All Things Dog Blog

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Labor Day weekend is often a time for family water fun. Even with all my kids gone, I'm able to enjoy a boating adventure with Tanner. He's eager to try out his new Doggles Flotation vest provided to us by my new friends, Kamila and Anna, at Pure Pup Shop.

Although our lake is largely free of gators and other hazards, you just never know what danger may lurk below the surface. And then there's the What If Tanner were to jump or fall overboard? Yikes!

There are a number of reasons I chose this particular vest over others I have seen on the market. When considering the possibility of a dog overboard, I realized that more may be needed that just a vest to keep him at the surface. A chin support on this model is particularly special as it offers flotation for the dog's head if he loses consciousness during a fall. Genious!

We let Tanner test the vest with and without the chin support to see what would happen. He seemed completely oblivious to it's presence either way, so leaving it in place would seem like your safest option. However, it's nice to have the choice to remove it. It zips on and off, assuring a secure position, and also has a Velcro adjustment.

On top of all that, the chest adjustment includes velcro and a webbing strap, much like those on water safety vests for humans. The vest itself is thick and made of heavy nylon fabric. When I compared it to our family's PFD III's, the Coast Guard's required safe rating for boating vests, I felt like Tanner had all the bells and whistles on this baby. Here's more...

Having a long body, I expected that the vest would only come half way down his length, maybe covering his rib cage if I was lucky. Surprisingly, the vest is longer, nearly reaching his tailbone on top, and slightly shorter for male dog comfort in the tummy area.

I've seen the quick lift handle on many little dog vests before, but was surprised to see one on a water safety vest, especially for a 70 lb. dog. We did test it out by lifting Tanner from the lake to the swim platform at the back of the boat, and found it quite sturdy, as it is stitched well and connected to reinforced webbing that creates the strapping around the body.

The straps that secure at the belly area have excellent adjustments that don't slip. It may take a couple of extra minutes to fit the vest to your dog securely, but that is time well spent. I was extremely impressed by the stomach overlap, to assure less water resistance during swimming.

Another safety feature I was impressed with was the extra-flat clasps, less likely to get broken when Fido is climbing in or out of your boat. The belly area often scrapes along the gunnel or swim platform, and I have known them to crack during this maneuver; I feel these flatter clasps will be less apt to catch on these surfaces, causing them to break.

Let's talk a little bit about Pure Pup Shop. This adorable website boasts a nice assortment of dog supplies in a clean, easy to shop format. I'm not a big brick-and-mortar shopper; I love the Internet for its lack of crowds and gas savings. When you visit here, you'll notice some special features that I fell in love with:

Being a fan of all things blog, I always notice when an online retailer's blog is more than just another way to promote their products. It was good to see reader's dogs and other fun stuff there. Check it out at Pure Pup Blog.
Wish Lists are simple to create after you register, and make a wonderful way to let your friends and family know what's important to you. Use their search function to seek out what you're looking for, or read on...
What can you put on a Wish List? Pure Pup Shop carries all sorts of goodies for your furry friends such as clothing, harnesses, leashes, collars, beds, bowls, storage, grooming items, travel needs, a Kitty Korner and problem solvers. We can all use a few of these.
Small businesses often earn kudos from me, as they are the largest growing segment of our economy. What is sometimes lacking is an Internet presence through social media. Not so much with Pure Pup Shop. They seem to 'get it' and have got a Facebook page, Twitter handle, and the blog all actively rolling along. To me, that's a signal that Pure Pup Shop will be with us for the long haul. Way to go Kamila and Anna! Let's see if we can give these ladies a boost.

Now that I've shared some of my favorite things about this new site I've discovered, Pure Pup Shop has offered a free Flotation Vest by Doggles, just like you see on Tanner, for your pup. I'll run this giveaway through midnight on Thursday, September 15 to give you plenty of time to enter this great giveaway. I'll announce the winner late afternoon on Friday, September 16th, so be sure to stop in here after 4 PM for the winner's announcement post.

Whether you'll be boating year-round like my family, or simply giving the vest to your pup or one you love as a holiday gift for use next Spring, he'll be glad to have it during his next splash in the wet stuff. Tanner seemed to enjoy the lift his new vest offered, and took a little extra time bringing his fetch toy back. I think he was simply enjoying the refreshing dip in his new Doggles flotation vest. I suppose Oliver will be looking into a version for his tiny 10 lb. frame very soon.

Not into entering giveaways? That's okay! You can pick up your pup a flotation vest, or simply shop the rest of Pure Pup's products at their online store. They're even offering a 10% discount to my readers through September 30, so now's your chance to save. Just enter the discount code at checkout: "ADOG". Sit back and enjoy a leisurely shopping expedition without the hassle of long drives or long lines. Maybe you'd just like to grab a latte and relax with your laptop at Starbucks. Whatever works; enjoy the journey through Pure Pup Shop.

I'm getting mostly good feedback from you all on the Rafflecopter entry method for giveaways, so I'll use it again here, but please do let me know if you encounter any issues. You can reach me at AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. If you don't see the Rafflecopter widget below, simply click the title of this post to refresh and the widget will appear. Have fun entering, and we'll see you soon to announce the winner.

by Mark Nunez, DVM

Dear Dr. Mark:

Our dogs love swimming and enjoy boating with us. They are well behaved in the boat and we love taking them out with us. I would like to know if there are any boating safety suggestions you have to make sure our dogs Ringo and George are always safe. We have used ski vests on them at times but they don't need them for swimming; they are good swimmers.

We take our boat out on big lakes where it is very deep. Sometimes I worry about they get tired or swallow too much water. I guess I'm just writing to get any advice you want to pass on about them swimming in the big lake we take the boat to. I read the article about gator safety and started to worry. I do not think we have gators here in Iowa.

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Being from south Louisiana, boating was a way of life for me. It is a wonderful place to be and since dogs were always a part of my life, they were with me to share this wonderful time. There are several things to consider while out on the water with our 4 legged family members. These tips are for dogs that swim in lakes (pools and oceans have there own set of pitfalls).

A serious health risk exists in certain parts of the country at certain times of the year, and that is blue-green algae. Check with your local officials about this.

Be sure your dogs know how to swim. Not all dogs take to the water naturally. They should be introduced to swimming gradually and from the shore. Appropriate canine life-vests/floatation devices are a must when out on open water. Vests that are specifically made for dogs are best.

Something many people forget about is to have plenty of clean water for your dog to drink. Do your best to prevent your dog from drinking lake water by making sure he drinks fresh/clean water before going in and periodically throughout the day. These excursions usually happen in the summer time, and dehydration is a concern. Lake water is not the best to drink, even if algae is not a problem in your area.

Be aware of what’s under the surface of the water. If swimming from shore, sharp rocks can injure paws, so be sure to inspect them frequently.

Be sure to rinse or bathe your dog after returning home. Also, be sure to clean and dry their ears.

Apply sunscreen to dogs with thin coats and pay particular attention to white dogs; they get sun burned very easily.

Do not push your dog to swim for prolonged periods of time. Even with a life vest, they will get tired and need to take breaks.

Follow these tips and you will ensure that your dog enjoys his time on the water every bit as much as you do. Thanks for reading and please do not hesitate to ask questions.

Dr. Mark