A dog is somewhat like a human, they don't like wearing all the extra work clothes ( hard-hat, safty glasses, nomex, steeltoe boots, etc.) But when they get used to it, they do fine. It's been my expirence that most dogs take about five hunts to get adjusted.
Dogs can still move and function in the brush with a vest on. I've seen a few places where a dog backed up cause it was too thick. However, they would have done the same without the vest.
If you have a vest built for you dog, they will be able to swim fine. If you have a dog that doesn't swim that well, there are vest out there that offer flotation devices. They have the same stuff a lifejacket has in them. That doesn't mean it's a life jacket though. It's just going to help the dog out.
My dogs are loose, and I too didn't run vest on my baydogs. When you loose your best strike dog, and come to reality how easy it could have be prevented, it's a hard thing to get over.
I didn't post this topic to have a big debate. I just wanted to hear from others about why they don't protect their dogs. I have a dog that has only been cut once on the front leg. She is a very loose dog. Here recently she bayed a big boar that caught her slipping in a place she couldn't get away from. She took a bad blow to the chest plate.
needless to say, I was very thankful she had a good vest on.
Your gonna come across old grampaw boar one day, he's gonna be quicker than you might think, and poor little Sophie's gonna take a tusk in a bad place.
It's all about the odds, when it comes to old boars, the odds aren't in our dogs favor. I hate to see good dogs hurt or killed. I wish more people would protect their dogs.
