Portage Float Coat for Dogs
4.9
5
50
50
Great product!
I really love this doggie life jacket, and I feel better having it on hand. In trying to teach my dog to swim, I put the coat on him - however, he seemed to be more confident venturing into the water once it was off. No real fault of the coat... I think my pup, understandably, trusts his instincts more. (Life jackets aren't my first choice when going for a swim, either! I just didn't know if he'd fare well the first time out... and I wasn't particularly confident in my ability to pull a potentially thrashing 70lb Boxer out of the lake, with no aid!) So, this coat will now strictly be used for added safety when boating and kayaking - in other words: accidental swims and not deliberate ones! ;o) Happy with the materials, quality, construction, and designed function. And I'm pleased to report that the swimming lesson was an overall success. Oh, and I ordered a large, in case anyone is curious; fits well on a lean, muscular 70lb dog.
September 20, 2011
Excellent for hard to fit dogs
We live on a lake with 5 dogs, all of whom enjoy the fun of playing in the water, but two of which were not able to do more then splash in the shallows until recently due to an inability to swim. After trying numerous other brands unsuccessfully, we ordered two portage float coats and are extremely pleased. The size small fits our 28 pound French Bulldog perfectly, providing enough buoyancy to keep his brachycephalic face out of the water but still allows a decent range of motion and maneuverability. His confidence is building rapidly and he is voluntarily spending more and more time in the water. The extra large adjusts well to the 125 pound American Bulldog who previously sank like a rock if he attempted to go in too deep...now he can happily swim out after tennis balls with the rest of his pack. This is a heavy boned, very deep chested dog that has been hard to fit previously. As he has had numerous orthopaedic surgeries, we are thrilled he is now able to benefit from the mental and physical therapeutics of hydrotherapy. Both vests are holding up well to heavy daily use. Although the other three dogs are strong swimmers in their own right, we plan to order one of these for each of them for added protection on boating excursions and/or challenging conditions.
August 9, 2011
Great support for dogs
My Border Collie swam as a pup, but not in a few yrs. My Std Poodle never swam. I borrowed someone's vests to take them swimming and vests just seem to float on top of the dogs, but were secured around their stomach. They couldn't keep their head above water, their bodies sank. They seemed to be scared. I researched life vests and chose Ruffwear Portage Float Coat. It was a little more money but well worth it. Their head and body floats much better. I measured, and remeasured. Fit my Border Collie perfectly. I am going to get another for my Std Poodle in hopes she will join us. After living through Hurricane Katrina a life vest for all of us is now a necessity.
August 2, 2011
My dog absolutely loves to swim but he's a skinny border collie and doesn't have the greatest buoyancy. When he would grab his toy he'd get water in his mouth on the return trip. The Portage Float Coat raised him far enough out of the water to keep him from swallowing water on the return trip. I've also been around other dogs with different floating vest and I have yet to see one as well designed or as durable the Ruffwear. The coat doesn't slide around on the dog and make it uncomfortable for him. The grab handle, which I have seen rip off multiple other coats, keeps going strong two summers in.
June 23, 2011
Ruff Wear Does It Again
Extremely well made PFD for my 7 lb. Morkie. He likes the fit in XXS, the vest goes on and off easily. Highly visible orange color, good floatation. Reflective strips, snap fasteners and most desirable is the "handle" on top. I carry my little boy like a "purse" with legs. A life saver in rampaging, ice cold western rivers. Very satisfied!
May 24, 2011
Great for peace of mind
Bought this life jacket for my Golden Retriever. He's an excellent swimmer but doesn't know when to quit. He likes to swim alongside us in our kayaks. It gives us peace of mind knowing he will stay afloat even if he gets too tired.
May 18, 2011
Great Dog Float Coat
I have an adorable mini dachshund who is very adventurous and loves the water. He wasn't too sure about his new jacket until he went in the pool with it and found it to be very useful floatation device as well as providing warmth.--he has very little fur protection! The handle on the top is very useful for plucking him out of the water as he is traveling by! This coat is useful and amusing.
April 23, 2011
great fit, great function, great quality
Purchased for my 65 lb lab/brit mix. Sizing table was accurate. Vest fits snug, dog swims effortlessly, and the grab handle is great for hoisting her back into my boat. We have used it now for 2 seasons and it is still in like new condition. No fading and dries relatively fast. Great product all around.
January 5, 2011
ur dog will thank you
I like this here life jacket for my dog. The material seems pretty bouyant. I wish there were more colors however. The quality is good and there is a place to hook a light. The size runs a little large. I have a bull terrier and she weighs 55 lbs. The medium was almost to large but I'm able to make it work all the way tight. In all a great jacket. The best I could find.
December 22, 2010
excelent!
when I saw it in action I had no doubts at all that that was the best decision I made about the safety of my dog. size small seemed a little tight for 25inch dog girth but it's probably a correct fit.
September 20, 2010
They fit whippets!!!
I love these life jackets. I have two whippets and I followed the measuring instructions so I ended up with 2 sizes. They fit perfectly. I took them swimming off our dock and the water is 20 ft deep. The handle on the back of the jackets makes it easy to lift them out of the water even at 32 lbs!! They jump right in with them on and their heads never go under. Great product!!!
September 8, 2010
English Bulldog Can Swim!
My English bulldog loves the pool but I could not get her off the second step until I bought the Floatcoat and she now loves to swim around the pool! She is no skinny girl and the floatcoat keeps her body and head above the water. Maggie thanks you!
September 8, 2010
Good lifejacket, perfect fit!
I bought this lifejacket in the XS for my 15 lb. miniature poodle. It fit him well and was great at helping him swim in the lake this summer. He gets really excited about putting it on, and loves swimming :)
September 7, 2010
RUFF WEAR Portage Float Coat for Dogs: Excellent K9 PFD!
This dog PFD is very attractive & lightweight. It's easy to adjust to fit your dog snugly. It's very comfortable for dogs & in no way hampers their freedom of movement, whether in the water or on dry land. I can't imagine a better dog PFD & am very pleased to have purchased it at a good price from Altrec.
September 3, 2010
RUFFWEAR PORTAGE K9 FLOTATION
I HAVE 2 LABS WHO LIKE TO SWIM ALOT,BUT WHEN WE GO KAYAKING THEY DON'T FIT IN THE BOAT AND THEY CAN'T SWIM THAT LONG OR FAST.WHAT I HAVE DONE IS MADE A 10FT LINE AND I HOOK IT TO THE FRONT OF THEIR PORTAGE FLOATATION DEVICES.THEY THINK THEY ARE SWIMMING WHILE WE PULL THEM ALONG.IT WORKS GREAT AND THEY DON'T MISS ANYTHING AND ARE DEAD TIRED WHEN WE ARE DONE.TIRED DOGS ARE GOOD DOGS.THE FLOTATION DEVICES WORK GREAT AND HOLD THEM UPRIGHT.MY DOGS ARE 90LBS AND 80LBS.THANK YOU
August 25, 2010
EXCELLENT!!!
When we opened the box and pulled this jacket out, we looked at each like "are you kidding???" This thin little thing is going to hold a 22 lb dog! Welllll, YES IT DOES!!! Oh my gosh! It's wonderful! I honestly did not know that all dogs could not swim. I thought that swimming came natural to dogs. But bless our little Dugan's heart . . . he would try and sink like a rock. My husband said " not all dogs can swim". So I started searching and yep . . . tis true! So what to do, we just put in a pool and our 21 lb Scottie wanted desperately to get in, Wahlah! The wonderful Ruff Wear Portage Float. It works terrific. Dugan swims to his ball, he doesn't roll, the jacket keeps him afloat, it's easy to put on, the handle makes it easy to give him some help or guidance back to the steps. Dugan already comprehends that the jacket helps him keep his head above the water! We have no negative comments! I only wish we had ordered it earlier!
August 25, 2010
High quality, well made vest for dogs!
I bought this for my yellow lab pup and it fit him like a glove. He enjoys putting it on.
August 17, 2010
Excellent
My 20 lb. beagle fits in this vest perfectly. The handle on top makes a great way for us to control dog in pool.
August 13, 2010
Excellent Float Coat!
Yep, this one works, great, looks great and my jack russell likes it too.
August 9, 2010
Sylish and Durable - What a Great Combo
I bought this vest for my 68lb yellow lab. The life jacket is definitely worth the price, and this vest will last you for many many years to come. I bought this vest because my dog doesn't ever want to come out of the water, and I know that she is pooped. I wanted the piece of mind that she will stay afloat in case we get to the point where I have to get her and reel her in. She knows exactly what it is, and she will get it for me when I say let's go swimming in the lake! Great Product. I recommend this for any dog owner who has a water dog.
August 4, 2010
Float coat is excellent!
I bought the float coats for my two Siberian Huskies. The medium fit them both perfectly even though he is a big longer and heavier. I had originally purchased the large and it was too long for their bodies. The dogs wore their float coats while kayaking in a bay off of the ocean. One of the dogs fell into the water trying to move around kayak. She floated extremely well in the float coat and was plucked from on top of the water very easily. The float coat provided excellent support and buoyancy while she was in the water. Both dogs seemed to be very comfortable in their coats. The float coat itself is very nicely made. I had another PFD from two years made by a different company and it seemed absolutely flimsy in comparison to the float coat. I loved both the green and orange colors. Both dogs were highly visible and adorable in their float coats. I am very happy with my purchase.
August 3, 2010
perfect LV for the older dog
We have an 11 year golden that we adopted late in life; we discovered this summer, our first with him, that he loves to swim in the pool (I mean really loves it). However, he has aspirations far beyond his current physical ability - meaning we were worried he might drown, or one of the kids might drown saving him. We bought two life vests for dogs, and this one was - by far - the better of the two. It has enough flotation to hold him up (he is 100 lbs; he's a big guy structurally, not overweight). His head has some support with the flotation fold over around his neck. And the straps around his mid-section are well placed. Two design elements I would change is to rearrange the velcro overlap on the neck piece, moving it to the side or top (to prevent occasional sometimes if it isn't aligned well). The other is that the girth straps sometimes loosen in the water. Not much, but enough that over time, you need to keep an eye on them. However, I consider both of these things very minor. Brinks, the dog, seems to love it. He runs out and stands by the vest when the kids start changing into swimsuits. He lets the kids direct him out of the deep water with the strap on top. The vest has made it possible for the old guy to continue to enjoy swimming safely.
July 29, 2010
Great Life Jacket!!
I have a 78 lb yellow lab, and the medium fits perfectly. I was tempted to get the large, but her circumference was 21", and it's a great fit. She walks around on shore just fine, and has no problem swimming with it on. As a lab, she's a great swimmer, but will stay in the water all day, and swim until exhausted. This gives me the peace of mind of knowing that she isn't going to sink! Plus, the life jacket lifts her head out of the water just enough extra to make it that much easier for her to breathe while swimming. We will definitely be using this every year. It's very well made, and easy to get on. Every time I get it off the clothes line she spins around in excitement, knowing we're going swimming! Great product!
July 28, 2010
Great!
This float coat fits my Standard Poodle perfectly. The size chart on the website is very accurate. The fern green color makes her very visible when she is in the water. She feels so much more confident swimming in the lake.
July 28, 2010
Wonderful float coat
Our dog Grady has not had a chance to test the waters in his new float coat.But he has worn it around the house and it fits just fine.His sissy, Gypsy has had hers for a couple of years and it works great and gives me that extra peace of mind.
July 16, 2010
Wears well, durable, easy to swim in.
We have an 80 lb. yellow lab that is very active and loves the water. I bought the large jacket and it fits well with room to spare. It is easy to get on and adjust. The jacket hasn't interrupted his movement at all in the water and he acts like it isn't even on. I don't think he realizes he can float in it yet but it gives me peace of mind when were on the boat. The handle on the back and the clip make it easy to lift him out of the water when the boat deck is too high for him to reach on his own. When lifting him the jacket holds in place very well.
July 16, 2010
Great!
I have a lhaso Apso and the small fits him perfect! The first time we went out floating the river he fell and in and the handle was so handy for us to just reach in and pluck him back out. I was thankful the moment he fell in as the extraction from the river could have been a lot worse. I would highly recommend this jacket-well worth the money.
July 14, 2010
Excellent product
After reading the reviews of various other doggy float coats, it became clear that this one was going to be best for us. It looks great, it is durable, and it shipped (and arrived) very quickly. Also, the sizing guide for the coats are very accurate as well. Our dog is right on the upper-end of the medium sized coat, yet it fits him perfectly.
July 12, 2010
Love how ruffwear fits!
My dog has not had a chance to wear this swimming and kayaking yet but he has worn it quite a bit. I found a lump on his leg 2 days after I ordered this and he very quickly had surgery to remove the lump. Everything ended up being ok but we had to keep him from touching the wound. The vest arrived 1 day after surgery and I teed it on him. What I found out immediately was he couldn't quite reach his back leg with the vest on. So...he wore this for several days instead of having to wear an Elizabethan collar(aka cone of shame). He didn't mind wearing the vest at all. He got many comments about how slick he looked in his life vest. Can't wait to try it out next week in the water. At least I know he likes wearing it and it fits great.
July 9, 2010
LOVE THIS FLOAT COAT!
Our labs love to swim and kayak so we bought them both the float coat! We always wear our lifejackets so it only made sense to get the girls one! Our yellow lab is about 65+ lbs and the Medium is perfect for her and the green is very bright on her so other boaters can see her. Our black lab is a little over 70 lbs. and she was a little between sizes. Large was too long and she couldn't sit down. Medium fits her good when its let most of the way out. They love them and got to try them out in our pond. The peace of mind, and great coat are worth every penny!
June 30, 2010
Great!
The small fit my 50lb Portuguese Water Dog perfectly! He seems to enjoy it and it's not bulky. It's nice that he doesn't sit too high in the water either so it's a good step to not needing a vest.
June 7, 2010
Great Quality
I have purchased other life jackets for my dog in the past, but this one is the best I have seen. It is made very well and fits great. I am very happy with this purchase.
May 5, 2010
My dog floats!!
I own a 10 year old pug and we decided she should start coming with us on our canoe/kayak trips. The problem is she sinks like a rock. We bought an XS size of this jacket. She can now float and swim! We are very pleased with this purchase and highly recommend this jacket for any other water challenged dogs. The jacket fits well and will not come off.
May 3, 2010
Great!
This is the second Ruff Wear flotation coat I have purchased. They are made well and my dogs can swim safely in the water while still jumping.
April 17, 2010
Perfect for a Maltese
I originally ordered the K-9 Float coat for small dogs. I have an 8 lb Maltese that I wanted to take kayaking with me but I'm not sure if he can swim. Fit perfect around the chest, but the neck was way too small. Called customer service. Very courteous and prompt response. Provided me with Ruff Wear's phone number in order to obtain neck measurements. Ruff Wear directed me to to get the same size (XXS). The "Portage" is a newer version of the float coat and they made the neck size larger. So far the exchange seems hassle free and the Portage is perfect for my dog. Great Quality and Service.
April 12, 2010
Very substantial compared to other brands I have seen.
Haven't tried it out yet (lake covered with ice still) but the float coat's construction looks like it is very well-made.
April 3, 2010
Awesome!
This float coat is awesome!! We originally got an XXS (as this is what size our approach pack is) but it was a little small, after getting an XS it fits perfect. She doesn't mind having it on and she can enjoy the water without having to work so hard. Our pup is a puggle (half pug/half beagle) she is little, but loves to be outside, and this just makes her love it more! I definitely recommend it!
March 19, 2010
for my tri-pawd
I have 3 swimmers in the family, recently adopted a shelter tri-pawd puppy. Looking forward to teaching him to swim this summer with a little help from the float coat.
March 9, 2010
Fit for my dog
Use this on the lake for my 2 year old German shepherd mix. I get nervous when the dog jumps in the water and this helps a great deal.
December 4, 2009
Portage with Pug!
Here's the first review about a swimming pug! Our 22 pound pug can't swim and he seems to know it! There was no way that he would even wade into any water. After googling, we found this great Portage Float Coat at Altrec. After measuring Teddy's girth (21") we had a few questions about the idea of a life jacket for a dog. After calling Altrec, all our questions were answered by the helpful, competent staff. We placed our order for an XS, and our high quality, wonderfully-designed Float Coat arrived a few days later. What a perfect fit for his stocky body! After Teddy enjoyed wearing it around the house for a few days, he was ready for an adventure! We took him canoeing with us in the Adirondacks of northern NY, and now we're no longer afraid when he stands up and rests his front paws on the side of the canoe. Since it was a hot day, we just lifted him up by the handle (like a suitcase) and gently lowered him into the water. He was so proud to be able to swim to shore wearing his new Fern Green Float Coat! In closing, let me say that we also saw some lab retrievers (wearing Float Coats) swimming behind their owners' kayaks!
October 22, 2009
Super Float Coat!
This is our second water vest. We purchased one, very common variety found in pet stores, for our Labradoodle's first year on the boat. It was adequate. She loves going with us and retrieving her favorite toy, but still doesn't like to swim! So I spent a month researching dog floats/vests for a 60+ pounder. What a difference! Great quality, contoured fit for maneuverability, excellent safety colors, and adjustable straps with velcro, to hide loose ends. Abby even felt secure enough to [drop ]her toy off one side and jumped in to retrieve it from the other, to give us a break from throwing!
September 15, 2009
Much much nicer than I thought
I bought this to aid my dog in rehab b/c he broke his hip. We bought a lg for our bernese. When this product arrived, I was amazed at the quality. The material is very heavy duty. It just fits my dog perfect and the straps are adjustable for when he gets bigger. He loves it. He swims much longer than he would have without it. It doesn't restrict his movement so he doesn't fuss when he has it on.
August 31, 2009
Fit my Bulldog!
Bought for my English Bulldog (who sinks like a rock). Only one I found that will fit her.Quick shipping and arrived very quickly!
August 20, 2009
Great fit! Comfortable for the dogs!
I bought two large Portage Float Coats for my Weimaraner and Airedale. Perfect fit and the dogs told me they were very comfortable. Nice to have the velcro to tie up loose straps. The handle on top for lifting the dogs into the boat is very sturdy!
August 6, 2009
We Love it!
Bought this for our upcoming kayak/canoe trip on Saranac Lake. Wasn't sure of the size, but went for the medium and it fits my boy GREAT! He is a 70lb golden retriever. He can move around freely and it's perfectly snug. Workmanship is outstanding. Highly recommend Altrec; ordered it on Fri morning and it was here by Wednesday with free shipping
July 23, 2009
Well made Jacket
The sizing chart online is a bit confusing but I did order the right size and the Jacket fit well.
July 21, 2009
Great fit and works as we had hoped
My Fox Terrier is small (25lbs) but has a big chest, so we tried on different sizes at a local outfitter, but they didn't have an xs in-stock so RuffWear told us to try you guys. Thanks for shipping it out quick, we got it in-time for the weekend. It fit really well when adjusted and he wore it several times around the house. In typical terrier fashion, Bandit did jump off the kayak but thanks to the Float Coat had an easy time swimming around. The top-loop worked great as I did eventually have to pluck him from the water.
June 28, 2009
Fits pretty good, handle is sturdy
The main reason I purchased this vest was to pick my dog up out of the water and into the boat. The handle is very strong, and it does the job for a 70lb lab. I also tried it on my other 12yr old overweight lab. I didn't try to pick him up, as he is 90+lbs, but he liked the ease of swimming, and I could support him near slick spots near the river.
June 10, 2009
Great purchase
I liked the quick delivery from Altrec and the dog vest is great. It fits well and helps to hold the dogs head above water. My dog has seizures and I always worry it might happen while swimming. This vest has relieved my fears.
May 11, 2009
High quality, fits well, looks good
My dog hasn't actually used this in the water yet, but he's worn it. He's a lab and is more at home in the water than on land, but I bought this so that he could swim for extended periods of time without tiring with my wife and I while we kayak or float in a raft on the river. I looks like it will do the job well.
May 6, 2009
