Ruff Wear - Swamp Cooler™ Dog Cooling Vest

Comments about Ruff Wear Swamp Cooler™ Dog Cooling Vest:

We came to Florida from Pennsylvania and had to find a way to keep our boxer cool. He has a hard time with the heat because of his short nose and it was an extreme climate change.

This vest is awesome! It fits him well and keeps him much cooler than without it.

I will say that it doesn't work well when the humidity is so high that the water can't evaporate. But that is just the nature of evaporative cooling.

I purchased a size MED for my 63 lb Boxer.

Comments about Ruff Wear Swamp Cooler™ Dog Cooling Vest:

This "vest" works well to help keep a dog cool that has to be outdoors during oppressive heat. I do agility trials (many outdoors in the summer) with my dogs & have tried wading pools, hoses & cooling pads (and combinations of these). This vest works well on dark colored, thick-coated dogs to help them maintain normal energy & activity levels

Comments about Ruff Wear Swamp Cooler™ Dog Cooling Vest:

The vests does a good job at keeping my dogs temperature down. When we get back from a walk on a hot day he less heat stressed when he wore the swamp cooler. Make sure to bring water to keep the vest moist when you walk so it do its job and keep cooling.

Comments about Ruff Wear Swamp Cooler™ Dog Cooling Vest:

I think Ruff Wear products are great and have several items from the company. That being said, I used this vest for the first time today during down time at an agility match and my dog ripped apart the 2 seams at the front of the chest that attach the top of the vest to the bottom. Fortunately the fabric didn't tear and I think I can sew it back together. If this is the case, I'll do this rather than spend the money to ship the item 2 more times.
I'm very disappointed in the durability of this item. Is it made only for mannequin dogs?

Comments about Ruff Wear Swamp Cooler™ Dog Cooling Vest:

We live in SC where summers are hot and humid. The cooling jacket worked for only about 45 to 50 minutes - not very long, but I wouldn't walk my Dobie without it.

Comments about Ruff Wear Swamp Cooler™ Dog Cooling Vest:

I bought this coat for a very hot dog based on lots of positive reviews from the rei.com website. However while, the dog's coat does feel cool under the coat,I'm still somewhat skeptical as to if it works. Seems like just soaking the dog with the hose before the walk has the same effect and is significantly cheaper! Also, even though the dog is wet, the coat is quite think and I was worried it was insulating him. He wore it a couple times and then I just got lazy. There was no noticeable reduction in his panting or dislike of heat.

Comments about Ruff Wear Swamp Cooler™ Dog Cooling Vest:

I have a 23 lb Cavalier King Charles and use the vest when it is near or over 90 degrees outside which is quite often in Phoenix. Our dog has quite a bit of black fur which gets quite hot in the sun so having this vest does provide some relief. If I put my hand under the vest when he is wearing it I can tell his fur is cooler than in the exposed areas. My only negative comment is though I bought the correct size to go around his girth it only covers about 2/3 of his back leaving the back 1/3 exposed to the hot sun. It would be more effective if it was longer and made it closer to the base of his tail. The proportions of this breed is quite average (not long in the body). I thought of going up a size but then it would be to big in the girth. With that said I still recommend this product though there is room for improvement.

Comments about Ruff Wear Swamp Cooler™ Dog Cooling Vest:

I love this jacket. My dog is a rottweiler/chow chow with a black coat. We walk along the lakefront all summer long and it gets pretty sweltering out there! I soak the jacket with cold water and put it on him and his panting decreases considerably. When the jacket starts drying out I repeat and he's a happy camper once again. Thanks for a great product. Oh, I should mention I bought the jacket one size larger to get more coverage on his body. Make sure you alot extra time on your outings because your dog is sure to get extra attention with this cute and cool jacket on!

Comments about Ruff Wear Swamp Cooler™ Dog Cooling Vest:

Love this vest. It really helps to extend our hikes on hot, humid days.

Comments about Ruff Wear Swamp Cooler™ Dog Cooling Vest:

Houston gets HOT and even at night my dogs can overheat on a relatively short walk due to the high humidity. I tried the swamp coolers on my English Setters and they made a noticable difference in my dogs' stamina and overall body temperature. My dogs can now take walks with me in the middle of the day, as long as I also bring water - both to recharge the vests on long walks and in extra hot weather, and for all of us to drink along the way. I would let my dogs wear these vests inside to save on the A/C bill, but they leave damp marks behind on the leather couch. One detraction is that if you stop to rest and your dog lies down in the dirt, the vest will get muddy and will have to be laundered instead of simply hung to dry until the next use - I would imagine that over time this will wear out the vest more quickly. This is a minor issue considering that the vest really does keep dogs cool while they are exercising. Also, the vest is very well-made and nicely tailored and true to size. I don't think my dogs could make it through a TX summer without this product. Please be aware that the vest does not prevent heat stroke in dogs all by itself - be sensible and give your dog water to drink as well as enforce shade breaks if your dog is the kind that will keep going until he drops... the vest is an invaluable tool combined with good care and judgement and attunement to your dog.