dog vest for lab hunting dog

[duckhunter]

i just got a new pup and am really wondering if i want to get a new hunting floatable vest for her? she is a black lab my male lab weres one once in a while we dont hunt that cold of weather but will head to eastern washington probly a few times next waterfowl season. what are your guys oppinion on the vest? do you use them or not?? i could go both ways so just wondering what you guys think? 

[Cut Em]

I live in the city and have an indoor dog so i do use a vest. I only use it if it's below 40 degress out though. I have used a neoprene vest on her i and hated it. Tore my dog up pretty good in the armpits (yes my fault). I bought the River's West vest and I love it, i'm sure my dog does as well. I found it at wholesale sports in Lacey. It has flotation as well.

[vandeman17]

I use a vest for my dog as soon as it starts getting cold and that is for two reasons. First and most obvious is it helps keep her warm when she is sitting there and wet. Second, the vest actually gives her a little buoyancy so I think it helps her in the long retrieves in the cold water as well as if she were to happen to fall through the ice and struggle to get out. 

[gasman]

I have one for mind and notice a difference in his swimming when he has it on. A much better swimmer with it on, or at least he seams to be 

But i wouldn't run out abd get one for a pup. they will grow out of it to fast and you'll be forking out another $30 for a bigger one. I'd wait untill just before next season starts to get one that fits right.

[sisu]

I live in the city and have an indoor dog so i do use a vest. I only use it if it's below 40 degress out though. I have used a neoprene vest on her i and hated it. Tore my dog up pretty good in the armpits (yes my fault). I bought the River's West vest and I love it, i'm sure my dog does as well. I found it at wholesale sports in Lacey. It has flotation as well.

I was going to modify your post but figured I'd do this instead. Great looking vest BTW.

Rivers West Vest

[Blacktail135]

 I use one on rare occasions. I did once have my dog get herself hungup in an old barbed wire fence that crossed a creek. She was on the upstream side and had the current pushing her against the fence. Close one! I also don't use one (or a collar) when hunting around flooded willow's or timber....too easy to get hungup and I may be too far or unable to get to her in time.

[TheSkyBuster]

I started hunting my Lab at 10 months old, he's a spoiled rotten sleep in the house dog and he would shiver while sitting in the blind when he was wet.  I got a Cabelas neoprene vest and it fixed that problem, even after several retieves I'll stick my hands under his vest and it's warm and dry, neoprene dog vests make a great handwarmer     He always walks a little funny after I put the vest on him but forgets about it 5 minutes later and it doesn't seem to slow him down.

[ashersdad]

well i now always use a vest..A lil back story i was waterfowl hunting on a normal cold eastern wa morning about 10 out. I shoot a few ducks and was waiting and another set to come in. I was standing in the brush petting the chest of my dog who was sitting on a plank i made for him when i noticed his chest felt way to warm from the temps outside. I looked at my hand and it was covered in blood. Needless to say 25 stitches later he will never go in the field without a vest again. The ice on the water can be as sharp as glass even when u don't notice there is ice....I have also heard many stories when a vest has saved dogs from sticks in the water and other things you wont see tell its to late and if your dog is anything like mine he would run through anything to make that retrieve....

[follow maggie]

I use one for Maggie after Thanksgiving to protect her from ice and such, keep her warm and help her float.  The first time I put it on her was in the kitchen.  She's 93 pounds of brute muscle, and during the commotion of getting the vest on her we broke the doors off most of the kitchen cabinets.  I recommend putting it on outside or in the garage the first time.