Following our interview with your favourite dog trainer—Kendra, we discovered that her tips are in high demand so we have added a feature to our regular blogs called “Kendra’s Tips!”
High-Visibility Vests
A question that Kendra is asked a lot is “which high-visibility vest is best for my dog?”
She is happy to hear this question because these vests are a necessity for dogs in both urban and rural areas.
In safe off-leash areas, visibility vests allow pet parents to easily keep track of their dogs—especially in poorly-lit areas.
Dogs are also lower to the ground and visibility vests make it much easier for drivers—and everyone—to see them.
Things to Consider
Safety: Your dog’s safety is number 1 when looking for the right vest.
Temperature: You also want to think about the weather and your dog’s natural coat since you may also need to layer your vest with rain jackets or winter coats—or get all your coats in high visibility material.
A double-coated healthy adult husky may not need extra insulation for colder weather because a thick jacket would actually squish the dog’s natural coat and prevent it from insulating by pushing the hair down and preventing the coat to trap warm air near the dog’s body that keeps them warm.
Age: Older dogs are not able to thermoregulate as easily as younger dogs. It is important to keep in mind that your dog’s coat may become thinner and less effective as they age into senior dogs. They will also lose some muscle mass. Because of this, even senior dogs with double coats may start to need some layers like a winter coat with a visibility vest on top.
Health: Remember to schedule regular veterinarian visits and discuss what is best for your dog.
Your Dog’s Shape: Try to match any coats and vests to your unique pup’s shape. Are they narrow-chested? Thick-chested?
Kendra uses a high-visibility jacket with lots of holes in it that breathes for her younger dog—Ren—purely to keep track of her. Meanwhile, she uses a high visibility rain jacket for Sken:nen to cut the wind and to protect him from the elements because he is older and she will likely add a winter jacket too as he ages. In the summer, however, she still only uses a vest for Sken:nen and adjusts according to his needs.
What To Look For in a Vest
High-Quality Reflective Materials: High-quality reflective materials will not flake.
A Price Tag between 50$-80$: These will last many years so are actually more affordable in the long run.
Sturdy Buckles/Clasps/Snaps: Provides a better fit and lasts longer. Plastic ones are great and won’t freeze to your dog or your hand.
Bright Colours: Orange, yellows and other bright colours are ideal with silver reflections.
Full Range of Motion (ROM): Look for a vest that allows for a full ROM, especially in the shoulders, legs and neck. You are looking to see your dog move naturally without restriction.
Pairs With Equipment: Make sure that there are openings in the jacket at the spots needed to clip onto your harness, collar and whatever else works best for your dog.
What To Avoid in a Vest
Cheap Price Tag: You want to look for slightly more expensive vests. You may find a great deal with a vest that costs only 10$, but that vest will likely cost more in the long run as it will be made of cheaper materials and need to be repurchased multiple times a year.
Weak Materials: Velcro is never worth your money as it never lasts long. Whether from multiple washes or from snow and dirt debris collecting in it, velcro will lose its stick.
Cheaper vests with velcro will likely be a worse fit, as well as bad for both your wallet and the landfill in the long run.
Added Safety
Kendra also uses a bear bell when her dogs are off-leash in a safe area so that she can hear them getting too far away and recall them. She recommends a bear bell, especially for off-leash time at night or in poorly-lit areas. In addition to safety, bear bells save you a heart attack when your dog comes up running behind you in the dark!
Kendra’s Vest Recommendations
Kendra loves the visibility on this but warns that for some dogs the sleeves might restrict movement
Don’t forget to follow ZENFULdog Training on Facebook where you can stay connected to your like-minded dog-loving community every day. Happy vest shopping!
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