Saving Fido

by Nancy Knudsen on 18 Apr 2008 The sight of my dog's eyes staring at me as she sank tail first in the water was all it needed to make me find a life jacket for her as quickly as my shopping legs could take me. Of course, she WAS a bull dog, and they swim a little worse than most dogs - actually that's far too modest a statement - they sink like stones.

However, if you’re taking your dog sailng, even though they can swim, they can get tired just like we can, and if they are in the water for a long time cold and tiredness will affect them just as much as a human. Also a dog, just like humans, can make mistakes, and unless you're on deck watching all the time, they are just as easy to lose over the side.

So a lifejacket is a way of giving you peace of mind while taking Fido for a sailing trip. The brand we're featuring here is one of the better ones.

Crewsaver’s new Petfloat is smart, fun and stylish. it comes from the UK’s leading manufacturer of lifejackets technology, so it has been researched and tested on a wide range of pets to find the best combination of safety, comfort and design.

Manufactured using a supersoft closed cell foam that offers excellent buoyancy and flexibility, the outer fabric is extremely durable and provides high levels of wear resistance for longevity.

It is also easy and quick to fit. Padded webbing straps on the underside clip easily into place using quick release buckles. These straps pass through a foam padded harness that sits underneath the pet holding it in a secure horizontal, swimming position.

An added feature of the harness is that the dog can be safely lifted from the water using the incorporated lifting handle. This can be attached to a halyard for lifting larger dogs. A standard 'lead' attachment point is also supplied.

What's really convenient and innovative about this life jacket is that to ensure that leads, treats or pooper scoopers are not left behind, the Petloat has a zipped mesh pocket on the back so that your pet can be self sufficient when you take them for a walk

They are coloured bright red, so that they can be easily spotted in the water, and it also has reflective safety piping for high visibility day or night. It comes in 5 different sizes from extra small to extra large ensuring they are suitable for most breeds of cats and dogs.

You can buy them online by clicking here , or enquire with the Australian stockist direct:

Wiltrading (WA) Pty Ltd, 20 Mews Road, Fremantle, WA 6160
Tel: 00 6189 3359155
Fax: 00 6189 3357406
Rob Lynn Mobile: 0061 411 351 481
www.wiltrading.com.au|
Roblynn@wiltrading.com.au|
Mike Dunphy, Rob Lynn