Keeping Your Duck Dog Warm

[ian_padron]

Looking for some ideas that you all use to keep your pup from getting too cold on the water this time of year.

I've got a 5mm vest for my pup which definitely helps but he still shivers like crazy after I pluck him out of the water and back into the boat. He doesn't seem to care and hits the water like it's his job over and over, but he's my buddy and I don't like seeing him chilled all morning.

I hunt out of a kayak, so things like a portable heater are out of the question.

Any ideas?

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[ian_padron]

And here's a pic of Cooper doing his thing.

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[Curly]

@Lokidog

Check with Lokidog.  He has a golden too.

[vandeman17]

My dogs just wear their neoprene vests. If it is really cold, I check every little bit under their vest and its usually darn toasty but I also will take them on short walks to warm them, and usually me, up a little. My dog shivers no matter how warm or cold it is but its mainly an excited shiver.

[Netminder01]

My last lab mostly just wore the neoprene vest and was OK. For the really cold days, I'd haul a Buddy Heater into the boat and make sure she wasn't laying on the cold frozen ground or metal boat decks; this helped a lot. My new lab, however, is all bones so she'll get colder fast and I'll need to pay more attention and will probably bring the heater with me until she gets used to things.

[ian_padron]

My dogs just wear their neoprene vests. If it is really cold, I check every little bit under their vest and its usually darn toasty but I also will take them on short walks to warm them, and usually me, up a little. My dog shivers no matter how warm or cold it is but its mainly an excited shiver.

I wish there was a way to talk to him and know if he's actually uncomfortable or if he's just having the time of his life and he's so freaking excited that he can't stop shaking LOL


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[ian_padron]

My last lab mostly just wore the neoprene vest and was OK. For the really cold days, I'd haul a Buddy Heater into the boat and make sure she wasn't laying on the cold frozen ground or metal boat decks; this helped a lot. My new lab, however, is all bones so she'll get colder fast and I'll need to pay more attention and will probably bring the heater with me until she gets used to things.

I was thinking about maybe getting a neoprene mat to put in the back of my kayak to keep him up off the wet deck.

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[vandeman17]

My dogs just wear their neoprene vests. If it is really cold, I check every little bit under their vest and its usually darn toasty but I also will take them on short walks to warm them, and usually me, up a little. My dog shivers no matter how warm or cold it is but its mainly an excited shiver.

I wish there was a way to talk to him and know if he's actually uncomfortable or if he's just having the time of his life and he's so freaking excited that he can't stop shaking LOL


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I think that after you spend enough time around him, you will be able to tell. Between putting my hand underneath their vests and watching the way they are acting, I can tell when they are cold.

[Netminder01]

My last lab mostly just wore the neoprene vest and was OK. For the really cold days, I'd haul a Buddy Heater into the boat and make sure she wasn't laying on the cold frozen ground or metal boat decks; this helped a lot. My new lab, however, is all bones so she'll get colder fast and I'll need to pay more attention and will probably bring the heater with me until she gets used to things.

I was thinking about maybe getting a neoprene mat to put in the back of my kayak to keep him up off the wet deck.

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That's exactly what I did... I had an old vest that didn't fit and used that for a while until I got a rubber mat to help her stay off the cold ground. If you have a boat, the 1/2 black matte with holes cut out works great. Get a 4x4' area or in the duck blind, something that folds; even one of the dog crates/chairs that get them off the ground.

[hollymaster]

Fold up an old blanket to sit and lay on. If need be you can throw it over them to warm them up.

[Bookworm007]

Go to the fabric store and get a big piece of fleece that you can fold up for the pooch to lay on and be wrapped in while on the boat. Fleece even when wet will still help keep the dog warm unlike cotton blends.

[ian_padron]

My last lab mostly just wore the neoprene vest and was OK. For the really cold days, I'd haul a Buddy Heater into the boat and make sure she wasn't laying on the cold frozen ground or metal boat decks; this helped a lot. My new lab, however, is all bones so she'll get colder fast and I'll need to pay more attention and will probably bring the heater with me until she gets used to things.

I was thinking about maybe getting a neoprene mat to put in the back of my kayak to keep him up off the wet deck.

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That's exactly what I did... I had an old vest that didn't fit and used that for a while until I got a rubber mat to help her stay off the cold ground. If you have a boat, the 1/2 black matte with holes cut out works great. Get a 4x4' area or in the duck blind, something that folds; even one of the dog crates/chairs that get them off the ground.

Great idea

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[ian_padron]

Go to the fabric store and get a big piece of fleece that you can fold up for the pooch to lay on and be wrapped in while on the boat. Fleece even when wet will still help keep the dog warm unlike cotton blends.

That's smart and would work well even in my kayak

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[ghosthunter]

Things I have learned after two labs.

My dog seems to handle cold better than my buddies. The reason...I kennel her outside year round. Thus her coat is well developed.

Two my dog seems to be happier without the vest because she can shake off and fluff up better.
I do put the vest on if there is ice around to protect her.

Three. Blankets and other cloth gets wet and heavy fast. Get a bale of straw. On the cold trips ,put two flakes in a garbage bag. When at you location put the straw down where your dog will sit. When it's time to leave just kick the straw around and leave it.

[ghosthunter]

Take a extra thermos of hot water and a hot water bottle.
Once your set up fill the hot water bottle with the hot water and straw or towel on top. Will stay warm for hours.

A couple extra floating boat seats work well for a dog to sit on and not a bad thing to have in the yak.

I plan to hunt my dog out of the yak next year and plan to pad the rear cargo area with rigid foam insulation whic could also be put on the ground.

[addicted2hunting]

Best thing you could do is a small pad for him to sit on. Dogs will soak the cold up from the ground. If it is in the 30s you have no worry even if he is shivering. Now getting into the low 20s or teens you could wrap him in a coat for when he is sitting to help further trap his body heat... and in no situation should he be sitting in water with freezing temps.