Protecting your dog in the field... vests, booties, ect?

Shawk

Shawk

Member
List the "armor" your pooches wear in the field. My Brit years ago rarely wore a thing. My GSP needs more protection in the field so I'm looking for what others are doing with theirs. My GSP wears a vest every time out. She's an inside baby, so her paws aren't nearly as tough as they should be... I will run her more before season starts from now on but I'm assuming she will still need booties that I'll start putting on her. The inside of her ears really take some abuse too... along with her front leg "pits" and even around her eyes. I suppose I could put her in a mask! :D In all seriousness, list what you do with yours... hopefully it'll help others out as well. Thanks
 
Only protection I ever use is boots when chukar hunting in northern Nevada.
 
I run GSP's and only use gear under the following circumstances: SkidPlate when hunting corn stalks with one of my GSP's (he's a hopper) and Lewis dog boots when hunting quail at Alibates (large flint area); or if stickers are present.

In very cold weather I use my Patriot insulated dog box; in mild to cold I use an Easy Loader (best $ I've spent). To and from the field...well where else but the comfort of a heated cab in the Z71.
 
We use an orange vest for visibility mostly when others are around. Keep booties handy in case of an injury and don't want to cut a hunt short after a long drive. Some nasty burrs can get in the vest so they have to be checked or they do more harm than good.

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carptom1 said:
Dude I got labs. They don't need no stinkin' armor. :)
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My labs Get dressed up for Halloween...... Does that count? I once put a neoprene vest on on my old guy. He looked like Burt Renolds in Deliverance
 
Ha! You lab guys are funny... those pooches do a have plenty of God given "armor." :) My GSP would love to have all that protection. Here's my fierce hunting dog when she's inside (thanks to my wife and daughter). She carries a "blanky" around the house... No more explanation needed why she gets a vest just about every time we hit the field. :D She is a go getter though in the field... that's the problem is she gets into every nook and cranny that will scratch her up pretty good.

btw... I'm pretty happy with the vest we use (skid plate)... I'm just curious if there's anything else out there that might offer anything better (I'm assuming not).




 
I don't like to run anything, but under certain conditions, like old farm yards, where there is lots of risk of olf fences and laid down fence posts or junk, I run a skid plate. For late season, I got a K9 Topcoat for Breez this year. I really like this jacket, but it chafed the hell out of the fronts of her legs. I'm either going to modify it, or cut the front legs off completely.
 
With my pair of labs it just depends. Sometimes nothing, sometimes a skid-plate, sometimes a high-vis vest. I've got two types of booties but hardly ever use them.
 
reddog said:
I don't like to run anything, but under certain conditions, like old farm yards, where there is lots of risk of olf fences and laid down fence posts or junk, I run a skid plate. For late season, I got a K9 Topcoat for Breez this year. I really like this jacket, but it chafed the hell out of the fronts of her legs. I'm either going to modify it, or cut the front legs off completely.
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Seems like a shame to cut your dogs legs off.
 
I knew somebody was going to say that. I was going to but I could hear my wife saying "do you always have to be a smartass".
 
Ha! I was going to post something as well... someone had to rib reddog a little... wouldn't be right to pass on that.

Reddog... keep me posted on your Breez! I'll probably talk with Bob early next week to get an update...
 
I will skid plate them if they've got that the skid plate will cover up. I'll boot dogs if we are in a really cactus-laden area or their feet have gotten torn up from weeks of hunting. I usually have to boot at least one of my dogs the last day or two of our 10 day Montana trip -- 200 miles in some of that country can really wear on a dogs feet.

I will put the vest on them during the buck rifle season, though. It's a good indicator to a rifle hunter that another person is in the area.
 
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KATroutman13 said:
I will skid plate them if they've got that the skid plate will cover up. I'll boot dogs if we are in a really cactus-laden area or their feet have gotten torn up from weeks of hunting. I usually have to boot at least one of my dogs the last day or two of our 10 day Montana trip -- 200 miles in some of that country can really wear on a dogs feet.

I will put the vest on them during the buck rifle season, though. It's a good indicator to a rifle hunter that another person is in the area.
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So you put a vest on your dog to protect YOUR butt? Hmmm, never thought of that. ;)
 
put those boots on from the "get go" and the feet won't get torn up at all.
always better to stay ahead of tender feet, i swear by them when i run my 2 dogs for 10 days straight in SD.......:thumbsup:
 
Hunter94. What is your process. What boots. Do you wrap paws. I put boots on before each hunt. I have tried multiple combinations. He gets about 30 miles twice a week. I usually have at least one paw issue. Maybe that's considered success. It's not horrible either. Just makes my wife think I run him too long. We hunt about 3 hrs in the morning. 1 1/2 hr break. Then another 2-3 hrs. He foednt seem affect till we get home and he gets a good look over by the wife. Or he's constantly licking the paw. I rarely get more than two hunts out of a set of boots. If even.
 
Jfwhit said:
Hunter94. What is your process. What boots. Do you wrap paws. I put boots on before each hunt. I have tried multiple combinations. He gets about 30 miles twice a week. I usually have at least one paw issue. Maybe that's considered success. It's not horrible either. Just makes my wife think I run him too long. We hunt about 3 hrs in the morning. 1 1/2 hr break. Then another 2-3 hrs. He foednt seem affect till we get home and he gets a good look over by the wife. Or he's constantly licking the paw. I rarely get more than two hunts out of a set of boots. If even.
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www.dogbooties.com/dogbooties.html

i don't put that many miles on my dogs....i hunt mainly SD and i alternate them field to field......so they stay fresh for 8-10 days....i like the 330 denier...they wear out quicker, but they are very flexible.....they come with a velcro stretch strap....i seldom lose a boot....unless its muddy....i get 2-3 days out of a set...so i am satisfied....they make 500 and 1000 denier, but they are too stiff and abrasive on my dogs pads....try the 500's if you want them to last....they (the 330's) work great for me, no limping dogs!
 
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