Cold Weather and Dog Vests

M

MollyandMe

New member
Im hunting tomorrow and it looks like its gonna be 0 degrees in the morning. Ive never really put any thought into using vests for my dogs because theyve always gone full tilt no matter what the temp has been. But last year their chests got super raw after hunting ting after an ice storm and Im contemplating buying something for tomorrow to a.) protect their chest and b.) add some warmth if possible. Just wanted to see what the consensus is from bird hunters on whether its something I should try or not and if so, hopefully get some feedback on what has worked and what hasnt. The last thing I want to do is make the situation worse by chaffing their legs or limiting their mobility.
Ill be hunting a lot of thigh to waist high CRP and the vests would go on a pair of GSPs.
 
while your in the grass dogs should be ok as far as the cold. How much ice is there ? i always worried about their feet in ice. man when you find them they will be piled in
good luck
 
With the neoprene ones just make sure you cut good armpit holes out. They wont get raw that way. CRP grass that is frozen will cause damage. Mostly to the noses and face on short haired dogs.
 
I would doubt there are too many shorthairs that 'love' this weather. My Goldens didnt get cold but their feet would freeze up. If I didnt boot them they would shut down.
 
Make sure you get a vest that doesn't chaffe. We had one for our dog and it made his chest more raw than when he wouldn't hunt with it.
 
OK...here's a funny story.

Getting ready to hunt last week in SD and noticed the cold weather forecast. I do own a neoprene vest, but have never had it on the dog.

I brought it out and put it on my Golden, so he would get accustomed to wearing it. Wrapped it around him and fastened the velcro on his back.

I let him out to pee and when he returned he started licking himself in the area of his Johnson. Then I noticed a urine smell...seems I wrapped his vest and included his private parts as well and he thought it ok to pee into the vest!

He still doesn't wear the vest! Anyone want a "slightly used" vest?
 
Johnny B?

What size?

Tinker grew out of her medium Cabela's to the point that it has to stretch just a bit to zip shut. I think I would be making breathing hard for her if I made her wear it.

Mick doesn't care so much about cold, and we don't do frigid water jump hunting along the crik.

PM me, if you please.

Thanks.
 
Thanks for the quick response, Jonny. The XL is too big for Tinker. She's just barely stretching the medium Cabela's vest; the XL would flop all over her.

I hope you have good fortune for the rest of the season.

:thumbsup:
 
carptom1 said:
No kidding right. Get a Lab and save the vest. Mine was up in SD last week with 3/4 inch of ice on him by the end of each day. Hunted till dark everyday with no ill effects.
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I would never consider a vest for upland hunting. Those are for waterfowl and only for goldens. My dogs would have no part of any vest regardless of the weather. Kansas doesn't really have any harsh weather.
 
My dog will get after it and cover some ground especially when it is cold out, but he is never going to run half as far as a pointing dog. And he bounds over alot stuff smaller dogs are banging their tits against. If the need to vest them good for them.
 
I've never had my 14 month old springer out on this kind of cold except for short times here in Ohio. Planning trip to Kansas 2nd week of January, not planning to bring her a vest except for a skid plate. Should I bring a vest?
 
I use a Mendota skid plate if its really cold or I know we'll be in stubble or thorny cover. I don't know that it makes a lot of difference in warmth but my 2 gsp's have never had an issue with the cold while hunting. Once we are back to the truck that's a different story, they've gotten spoiled riding in the cab instead of their dog box.
 
I have an Avery "Blades" Boater 5mm Neoprene Dog Vest I use on my GSP. He is a big GSP standing tall and weighing 75-80 pounds. I have the XXL(20"neck and 33" chest). My dog is a lap dog and has very short hair and gets really cold when out in the elements. I have the vest on him any time the temps are low. The neck(brisket area) was really tight so enlarged to fit him better.
 
Jet said:
I use a Mendota skid plate if its really cold or I know we'll be in stubble or thorny cover. I don't know that it makes a lot of difference in warmth but my 2 gsp's have never had an issue with the cold while hunting. Once we are back to the truck that's a different story, they've gotten spoiled riding in the cab instead of their dog box.
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I started using one of these about 3 weeks ago. I had to add a little duct tape to a couple spots to prevent chaffing, but otherwise it works very well for chest protection. I think the dogs work too hard to get cold.
 
I probably used the wrong terminology when I posted and may have misrepresented the reason I was considering some sort of vest/skid plate for my dogs. For me its about protecting them from injury, not coddling them or trying to get them to hunt in cold weather. Cold weather doesn't bother them one bit and has never stopped them from going as hard as they do on any other day. I swear theyd continue to hunt until they fell over dead if I would let them. That in itself is actually where my problem lies. Theyre going to keep hunting in the ice as hard as they would in 40 degree weather, belly raw and bleeding or not. I had to cut my hunt a day short last year after they hunted in the ice all day. My female broke the skin on her belly in a dozen or more spots from rubbing against blades of grass that broke rather than bent for 8 hours plus. I had never seen a dogs skin look so translucent it was almost like the skin had disappeared and rubbed all the down to the capillary bed. It was my fault for setting her up for failure and not taking better precautions to protect her in some of the harshest hunting conditions we will probably face in KS.
After reading some of your posts, its apparent that a skid plate is what I probably need to look at for the rare day that I saw last year, not a vest. Seems the vests do more to cover the top of the dog and dont do as well to protect underneath. Thanks for posting some of the skid plates you guys have used, Ill take a look at them and hopefully add a couple to my gear. I may never use it but better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
 
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