Dog Question for Waterfowling

[mlgorecki]

At what temp do you guys have your dog wear a neopreme vest. My yellow lab is not kept outside 24/7.

I usually dont have mine in a vest unless it's well below freezing. Depends on water temp too, thats what your protecting them from. If mine is shivering bad I'll put it on him, if not I dont. Just watch your dog and you'll know if she needs it on.

10-4. That makes sense. Thanks.

[scouttracker]

I hunt mine every day. When she wont go in the water because of ice or temp I put her vest on. And she is a nine year vet.

[mlgorecki]

Thanks. I'll always have it in the blind with me then.

[hammer007911]

Mine is a total wimp 50 degrees and colder. Or she just shakes and shivers like crazy (no whinning alowed.

[mlgorecki]

I guess it depends what the dog is used to. 3 weeks ago I had him (Scout, 2 yoa, 90 pund Yellow Lab) out on the Des Plaines River, Wilmington, IL; 8 degree air temp, 33-34 degree water temp. Not one of my smarter days. He was fine. I kept him moving a lot but flared off a lot of ducks in the process. I got him a vest and myself a blind heater the next day. Now we're ready for the extreme stuff.

Last year I used him only for upland. This year he made a great transition to waterfowl and I'm I'm very proud of him.

Upland hunting, although fun, is checkers and waterfowl hunting is chess. There are so many more moving parts: weather, blinds, decoys, camo, movement discipline, calling, duck identification, dog work and shotgunning. Man what a sport!!!

[scouttracker]

Amen! You said a mouth full there. But dogs know their limits, and I dont care how much training , love, fear, time, or disguist you put into a dog. They will not put their self in a position to self destruct!

[HRK]

generally i use a vest on my lab only when its really cold and windy, depending on the breed and weight and how much fat they have on them , i look at it this way if you think you might get a little cold so will your dog , this year in MI. didn't need his vest at all even jan 2 and we just lost some ice on the river, but i alway's keep it with me in the late season if he does get cold

[scouttracker]

Talk about temp. Today it was 61 deg here in maryland. " THAT IS JUST NOT HUNTING WEATHER".