to the "how," there are umpteen online sites where you can order your dogs' life jackets. However, wherever you finally decide to buy is up to you, but my firm recommendation is that you NOT order online until you have visited a local brick-and-mortar store (with your pet) to check out life jackets for dogs.

So, why not just order online when it is so convenient? Because, if you have never bought your dog a life jacket before, you have to take lots of things into consideration.

First of all, there is the sizing. Your dog will need to be weighed and measured from his neck to his tail. If you do not do this right, the life jacket will not fit. By visiting a local store, you can enlist the help of the owner or a clerk. And after you select a jacket, you need to try it on your dog in the store. Have him sit, stand on his rear legs, and lie down. All of this gives you a chance to evaluate the comfort of the life jacket.

Another thing you can find out about is what is available out there in terms of buoyancy ratings and fabric and color. You most certainly will want to buy one in a fluorescent color, so in case your pet goes overboard in the dark you can spot him easily. And if your pooch is a girl, you can find some pretty pinks out there.

This important safety gear purchase for your beloved pet should never be approached haphazardly. If you attempt to do all your research online, it is almost inevitable you will get confused and probably make the wrong choice. Then you have to go to all the inconvenience of boxing it up and returning it for a refund (less shipping costs, of course). So do your homework first, and THEN, after you know the exact model number, size, color, etc. that you need, go ahead and place an order online if you wish.

Personally, I would rather deal with a local dealer for the convenience of getting any problems (including returns in case of a defective product) solved quickly and easily without incurring additional expense.

I am not familiar personally with the canine life jackets made of a material called "Cordura," but I understand that this gives more efficient protection from possible abrasion as your dog wears it, plus it has the additional feature of providing extra warmth than most other jackets out there. Let me know your experiences, good or bad, if you do try Cordura.

As soon as you get your canine life jacket, put it on your pet and let him get used to it in the house for half an hour or so. I would do this for a day or two before taking him out on the lake or whatever body of water is large enough for him to get the feel of swimming in it. Let him follow you into the water, preferably on a sandy beach with a gentle slope into the water. As soon as you get out far enough, beckon him to come to you, and he will find that it is a lot easier to swim with his new jacket.

This technique can work with any dog, just as long as he is not afraid of the water. If he is afraid, that requires another approach, which I'll cover in another article.

June Starlac loves dogs and enjoys their canine capers, which is one reason she enjoys sharing her knowledge with others about how to keep their pets safe. You can read more of her articles at http:// canine lfe jackets and at http:// dogs' life jackets.