Sunday was hot, humid and a sad day for me...

[Reuben]

No problem goose...I have run them both ways and running light vests at least for me is the way to go...young gritty dogs can over heat with or without vests...and I agree with you on a dog losing respect while in a vest...but the vest I use don't offer much protection...the dogs will watch themselves...in my experience gritty dogs will take a beating and gain respect but eventually they will gravitate back throwing caution to the wind or getting caught up in a situation  where they can get hurt...with the running vest this is minimized...

[parker49]

each to his own ...myself I don't even like a cut collar on my baydogs ...in  real bad cutover thickets even a cut collar will slow a dog down or impede there movement ...I've lost 4 or 5 dogs through the years  with no vest on due to heat ......  and that's gonna happen if you hunt in hot weather ....   and I have had  big curs for catch that would bay if sent to a bay on a good hog ...but put a vest on and lead  in strait catch .... I do believe a ruff dog will get ruffer with a vest most of the time ....