One of my hunting buddies doesn,t believe in neoprene vest. He thinks that the dogs can't shake out with a vest on also they could get hung up on something. I wondered if any scientific reseach had been on heat loss using vest. Also wanted to know how much boyance vest would add.
noeprene vest
davewolfe
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One of my hunting buddies doesn,t believe in neoprene vest. He thinks that the dogs can't shake out with a vest on also they could get hung up on something. I wondered if any scientific reseach had been on heat loss using vest. Also wanted to know how much boyance vest would add.
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I train with a vest quite a bit in the spring. I've had dogs hung up in them a couple of times. They've always just ripped them and squirmed out of them. I suppose things could go south and they could drown if hung up the right (wrong) way. So far I haven't had to go in for a dog though.
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- 10 C yesterday here when we were hunting. My dog was in and out of the water multiple times. When waiting for birds to come in she wasn't shivering like she usually does.
When we got home and I got the vest off of her, she was dry and warm where the vest was. Wet and COLD where the vest wasn't. Don't need anything more scientific then your hand for that.
Sure she could get hung up on something but she could also get hung up on her e-collar too. I've had a dog with mild hypothermia too. I NEVER< EVER want to go there again.
When we got home and I got the vest off of her, she was dry and warm where the vest was. Wet and COLD where the vest wasn't. Don't need anything more scientific then your hand for that.
Sure she could get hung up on something but she could also get hung up on her e-collar too. I've had a dog with mild hypothermia too. I NEVER< EVER want to go there again.
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Howard
Bob crabb us who has the custom vest.they fit really nice it might
Checking out cheaper than losing a nice mutt
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I use a vest ALL the time when its cold. Water temperatures below 45 degrees. I have hunted Dora at temps -12 degrees with no problems. But I wouldn't do it without the vest.
When you take the vest off after hunting there is steam pouring off the dog. I usually wait and take it off after we are back at the truck and then dry them off.
The key to keeping your dog safe is keeping them out of the water when not retrieving. Water will rob the heat out of the dog vest or not. With the vest when they come out of the water they shake what water they can off but stay warm. I have had ice hanging off the dogs and run your hand up under the vest and its nice and warm.
As far as hang up. I haven't had any problems. I keep the vest snug and they do get ripped on ocassion.
Joe
When you take the vest off after hunting there is steam pouring off the dog. I usually wait and take it off after we are back at the truck and then dry them off.
The key to keeping your dog safe is keeping them out of the water when not retrieving. Water will rob the heat out of the dog vest or not. With the vest when they come out of the water they shake what water they can off but stay warm. I have had ice hanging off the dogs and run your hand up under the vest and its nice and warm.
As far as hang up. I haven't had any problems. I keep the vest snug and they do get ripped on ocassion.
Joe
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Not only do I vest my retrievers during cold weather but during frigid hunting in upstate NY in late November and into December I will double-vest my dogs. I will first put a 5mill vest on them and then place a second 3mil vest over that. Super warm, super protective and super boyant.
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Tell your buddy to watch when a vest comes off a dog at hunt's end and note whether the vested or unvested part of the dog is driest.
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I have seen the ones that Jeff is referring to and they are very nice. They offer the most complete coverage I have ever seen in a dog vest. The one being used by my hunting partner last weekend was on a female and wouldn't have worked too well on a male dog, but I assume that she has a modification for that.
DP
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go surfing in 45 deg water with full length wet suit then take it off and tell me what is better. same goes for a dog! yeah there is water against the skin, but it gets warmed by the body. diffent than water against the skin that is exposed to chilly air.
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Thats funny right there.
+1 on any info on custom fitted. Some folks say just take the dog to the tailor ! My current dog is a ways from full grown, but I never could get a vest to fit my last dog as I would like. Plenty of trimming, but still needed some areas taken in. I think they make a lot of them for fat dogs !
I always duck hunt my dog with a vest on, as even in early fall they are in and out of cold tidal water from Cook inlet here in AK. Late in the fall it gets worse. The dog is usually dry underneath the vest. On a separate note, one time on a quick start on a retrieve my dog jumped a hollow and hit a sharp stick head on. The vest was torn but the dog would have been impaled without the vest.
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Another for the vests work and work well, read the story at the top of this forum on 10 minutes retrieve should be dead. I do allot of hunting in beaver ponds and there are all kinds of things to get caught up on. The dog gets through it just fine.
I use the Avery boaters vest.
I use the Avery boaters vest.
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I have a vest for my golden male, but had to do a lot of trimming. Is there any particular model/brand of vest that works for the more slender retrievers that have less bone and bulk?
Mine has wide velcro to close. What happens is that it barely close around the shoulders, and its' too loose in the rear end. Barely enough velcro left to attach to itself after overlapping quite a bit.
Maybe I'm asking about a vest that is made to account for all dogs being more slender in the hips!?
Debbie Tandoc
Mine has wide velcro to close. What happens is that it barely close around the shoulders, and its' too loose in the rear end. Barely enough velcro left to attach to itself after overlapping quite a bit.
Maybe I'm asking about a vest that is made to account for all dogs being more slender in the hips!?
Debbie Tandoc
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My friends cousin lives in Marysville, Wa and has started a business making custom neoprene vests. She was at the Dog show in Monroe, WA last weekend. I'll see if I can find her email/contact information and post it. She makes vests only on measurements of each dog. She started with her own boxer who loved to swim but vests didn't fit right so, started sewing and has made alot of vests for show breeds but, not any hunting ones yet.
Does Bob make them or does he just have one Jeff?
Does Bob make them or does he just have one Jeff?
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Sometimes I think vests are made for hunter's dogs that lay around 9 months of the year and are usually fat by the time the duck season starts! Or, maybe the manufacturers are getting their measurements from those big, barrel chested show dogs! BTW, you do have to do a little trimming for his "junk".
Besides, this is California, Debbie! What do you need a vest for here? You been spoilin that swamp collie a little too much keepin him inside next to the fireplace? Or, maybe you're just wantin to limit the amount of cockle burs!;-)
See you at the next HT.
Pullin your chain regards,
BHB
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