When it comes to dog life jacket, I am quite an expert in this topic given how it has saved my dog’s life (read my previous Kyjen outward hound life review to see the details of that incident). In fact, I even bought a second one to make sure that my dog had the best life jacket for his safety (again, read my review of Kujen vs Paws Aboard dog life jacket review). Hence, if you are looking for a recommendation on what is the best life vest for dachshunds, you have come to the right place.
Why is Kyjen a better a life vest for dachshunds?
In terms of floatation, both brands that I have reviewed are pretty solid. The choice comes down to the comfort, which in turn depends on the fit of the vest and how it handles when you are pulling the dachshunds out of the water. If you get this part wrong, don’t be surprise when you see parts of the dachshunds being rubbed raw when you try to lift it out of the water.
I recommend Kyjen as it provides better support at the underbelly section. Specifically, there is more padded area such that the straps will not cut into its flesh when you are pulling the dog out of water. Don’t underestimate how much additional weight the water can add, which can really hurt the dachshunds if the straps are cutting into it. There is also extra handle at the top of the vest for the dog owner to have a more solid grip on the dog during the lifting.
In terms of sizes, the extra small Kyjen life vest will be the correct size if your dachshunds weighs around 9 to 10 pounds. Any thing larger and the dachshunds might struggle to stay afloat due to the extra spaces in between the vest and the body of the dog.
Tips on wearing the life vest
When you are putting the life vest on your dachshunds, here are a few pointers you might want to pay attention to so that it can be more comfortable.
- Be careful of the shoulder area as this is the part when your dachshund can suffer from too much rubbing if the vest is not worn correctly
- The right way to wear the life vest is to make sure it fits snugly but leaves enough room for the shoulders to move freely
- When adjusting the bottom padded area, make sure the straps are not outside the pads and not caught in between to avoid any chance of it rubbing the dog’s belly
Conclusion
Th Kyjen life vest is a wonderful product that saved my dog’s life. If you are looking for the best dog jacket for dachshunds, I highly recommend you give this a go. For further recommending, check out my guide on the best 3 dog life jacket for 2015.
I have a 20 pound dachshund, he is not fat, very muscular with a large chest. Will this life jacket work well for a larger dog??
Just get a slightly bigger size. I think I used an XS Kyjen Outward Hound for my 8-9 lb doxie. This brand is proportioned well for a dachshund’s shape. PetSmart usually stocks them so you could perhaps try some on.
I have a mini-doxie.. If I buy a small, it’s too short but perfect around the chest but if I buy a medium, it’s long enough but too big in the chest.. What do I do?? He wants to swim but I can’t swim and hold him at the same time..
I have a standard almost 2 yr old wire haired Doxi he weighs about 25 lbs. what brand and size should I choose?