Dressed for safety in their
'Extra-large' size life jackets
A Rhodes collar (and life jacket)
Justin Smith of Summertown, near Oxford, has his dog Kali fitted with a chunky collar and an 'Extra-large' size life jacket. In the photo above Kali, a Rhodesian Ridgeback who hates the water with a passion, poses like a professional.
Baywatch babe!
Molli, the golden retriever of Paul and Dawn Heading, wears her 'Extra-large' size life jacket as she romps, toy in mouth, across Rustington beach near Littlehampton, West Sussex after a refreshing November dip in the English Channel. Brrrrr!!!
In the inset photo Molli stands waiting for her toy to be thrown again. And again. And again...
Molli loves the water (a little too much, according to Paul!) and ventures out a long way; she has hip problems and the life jacket gives Paul and Dawn great peace of mind.
Sleeping beauty
We're often asked how comfortable a dog will be wearing one of our jackets. Photographed above is Jess - the 20 month old Dobermann Pinscher of the Peachey family of Billericay in Essex - fast asleep all snuggled up in her 'Extra-large' size life jacket. Could she be more comfortable?
The Peacheys took a narrowboat holiday on the Grand Union Canal, leaving from Gayton Marina, Blisworth, Northampton and going "as far we could go" (that'll be a nautical term, I expect) before turning back. Jess enjoyed her new life jacket - and was very proud to wear it at any opportunity!
The photo above, taken by mum Tricia, shows Jess with daughter Lucia at the sharp end; meanwhile son James and dad Martin were at the blunt end, steering (well, doing their best anyway!).
Modo italiano
Antonio Mantovano, of Napoli (Naples), Italy - call in at his bookshop any time you're passing - was kind enough to supply not only photos of his golden retriever, Carlotta, in her 'Large' size life jacket but also some narrative. In Italian.
Ho cercato per molto tempo un buon giubbotto di salvataggio per il mio cane ma quelli che ho trovato qui in Italia non erano sufficientemente buoni. Alcuni erano di materiale scadente, altri non avevano le chinghi sotto la panacia, altri soffocavano il cane in acqua. Insomma, dopo pił di un mese di ricerche, finalmente ho trovato il migliore!!
I have tried in order much time a good life jacket for my dog but those that I have found here in Italy were not sufficiently good. Some were of poor material, others did not have the chinghi under the panacia, other soffocavano the dog in water. Insomma, after more than a month than searches, finally I have found the best one!!
I don't know about you, but for me Antonio's original reads better!
Mama's Mia!
Five-year old Mia from Newport popped in with her mama and dada to the buy1or2.com stand at the South Wales Boat Show to get her two-and-a-half year old rottie Amber kitted out with a 'Large' size life jacket.
You learn something every day!
Otterly attractive
This fine specimen was photographed at the 2009 Midland Game Fair at Weston Park in Shropshire. Also in the photograph is an otterhound, wearing our 'Extra-large' size life jacket.
Sashaying around!
Tim, Sam and Abby Sedge of Harefield called in to the paws-things.com stand at the 2009 Crick Boat Show to kit out their two dogs. Sasha, a labrador/bull mastiff cross, is photographed in her 'Large' size dog life jacket.
Tim reports that the family was desperate to try out the jackets so on the way home (on a broiling day!) they stopped off at the aquadrome in Rickmansworth for a walk to find a suitable place to try the new jackets. "WOW, the dogs loved it and just floated around in the water without any cares at all."
The following weekend the family decided to try the life jackets again so they popped off to Harefield lakes and spent nearly two hours playing around in the water. "Sasha recently had an operation on one of her legs and as such swimming is an ideal exercise for her", reports Tim, "and the life jacket has made the exercise so much better as she is only trying to keep going forward and not support herself in the water as well."
"We are so pleased with the life jackets and just wanted to say thank you from all of us for all your help and we wish you the best of luck for the future with the sale of these life jackets. (Maybe you could market them as an aid for injured dogs as well)."
Nice to be appreciated!
Dobermenn?
These two prize-winning Dobermann Pinschers, the treasures of Sarah Cox of Wantage in Oxfordshire, are photographed in their 'Extra-large' size dog life jackets from our Classic range.
Sarah reports that Enzo and Evie were "very excited about the arrival of their jackets. Dobies love to swim but are far from good at it. A recent incident in the lake near our house prompted the purchase. Our boy Enzo is six-and-a-half stone and got himself into a spot of bother and panicked. His life jacket kept him safely afloat while I worked out what to do.
"Lots of people were amazed at how confident Enzo looked after I put the jacket on him. He swims a lot more naturally now and doesn't seem to be getting pulled down by his chest so much. He certainly seemed happier and stayed in the water longer too!! Evie had a bit of a paddle but she's still young. It was great to relax a little, knowing that they were both a bit safer."
Knowing that there is a significant size difference between the two animals, Sarah was concerned that Enzo, the larger of the two, might need our 'Giant' size jacket. However, on trying the 'Extra-large' size on both Enzo and Evie it was clear that the available size adjustment was sufficiently generous to accommodate both their sizes.
A Hamble amble
John Clayton of Fareham in Hampshire, bought an 'Extra-large' size life jacket for Sophie, his 15-month old Weimaraner with, by John's assessment, a little bit of growing left to do.
Although we sometimes suggest our 'Giant' size for Weimaraners, John measured Sophie carefully against our size guide and chose the 'Extra-large' - which is, apparently, a perfect fit with a bit of growing room still available.
The photos show John out with Sophie in his dinghy on the River Hamble (where Howard's Way was filmed, according to John) at Bursledon, Hampshire. Sophie soon forgot she was wearing the jacket, and had a thoroughly good time.
They moored at a pub for lunch and the handle on the jacket proved to be an excellent tool for hauling Sophie in and out of the boat!
Safety lock
These photographs of Paris, a 7 year old Doberman shown wearing her 'Extra-large' size life jacket, were kindly sent in by Simon Hilton of Tingley, near Wakefield.
The photos were taken on the Hilton family's narrow boating holiday in West Yorkshire, where they explored the full length (and all 30 locks!) of the Hebble and Calder Navigation.
Royal connections
This photograph of a greyhound - the breed of choice for the aristocracy in by-gone days - in her 'Extra-large' size life jacket, was taken at the 2011 CLA Game Fair, held at Blenheim Palace.
Swiss bella
Here's Bella, a Bernese mountain dog photographed at the 2011 Vale of Glamorgan Show in her 'Extra-large' size life jacket.
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