chest protector?

rascal

rascal

New member
was looking for some advice on a chest protector/skid plate for my 4yr old wirehair Ace........he had surgery last week and is getting his stitches out on Monday....I want to make sure we don't have ANY problems and for a while when I run him or hunt I want to make sure his underside is protected from getting ripped up....I've never had or used one of these devices...there are several out on the market...was wondering if anyone had any experience or reviews on any of them...thanks.
 
I bought a neoprene vest from Cabela's and have never used it. The vest is rather heavy and probably not suited for upland hunting and warm weather. Would be OK for a duck hunt situation.

I also have a very lightweight vest from Pet Smart - Remington. Wanted to use this for burr prevention but havn't employed as yet.

If you are using the vest for upland, I would definitely consider a lightweight product.

Google "gun dog supply" they have a wide assortment of vests...
 
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yes Jonny...I've used the neoprene ones for years for duck hunting...yes I also looked them on gundog supply....just was looking for specific pro's and con's from people that have used them...thanks.
 
A running/hunting dog can get overheated in a neoprene vest & the leg holes are prone to cause chafing if not fit or trimmed to fit properly, in my experience (and this was on duck/goose dogs that weren't running constantly.). I'd suggest a Mendota skid plate; I've used these on my last 2 bird dogs with absolutely no issues once they were adjusted.
 
koja48 said:
A running/hunting dog can get overheated in a neoprene vest & the leg holes are prone to cause chafing if not fit or trimmed to fit properly, in my experience (and this was on duck/goose dogs that weren't running constantly.). I'd suggest a Mendota skid plate; I've used these on my last 2 bird dogs with absolutely no issues once they were adjusted.
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I've run the skid plate on mine too. Good to know about the neoprene... I was thinking about one of those for a pup later this year. :thumbsup:
 
Since my dog doesn't have an undercoat, I also use a Rivers West fleece vest when it's bitter cold (these are cut for dogs with a deep chest); I only use this if we're on a walk or I leave him in the rig for awhile during very cold temps (Hank typically goes everywhere feasible with me.). I wouldn't consider fleece for hunting applications due to the potential for overheating & they offer very little undercarriage protection.
 
bobman said:
this is the one I use and if you accidentally order the wrong size these guys will take it back and send you the right one no problem

http://www.gundogsupply.com/skid-plate-oreange.html
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Yep, this is the ticket, IMO, if what you want is only to protect the chest and belly and not overheat the dog. I have one that is very similar, except that instead of webbing straps that buckle around the dog, mine has extensions of the fabric with broad bands of Velcro on it. The good and bad of that design is that if the dog gets hung up anything it tears away - like I said, good and bad! LOL I've had to crawl into a Nast spot to retrieve it once. If you need to know the brand of the tear away one drop me a PM and I'll dig it out and see if there's still a label on it.
 
Before you order take a look at the Mendota skid plates. They're very sturdy and well made. They have adjustable straps which helps with the fit. One of my dogs has really sensitive skin underneath that would prevent him from hunting if it wasn't for the skid plate.
 
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