Customer Tips
:Boating with Dogs
Boating with Dogs
If you enjoy boating, you probably enjoy taking your best friends out on your boat, especially if some of your best friends happen to have four legs and a tail. The following tips can help you keep your pet safe and happy while out on the water:
Dog life jackets
The truth is not all dogs can swim and those that can aren’t all great swimmers. Additionally, water or weather conditions can cause problems, even for a pet that is typically a strong swimmer.
Any dog can get fatigued or disoriented and older dogs, especially, can tire easily. Pets with low body fat can have trouble when exposed to water for long periods. Health issues, such as hip or joint problems, can also make swimming difficult for some pets.
While there are no regulations regarding life jackets for pets, a dog life jacket can help keep your pet safe while aboard your boat or around any body of water.
Pet life jackets are designed to keep the animal afloat in a horizontal, swimming position. The pet life jacket also serves as a retrieval device, should your pet fall overboard.
How do you choose a life jacket for Your Grady Buddy? Here are a few things to consider:
Give your pet a chance to get used to wearing its life jacket before actually getting on a boat. Allow your pet to practice swimming while wearing its life jacket, too.
If you find you pet enjoys boating as much as you do, a dog life jacket can provide your pet with an extra measure of safety. However, your sense of caution and common sense are still your pet’s best friend.
Article courtesy of and used with permission from Discover Boating.
Click here to download a printable “Boating with Dogs” tip sheet.
Click here to view and purchase your dog’s “Grady Buddy” PFD.
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