Why do our dogs need life jackets? Well, your dog may be a great swimmer, but not all dogs are water-babies; some dog breeds just don’t do well in the water! If your dog has a larger chest, short legs, large heads or a short muzzle (being brachycephalic) then they could be in serious risk of drowning.

This isn’t good if you like to go boating with your dog in the summer or if you have a pool at home. Even leaping into a local stream or canal could be disaster; sometimes your dog won’t realise they can’t swim until it’s too late! All dogs will naturally paddle in deep water, but not all of them will be able to keep afloat.

Bad swimmers by breed (when without a life jacket, anyway):

1. Pug: their short nose causes problems; to breathe when swimming, their head tilts back to keep the nose above water. This can make their bottoms tuck under and they then sink. Their short nose tends to lead to shortness of breath as well, so stamina in the water is limited.
2. Dachshund: although having a good-length nose and light build, their short legs mean they can’t swim well; the effort may soon lead to fatigue.
3. Maltese: although a good shape and weight to swim, they seem to quickly become cold. Swimming for your Maltese should be limited and closely monitored.
4. Bulldog: the perfect storm of non-swimming canine design; they have a short snout, heavy head, large chest and short legs. This means that your pool at home should be fenced; a life jacket is a must for your Bulldog when they are anywhere near deep water.
5. Basset Hound: those huge ears don’t help with flotation, unfortunately; their large head, heavy bone structure and short legs mean swimming is a no-no.
6. Chow Chow: although looking like they should be great swimmers, their coat can water-log and their shorter nose can be an issue as with Bulldogs. Shortness of breath and difficulty floating could lead to trouble when swimming.
7. Corgi: a dense build with large chest and short legs means that the Queen’s favourite breed should be kept clear of deep water.
8. Boxer: although looking like a natural athlete, the Boxer’s short nose leads to difficulties in keeping their head above water; potential shortness of breath is also a worry, as with Pugs and Boxers.
9. Staffordshire Bull Terrier: dense muscles and a heavy head along with a short muzzle mean that this breed is best kept on land or in shallow water.
10. Shih Tzu: all tiny dogs become overwhelmed and cold easily in water; worse, the Shih Tzu also has a short nose and small legs. Their coats can become water-logged and these little dogs can easily become exhausted.

Other poor swimmers:

My list covers some of the dog breeds that are worst-adapted to swimming; there are many others who would struggle after a while. Even strong-swimming dogs (like strong-swimming people) can become worn-out quite soon; swimming in cold water or struggling to keep afloat just makes life harder. Dogs that are unfit or elderly will not be able to swim as strongly as young fit dogs; they may also have joint-pain that restricts full leg motion. Stamina will be low and long swims will then be dangerous for senior dogs. (Read my article on arthritis in dogs: click here! ). Amputee dogs will be off-balance when swimming and could easily get into difficulties; the long heavy coats of some dogs can become water-logged which will reduce their buoyancy and make swimming more difficult.

Accidental swimming!

Puppies are inquisitive and short of experience; your pup may walk straight in to pool thinking it is solid ground (I have seen it happen!); they may slip into a canal, river or pool more easily than mature dogs (yes, I’ve seen that too). Even connected to a lead, lifting a wet dog can be very heavy work; lifting from under water and maybe several feet below you, this is a difficult task. Even worse, the collar or lead can break and your dog may choke or sustain neck injuries if you lift using the lead.

A harness is a great option for your dog if they are on a lead; the good ones are strong enough to carry the weight of your dog – with a handle on the back as well. Click here to see the Julius K9 – one of the best dog harnesses available. A harness is NOT a life jacket, but can be useful in helping your dog out of a sticky situation. I recently wrote an article discussing collars and harnesses – click here to see it.

Human safety

Leaping into water to save your dog is fraught with hazards, and sometimes results in human tragedy. Do not jump into deep water to help your dog; they will probably figure out an exit ashore eventually. Call for help and support your dog from the bank or side of the pool or boat if you can.

Swimming pools at home

If you are fortunate enough to have a pool at home then you should fence it in to prevent your dog slipping in unnoticed. A taut, strong and permeable pool-cover is an alternative form of protection; a permeable cover is best so that rain doesn’t form large puddles (outdoor pools only!). Your dog should be able to get out by themselves if they stray onto the pool. It shouldn’t be taken for granted that your dog can get back out of the pool even with a cover on it; they can still sink under the water if the pool-cover stretches or isn’t tight enough to support their weight. The cover will also be slippery for your dog to climb over the pool-edge.

Life jackets

Life jackets are designed to stop your dog sinking in water. As a flotation device they are fantastic, but they won’t stop waves or big swells breaking over them in rough conditions; choking can still be an issue. Hypothermia may also be a problem after sustained immersion in water, especially in small dogs or those whose coats are less water-proof. A strong grab-handle on the back of the life jacket is essential, as this is by far the easiest way to handle your dog out of the water. Ruffwear make some of the best life jackets out there; click here to see one with great reviews on Amazon. A life jacket with bright colouring will always help you to spot your dog if they swim out too far.

How to help your dog in other ways

Apart from a life jacket and good water hazard-awareness, there are other things we can do to help our dogs when around deep water. A dog ramp or steps can make your dog’s exit from the water much easier if they are swimming from a pontoon or boat. Inflatable ramps used to be available, but don’t seem to be stocked as I write this.

Rigid dog ramps can be secured to your boat. If the water is too deep for the ramp to sit on the bottom at a usable angle, a buoy will support the ramp’s weight at the lower end. The ramp’s floating bottom-end will sink somewhat when your dog walks onto it, but once used to the idea this should work well for them. Steps or a dog ladder are also available; these can be tied to your boat-ladder or mooring cleats and are perfect for many dogs to walk up. A single under-water platform can also be secured in a similar way; the platform allows your dog to stand partly out of the water – this is handy to help them on-board if they can’t jump the last step up.

Sea- and river-beds can be littered with hazardous debris which can cut paws; dog-shoes could be used if this is a worry around your area – see my article on paw-wear: click here!

Dog First Aid

If your dog loses consciousness, becomes hypothermic or starts choking on water then first-aid is needed. You could complete a dog first-aid course (or carry out research into CPR and respiration online – click here); keep some first-aid equipment on board your boat or near-to-hand. CPR and respiration are completely possible to perform on a dog; knowing how to correctly position your dog is essential for resuscitation to be effective and to avoid injury to them. Learn how to check your dog’s pulse and breathing, and what to do in an emergency so that you can react quickly to help your dog.

Life jackets in hydrotherapy

Life jackets are also used as a safety aid in hydrotherapy – where your dog is exercised in water as a recovery aid after injury or surgery. Even though hydrotherapy sessions are closely supervised for the dog’s safety and well-being, they still benefit from the extra buoyancy that the life jackets provide. Ligament damage is one such dog injury that benefits from hydrotherapy – click here to see my article on ligament injuries.

Conclusion

Safety is the keyword in this article – water can kill. Many of us assume our dog can swim well, but that is not necessarily true and even strong swimmers can become distressed. Vigilance when around water and life-jackets worn when on the water are requirements for your dog’s safety and for your peace-of-mind. A life jacket needs to fit your dog correctly and be in serviceable condition to be of any use. Most are adjustable to fit snugly around your dog’s neck and chest – as long as the right size is purchased to start with.