I run a swimming pool for dogs and have all breeds that swim in the life jackets. I have never had a dog balk at wearing at it and they are able to move well. My one criticism is that I bought several jackets in various sizes, and even without much use the velcro on the neck piece came off on 2 of them, leaving me with only the strap to fasten there. It seems that quality issue could and should be fixed.

The Portage Float Coat is the best canine PFD on the market. Sparky hates water. Especially ice cold, rampaging western rivers like the Yellowstone and Madison Rivers. We fly fish over 100 days a year. Canoe ice cold mountain lakes as well. He fits inside of my coat in spring, fall and winter as we cross and wade rushing, dangerous waters . Inside of my waders in summer. Occasionally he slips out and goes down stream in a panic. This PFD with the handle on top and snug fit, has saved his life more times than I like to remember. The bright color will allow me or search and rescue to find him alive or dead, if we take a terrible fall.

My female mini is old, blind, sinks like a rock and needs PT. I bought a SM for the full length and wrap the neck straps all the way around with the help of some added velco to keep her head and chin out of the water in our pool. She paddles along next to me and gets a really good work out!

Our two dogs and granddog love these. They do not mind wearing them and when we are out kayaking we don't worry about them being in the water.

Above average quality construction, good fit and perfect for the sailboat and kayak. Would not use these in blue water but are perfect for the lake. This is the second one we have bought (two dog's)

I got one of these for each of my dogs for their first canoe trip. The dogs didn't mind them at all, they fit perfectly (size Medium for my 40-45lb dogs) and they seemed pretty comfortable. We used the handle to lift the dogs in and out of the canoe with ease, so they could enjoy a swim through the more gentle parts of the river. My dogs are great swimmers to begin with, but I could tell these jackets made it even easier for them to keep their heads above water and allowed them to swim much longer.

my dog hates wearing things...he hates wearing a jacket/sweatshirt in the winter to keep warm...he hates wearing a raincoat in the rain...but he loves to wear his lifejacket (even if he's not going in the water). It amazes me how comfortable he is in this product! Before buying this life jacket, I looked at other lifejackets, but was very disappointed. Others just look poorly crafted and insufficient for a day on the water. The portage float coat, though, is well made, durable, and puts me at ease when my dog is wearing it on/near the water. Thank you ruff wear!!!

Great product! My dog doesnt like to wear anything, but he doesnt mind wearing this coat. He loves the water, but was hesitant to go out in deeper water. After getting the float coat, he swims with so much more confidence!

We love our float coats, they fit well, the dogs are comfortable.

Fits great. Being a bulldog, he's not a great swimmer but loves the water. Loves to ride the SUP with us and now is able to go all the time. The handles is great for when he falls overboard.

This is the second float coat I've purchased, and one of the best things I've ever spent money on for my "kids". Terrific for any water activities, gives the dog lift in the water to enable them to swim faster and with less effort; gives me something to easily pop them out of the water with when boating; gives me a sense of confidence that there is a safety level that if they get a cramp or in trouble there is assistance for them. Both dogs - one barrel-chested and the other small and narrow - wear the float coat comfortably and without any problems. Bought the first float coat at around 10 years ago and it is still in great shape after much use.

Just what we wanted. Needlessless to say it was a warm coat! Good design and easily to put on.

We recently moved to a new home with a large pond/small lake. My 12 yr old westie has always loved water, but it has been a few years since he has been swimming. Now that he is older, I knew I would feel more comfortable if he had a life jacket. I looked at ones on other sites, for much cheaper price, but the overall description of this product helped me to choose this one. This jacket fits him perfectly. I was hesitant to order the extra small, but according to his measurements, that was the size for him. The jacket keeps his head above water and he can easily swim with it on. I am so glad I bought it!

This lifejacket is a life-saver for my hard to fit whippet. I tried several other lifejackets but none fit. This works very well.

I purchased the Portage Float Coat for my 8 year old Vizsla. I had a cheap life jacket for her before this and there is NO comparison. This life jacket was very well designed with flotation material placed under the dogs head to make it easier on them while swimming to keep their head well above water. The straps are well placed and don't cut into the dog's chest because there is flotation padding that insulates under the straps which helps to distribute your dog's weight if you use the handle to life your dog from the water. I cannot even suggest any way to improve upon this product and would recommend it to anyone planning a water adventure with their pup! Can my dog swim without this? Yes, absolutely, but this makes her much more visible in the water to other boaters and is a safety precaution for when she may swim too far and get pooped out.

I have my own business where I swim dogs with mobility issues. These life vests are simply the best.

My dog loves to go paddling and chase tennis balls in the water, but he's so muscular that he has trouble keeping his head above water, without extra flotation. It fits him well and now he'll be much better off if he falls overboard on one of our paddle adventures.

Odin loves swimming with or without his life jacket. I like knowing that it will keep him safe if he gets tired. Also, given that Odin is over 100lbs, the handle attached to the life jacket really helped me when I needed to help him out of the water from a boat or a dock.

Our lab is in rehab after suffering from possible heat stroke. His float coat allows him to swim comfortably even though he is unable to walk.

We took our 7 year old Golden and 5 month old Lab home to MN for a week at the lake. After watching the Golden for 3 seconds the pup started swimming. After a bit of practice, their coats went on and we all swam to the deep water. The jacket was perfect for the pup and soon she was stroking and the leader in the water. The jackets were great for boating and paddle boat rides!

The Float coat allowed our big dog to swim comfortably in the deeper water without feeling that he was being weighted down. We loved this product because when our dog was swimming we were still in control of his moves with the help of the handle on top of the coat.

Strangely, both dogs are reluctant swimmers, but the flotation vests help them feel more comfortable.

Good product.

This floatation device is just great. My dog actually likes it and seems more apt to hop in the water when she has it on. The on top handle is the best, great for pulling back onto the boat. You would not believe how many people comment on how cute she looks in her bright orange coat.

both my dogs have these coats. They fit extremely well, and hold up awesome, even in the Arizona sun. This is my Mastiffs second one. Great for any dog!

This jacket not only keeps my lazy hound out of harm's way in the water, but he also looks like a gorgeous canine model! It fits him perfectly and looks sleek unlike the cheaper, bulky jackets I'd tried previously. Go Ruff!

i love the way it is made..but the small was too big and the xxs (19 inch girth)fits her snug so that it barely came just to the end of her rib cage (we wish it was longer) it looks too small ..the flaps underneath dont meet or fold together they dont even touch so the straps rest on her belly about an inch gap..havent tried it in the water yet..i tried to see photos of it on a smaller dog to see if it is supposed to come down her back longer like it shows on the larger dogs but there were none..im going to keep it because i need her to have it now.

First off, we were very happy to find someone who offers a product for our Samson. His chest measures 46 inches! He is 7 years old now and far from a graceful swimmer and is starting to have so hip issues. The Portage has helped him tremendously! He loves the water and with is life jacket he is able to swim for longer periods of time and with less worry to us. We are very happy with the quality and service it provides.

What a great life jacket! Our boxer, Lulu, isn't experienced with water at all. We used the jacket to help give her confidence as we helped her get adjusted to the water in our pool. While she isn't a great swimmer yet, the jacket helped to keep her up and make it easier for her to learn! Great product!

The material that fits around her neck was a little stiff at first, but seems to be better now. Easy to put on and take off.

Not only is it good looking and very well made, my dog loves it! It fits her perfect and, most importantly, she floats!

My 11 yr old Black Lab was a training K-9 Rescue dog in her younger days, she was a power swimmer and would pull any human to safety no matter what. She hasn't been able to keep up with my 4 yr old Chocolate Lab in the water lately. And I can see that it bothers her. I ordered this vest and my 'ol girl is back in the game! And I have pics to prove it!

We have a 160 lb bullmastiff; this coat was recommended by the rehab place we went to swim him. It fits well, doesn't move and seems comfortable. We now swim our dogs at home three times a week--a great way to maintain body tone without stress on joints for these large dogs. We are completely saisfied with our purchase and like it better than another brand we've tried--better fit and not so much Velcro.

I bought two of these so the cost is very high for the xx-small, but the jacket is very well made. I had to add velcro around the neck for my one dog and then reposition the strap-with-clip so it now fits her great. My other Chihuahua's jacket fit her perfect. One is 4 pounds and the other is 4-3/4.

My dog accompanied me in my kayak for the first time while wearing this jacket. He didn't like it at first, but soon forgot about it and just enjoyed the trip. He's about 50 lbs, and it kept his head high above the water when he accidentally stepped off of the boat ramp into deep water.

My dogs love the water. They are both big happy bullies. Their Portage Float Coats fit well and more importantly they work. I feel confident that when we boat and are near water, they are safe wearing their jackets from Ruffwear.

This coat did exactly what I wanted it to do. Our Catahoula had an injury and I wanted to put her in the swimming pool for some physical therapy. She was reluctant (still is) so the handle is WONDERFUL!!! We get our "therapy" done, she stays afloat and IN the pool (again, the handle). Great product!!

I bought both the Portage and the other life jacket (for one of my larger BT's). Love them both but this one is better for my smaller Boston. There's just enough for flotation without it being so big that it interferes with her ability to swim. And she LOVES wearing it which I didn't expect because she's not a huge fan of wearing anything.

Bought this vest for my 15 pound Norwich Terrier before we headed to a vacation home with a pool. Toby had never been swimming before, so I wanted to be sure he'd be safe, even he turned out not to be a good swimmer. The vest fit perfectly, is beautifully designed and worked perfectly. He could run and play with it on and he loved swimming with it, too. Really a great product. I highly recommend it, especially for dogs who might not be the best swimmers.

I purchased two Float Coats; one for my Shorthair who just loves the water so much that he literally swims until he can no longer keep his head safely above the water and another for my Walker who we were introducing to the water for the first time. This coat works great for both of them! It was a boost of confidence for our beginner and kept our older guy afloat as well as cut down on both of their coughing when retrieving the bumper. Even though our dogs are different sizes, we had no issue with purchasing the right size - just by using the sizing chart. Fits and works great!

It fits great! My dog is on my SUP with me and likes to jump off occasionally. It gives me peace of mind if we paddle out too far in the ocean for him to swim back safely.

Works good. Very Sturdy.

We have two Newfs. Our female is an incredible swimmer whereas our male loves to play in the water, but doesn't like to get his paws off of the bottom. We didn't want him to have an accident that would cause him to fear the water so we bought him this PFD last summer. It has really helped to build confidence and I think he looks very handsome in it. He is able to have more fun with our female and we are hoping he will eventually get the confidence to enjoy swimming. He has used it numerous times and it is so far holding up very well--which is surprising since the two dogs sometimes jump around together and knock into one another! I would highly recommend this product. I wish I could upload a photo so you could see how great this vest looks on him!

Our little Sammy has a 10" neck and a 14" girth, [along with a 12" length] the XXS in this - sized for 12-19" girths and no other measurements provided - has about a 6" neck opening and 10.5" girth when at the smallest settings. I can't even velcro the neck on him. Terrible sizing charts. I imagine in the correct size this would be great as it looks well made.

the float coat fit well and gave my mastiff
greater confidence when swimming. She was very comfortable wearing it.

I have a 62 lbs Australian Shepherd and this was perfect for him. He is really comfortable wearing it and he can't wait to get in the canoe. Best product I have invested in.

High quality product. Good fit. Works well even for my 126 lbs. "puppy."

Louie has not been in the water yet. We can say that the Portage is obviously well made. Ruffwear's sizing chart helped with the snug fit we were looking for.

We own the Canine Spa in Dillsburg, Pa. It is an indoor all year round pool for dogs. We swim lots of therapy dogs but also have hundreds of dogs that come here just for fun. We have purchased many ruff wear life vests and are very pleased with their design and durability. I've tried several other brands when we first opened but none of them were a match for your vests. Thanks for making such a good product. Gary D. Reihart, Canine Spa

Bought this vest to give him a little more confidence in the water as well as when we are boating far away from shore.

My dog doesn't seem to mind it at all when he is in the water. It fits him perfectly! Super easy to put on and adjust.

I have 3 active labs and they wear their life jackets when crossing the lake in a small fishing boat. It's much easier to haul them out of the water with the life jackets on! The only reason I purchased the new Portage coat was for the Fern green color. (Each lab wants their own color). The material quality is not the same, however the cut and floatation is. The orginal float coat was 1680-denier ballistic nylon, the portage coat fabric looks cheap and flimsy, it might tear if they brush against something. We've gone through many cheap life jackets, but the original float coats have stood the test of time. I gave this new coat 1 star because if the outside does not hold up it doesn't matter about the cut or floatation if falls apart. As for the new Portage version you decide..... May be the Big Eddy is the better option.

I decided to buy a life jacket for Willy the pug after he was pushed into a pool by another dog and nearly drowned.Willy has always struggled to stay afloat in water until I put this lifejacket on him.He swims comfortably to shore and has gained confidence around water.If you have a large chested dog and you have a choice between sizes,go fot the larger size.

We have had other life jackets for our dogs but they never hold up. I could tell, just by taking it out of the box that the quality is superior to any other life jacket we have ever purchased. And...it fits our golden perfectly. THANK YOU for making a quality product!

I am so impressed that I will purchase this product again!

great for giving dogs confidence in the deep water. Love the handle! Very darn cute. Highest quality!

It allowed our bulldogs to enjoy the water as much as we did on vacation. We also didn't have to worry about him around the water thanks to the float.

I purchased the vest for my french bulldog so he can get in the water with my Lab. My only compaint is the neck is a little tight when I velcro it. Otherwise, I'm happy with the product.

My almost 17 year old Lab "Sophie" can barely walk due to arthritis and poor neuro-muscular control of rear legs. Still with a puppy attitude, loves to swim but I noted this year was having trouble staying afloat and becoming a little frustrated. The Portage float Coat gave her a renewed confidence and now insists on daily swims. Also receives many envious sniffs on her new fashion wear!

I got my boston terrier the portage float coat for a recent camping trip. He is not comforatable in the water so I thought that with the float coat he could keep cool in the lake and I wouldn't have to worry. I measured him and bought him the size small. The coat fit great out of the water, but once it, his head and neck were so close to the water line and his rear end much higher, that I worried more about him in the coat then out of it. Maybe I should have gone one size smaller, and might possibly try it for another trip, but using the sizing guidelines, this product didn't work for us.

My sweet 16 year old dog has hip dysplasia now and cannot walk. She always loved to swim and this life jacket allows her to swim in lakes and ponds on her own and I don't have to worry about her. She loves it and can stay in the water longer swimming. She no longer has the use of her back legs but she stays upright and she is free in the water! Thank you for making this product that allows dogs to swim safely (and happily!)

This is the best doggie lifevest! I have a three legged dog and an old dog and they both love this vest. It really does float the dogs, they don't have to swim if they don't want to.

Our pup is almost year old and she is not confident in the water. We picked up the Portage Float Coat for her, she loves it. She can swim longer with out getting wore out and it gives us the comfort knowing if she jumps out of the boat we can get her safely back in (the handle on the jacket makes it very easy to lift her back in). It fits her very well, she is 25lbs and we got her a small.

Excellent for my newly adopted (2 year old) shelter dog that isn't familiar with where our pool steps are yet. I no longer have to worry about her in the water. Thank you for this great product that fits very well. The handle is especially nice.

Emma, an almost 3 year old newf with bilateral knee repairs is back in the lake swimming thanks to the "float coat". No restrictions as she swims and plays for 1-2 hours ! Easy to put on and fits extemely well.

When i first got my dog saying that he was scared of water is not giving it it's proper due. Baths were a nightmare and swimming was out of the question. When he turned 2 and was still fearful everyone told me that swimming was not in his future. Well with patience and the confidence he feels from your float coat yesterday he swam across the entire lake! His biggest fear is water around his head so the velcro & clasp chin strap is the best feature for him. His head is way high and his fear is a distant memory. Once in a while he even does it without the coat! Three years old is not too late to feel comforable swimming.

A number of years ago I owned Paws 'n' Tails Hydrotherapy Pool in Berkshire, England. I compared a number of different float coats and in the end found the Ruff Wear Portage Float Coat to be superior to all others, making them the only dog life jacket I supplied. The Portage Float Coat stood up to the lickin' of 100 dogs per week wearing the various sizes in a chlorine pool. Years later, we moved back to the States and opened Paws 'n' Tails Hydrotherapy Pool in Black Forest, CO again, supplying only Ruff Wear Dog Life Jackets. This is the only dog life jacket I will recommend to clients. It is excellent for use in canine hydrotherapy because it keeps the dog in the proper swimming position with a nice flat back and no hinderance with range of motion. We have dogs that feel so comfortable and confident in the jacket that they will just let their limbs hang and they will float! That is so awesome to see. The way the life jacket fits is like giving the dog a "hug". I believe it helps with confidence in the water for some dogs that are unsure about being weightless. I am eager to try the Big Eddy Float Coat on dogs that are swimming for weight loss. It sounds like they may have to work a bit harder!

We usually take our dog to the dog swimming hole in Fresh Pond during the summers. We've tried a couple of different brands of lifejackets and found the Portage Float Coat to the be the one that fit the best while offering freedom of motion of the legs to paddle. The other ones would shift after our dog went into the water and wouldn't stay on properly - so that she would start slipping out of the lifejacket after swimming for a few minutes. The Portage Float Coat adjusts well for a good custom fit and allows our dog to swim as fast as she wants without the lifejacket restricting her strokes. It fits well enough that she can also run/walk when not in the water comfortably. Also the handle is great for pulling dogs out of the water while keeping them horizontal so that they don't slip out of either end of the lifejacket.

My disabled girl completely depends on this product to swim and support her rear end while in the therapy pool. It gives good support, and keeps her safe and well above the water. The build quality stays true to my previous experiences with all the other Ruffwear gear my guys have.