Paws Aboard Dog Life Jacket Vest for Swimming and Boating

Leash D-ring webbing failed as our 16 pound Dachshund jumped overboard while we were sailing. The D-ring webbing failed immediately. We haven't installed netting on our lifelines yet, since we just purchased the boat, so we had a leash attached to the D-ring to provide positive control of our dog while underway. Fortunately our dog is a very good swimmer but as a safety measure we had her in the life jacket. We were able to perform a quick man (dog) overboard maneuver to get her back aboard, but if the conditions were not as good as they were, we could have lost her.Very poor quality control of the webbing attachment. Since the dog weighs only 16 pounds, I would have expected the D-Ring webbing to have SOME level of support. I expect the D-Ring is single stitched to the life jacket, so it failed with very little stress. Please check the integrity of your D-Rings if you have purchased this item. You can simply attach your leash to the D-Ring on the vest and have someone pull the life jacket while you hold the leash. Make sure you are pulling at least the same force as the weight of your dog. Had we tried this test, the D-Ring would have failed in the safety of our home rather than underway in an emergency.

Awesome, awesome, well made product. This was our 3rd neoprene life vest purchase. Now all 3 of our labradoodles have their own. You can adjust to fit snuggly or leave a little looser for more confident swimmer. Our youngest, Doc our 85 lb puppy has no desire to swim and is still somewhat fearful of the water. We decided to purchased a 3rd because we were planing a trip to the lake with all 3. Anyone who thinks a dog in water will figure it out, think again. Doc fell into our pool accidentally about a year ago playing with the other two and had to be rescued because he could not keep his head above water. To this day, he still refuses to use his back legs to swim even with the jacket on. The jacket keeps him afloat providing him the confidence he needs to be able to enjoy our pool and the peace of mind we need knowing he is safe in and around the water. The only reason I gave this a 4 instead of a 5 is strictly because we worry about the heat retention with the neoprene in warm tempatures when he actually has the jacket on out of the water.

I have a Jack Russell Terrier who is slightly smaller than most within his breed. I read a TON of the reviews on the size small and size extra-small of this life jacket and waffled as to which was the appropriate size for my JT Rocky. Unfortunately my best guestimate was inaccurate. So I am going to give you the measurements that I have available to me (my dog and the vest) in the hopes that you will know which one to choose if you have a small dog. The size small was too large for my Jack Russell.Rocky, the amazing (and exceedingly handsome) Jack Russell Terrier: Weight: 14.5 pounds Neck measurement: 10" Chest measurement (measured directly behind the front legs): 18" Collar to tail measurement: 15" Collar to privates (called a peeper around here): 12"The last measurement is kind of important unless you truly desire that your likely already emasculated male dog lose all outward appearances of a male (or you desire your male or female dog to pee all over their life jacket). Honestly....I hadn't thought of this one when we purchased the vest but the size small life jacket kind of cramped his style as it was too long!Paws Aboard SMALL Neoprene Designer Doggy Life Jacket: Neck measurement (at it's smallest adjustment): 12" Neck measurement (at it's largest adjustment - velcro is not used - it is only the strap & buckle securing the opening): 18" The chest straps have a LOT of flexibility in them. I was able to secure the vest around my dog without any problem and it probably would have adequately kept him floating but he would have HATED it and it was definitely too big! As I mentioned before it invaded his peeper....it basically was too long and so it covered it over making him very aggravated. It is difficult to provide measurements here. I am hoping to be able to add some photos that will help.The life jacket itself is awesome! I love the velcro combined with the buckles and straps...extra security. The straps are thick and wide and covered with a breathable fabric. This will make it much more comfortable! The life jacket is well made and looks like it should hold up to a lot of water adventures.I have ordered the extra-small and am returning this life jacket to Amazon.  Paws Aboard Extra Small Neoprene Designer Doggy Life Jacket, Red Lifeguard

I bought this doggy life vest after trying two others that didn't work for us and I'm glad I did. My dog's measurements seem to be right in the middle of a small and a medium in this and most brands. He's 18 pounds and his chest measures 21 inches, so I could've chosen either size. I went with the medium first and it was way too big. The only way I could get it to fit him was to bunch it up underneath and I didn't feel like that was safe or comfortable. I exchanged it for the small and it is absolutely perfect. I was worried that the velcro would only go around partially but it goes all the way around him. Its not too bulky and he has no problems swimming in it. He doesn't roll over in the water as some other reviewers have noted. I am very happy with it and would recommend.

Safety for my puppy while getting him used for o to the water.

Great bounacy aid and the only one we found to fit the' stretched limo' pooch, was a snug and comfortable fit and idn't slop about his body when swimming. Great quality and excellenty priced. Delivery was a bit slow but worth the wait

We have tried purchased this brand of life vests for our adventure cats since they were kittens . The smaller sizes fit great on cats xxs and xs under 12 lb. Our chunk has put on a few lbs over winter so we ordered small one size up. Unfortunately he can easily slip out of this one despite correct measurements. The neck strap is too thick for cat necks. The single piece Velcro belly band is great for getting a snug fit around the belly. These jackets are high quality so my review is intended to help other adventure cat owner find jackets that will keep their kitties afloat. Love the bright color for visability.

Of course safety is the primary concern for this item, but I'm not qualified to comment on its effectiveness in that area. What I can say is that the fitment is awesome, with locking straps as well as velcro which are secure and offer enough adjustability to tailor the fit perfectly. Making all of the adjustments took about 5 minutes, even though little dog was full of excitement to get to activities. Once adjusted, it won't need to be done again.Nothing about the design restricted movement or range of motion at all. She seems to not even notice it is on. These PFDs (I'm going with Pupper Flotation Device) are mandatory where I live, but aside from that, I know my little fuzzy friend is a lousy swimmer, and the peace of mind knowing I could just grab her by the convenient handle if she ever went overboard is well worth price paid.I haven't used others, so I have no basis for comparison, but I am happy with this purchase, and would recommend it based on my experience.4/5 only because the overlapping sections that wrap the neck are slightly (very slightly) bulky. I do not expect this would be the case for a dog with a broader chest however.Oh, and for all of you single guys considering this - I have never heard so many "aww"s and "so cute"s from onlooking girls in my life.

The sizing is off (at least for my dog). I purchased a medium for my 50lbs dog who has a neck girth of 20" and body girth of 29". According to the details a medium fits dogs "20-50 pounds. Length: 14 inches. Neck girth: 20-25 inches. Body girth: 21-30 inches". The 14" length is the issue, the distance between the neck opening and the strapping under the chest is not long enough. On the chest side, it hits his front legs preventing it from sliding up his body far enough to be able to fasten the neck opening shut.It seems to be decent quality otherwise I would have given 1 star rating.