EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

  I have never used cut vests on my running dogs, only my catchdogs. I am starting to rethink this. I have lost 3 dogs this year & I dont know if a vest would have saved them or not. One was a high jugular cut & she was dead when we tracked into her. I would of thought with all the tracking collars on she would have been fine in that area but nope. Just this past week I lost a very promising 9 month old pup(his 3rd hunt) He was gutted real bad & I dont think a vest would have covered the spot. So give me the pros & cons.
 

My buddy just started runin one on a gyp of his cuz she was gettin cut down every time she hunted i think its helped her alot seeing the nicks in the vest plus she has figured out the vest is for her help and is twixe as gritty

I can't see how it would hurt. Worst thing that could happen is that it does save your dog's life. As long as it fits properly and doesn't restrict movement, should be good to go. I run short length vests on mine.

I run a vest on my RCD. He is on the ground with the rest hunting and running the whole hunt. I have no less than 20 cuts and gashes in that vest in the last year. He got poked 1 time in his rear leg. I have not had to stitch him up at all with the vest. So I feel it has been worth the money.

On the con side: a vest can catch in briars. I have seen mine come out with vines hanging from the vest. When it's hot I have to watch them a lil closer cause the vest will hold in heat. Make sure if u buy a vest it doesn't hold water or soak up water. A vest full of water will weigh down ur dog and could cause it to drown. I have found the lighter Kevlar vest hold less water but different brands may hold more water than others even in Kevlar.


Shotgun
Arkansas

I run vest on all my rough dogs but not on the loose ones but some time I do the only thing I noticed is first few times it will shorten there range up. I have spent way less at vet then he has

Worse thing that could happen is heat stroke. But you gotta weigh your options just the same.

Mike,

I've been considering the same at least for Louee, Joe and my cur dog.  My concern is their ability to stay in longs races with a vest.  When our summer months get here, I wont run a vest regardless.  I'm with you, I just don't know.

on rough dogs I will have to say better a running vest than not having one...

I run cut collars and vest on my dogs pups usually just a cut collar but my older dogs get vested, as do most my hunting buddies dogs. I can honestly say it has saved them several times and saved me a good bit of vet time and money. Vest fit is very important, if they don't fit right around the legs they'll rub and cause em to get raw. Other than that they don't seem to mind them at all, they get excited when the vest come out.

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I think it depends on what kind of dogs you hunt and where you hunt. I would think if the hogs you run don't run very far say a mile or two and are ruff dogs it would prob be alright but I don't think a dog would be able to run 4-5 hours good with a vest on and swim lakes and rivers and such.

Bo, I think you hit the nail on the head.  I have not put vest on my dogs because of the long runs you described.

I have one that can run the length of time u discribed with a vest on. Now I don't let him do it during the summer months but as long as it's cool u would never know he had on a vest.


Shotgun
Arkansas

Appreciate the replies

I use to never run vest on my dogs and paid the price for it for years I was just to damn hardheaded and listen to everybody else.  Finally decided to start running vest on all my dogs have not lost one since.  They still get cut here and there but not anything like it use to be.  I have never had a problem with heat either , dogs get accustom them .  I run vest from P&P I had them made inbetween a catch vest and a bay vest with built on cut collars  and they are long vest covering most the gut , they work great .  I ordered these vest last year.  You should see the ones before I got the new ones there is cuts , rips , gashes all over them completely wore out .

How about swimming because we do hunt in a lot of water? bayous, ship channel etc.!!!

Mine do fine in the water 90 % of our hunt are in and out of water

No problem here. Mine swim fine. I do run the lighter Kevlar vest instead of the heavy old courdura.


Shotgun
Arkansas

Cajun, everyone makes fun of me everytime I go out, because I run vest on my dogs from the first time I drope them. Last hunt my dog clyde would have been gutted for sure had five hits on bottom of vest, but came back home to feed another day. I will always run vest because I put to much time and money into them.

Yep I would rather them have a vest on might be a little slower not much tho specialy when conditioned good then died cuz they where sliced open and wouldn't stop

Now for a unbiased opinion.lol Who makes the best running vest? One that will not cause chaffing. Somebody who has long distance dogs with bottom what kind of running vest do you prefer?

I have ran 2 brands of vest. I had a swamp dawg full bay vest. My dog did fine in it but it was not as good as I hoped. To me it needed an extra layer of Kevlar. I had some pass thrus and tons of cuts in it. I am currently running southern style vest. I like the vest but have not used it enough yet to know exactly how it's gonna hold up. It apears to be well built. The protection level should be there due to material used. The dogs don't apear to be restricted when running.


Shotgun
Arkansas

I have sevaral different brands the trick is the fit not the brand any of the ones that custom measured is what I would go with the confederate vest I have seem to have the best fit out of the ones I have but pnp is close to it

I agree with Judge peel. A custom vest made with measurements taken from dog is the only way to assure proper fit. We use
P&P and when I called to order I was instructed to take specific measurements that were needed to ensure a proper fit. We hunt marsh
so the dogs are in them wet and muddy vest all day. Not one incident of chaffing.

I've run hardcore vest and still have one of them that I started with. I haven't had any issues with my dogs running some serious races through water etc. My buddies run show-n-go vest and they have done real well with them no cut throughs and seem to fit really well. I agree that the fit is the most important thing about them as long as they fit well you should be good to go

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Mike,

I ran a vest on my Joe dog this weekend.  He didnt get in any really long runs-but I thought that was a good thing.  He certainly was not comfortable in the vest (was his first time) and maybe that is why he stayed close.  He did manage to get out a couple hundred yds on one occassion.  No real good news in this reply, but it will make me feel a little more comfortable putting him in the vest the next time.  I had him in my older Hardcore catch vest.  Becuase he is a larger dog, it really fit him more like a bay vest should.

If they aren't use to a vest it can make them act funny for sure. Just have to keep putting them on em every chance u can. Put the vest on when u put them in the box leaving home and don't take it off till u get home. They will learn to move in it


Shotgun
Arkansas

Yep...after a while they will jump with joy when you take out the vest...because they find out quick the vest means hunting time...

Guess I need to make up my mind. The dogs swam alot this past sunday & I just dont know how much it is going to hamper him but on the other hand when he runs into the wrong hog he is going to get butchered because he is going to catch it & if I am not close, it could get western in a hurry.

I would like my dogs to die of old age but it's not always the case but if I had to pick I don't think I would risk drowning and I think that's what would happen to a dog that swam on a regular basis like a bay dog in some places has to .as to where a bulldog is usually just a 100 yard sprinter. I've seen dogs swimming get hung in vines and such without a vest i just think it would increase the risk a lot.

I know guys that refuse to put a collar on a lab when duck hunting. Is it possible yes. Which is more possible tho. Drowning or getting cut down. Keep in mind I run the light Kevlar vest. 2 vest with collars and the box they came in was just over 6 pounds. These vest do not retain water either. After soaking my vest in the tub for 20 min it only added less than half a pound to the weight.

I would make sure if ur running a vest on bay dogs or RCD that the leg holes are large enough to allow full range of motion.


Shotgun
Arkansas

I would not do it in my neck o the woods.Almost lost one in Hydrilla in a ditch yrs ago and once heat stroke occurs I have not had one come back the same.My .02.