I just ordered a "tummy saver vest" from Lion Country Supply. It is for protection of her chest in heavy cover. I was just wondering if anyone has had any experiances with these kinds of vests or if anyone uses them.


thanks

I don't use personally, but what my buddies have said on the bird dog aspect of it, watch out for the dog to get hot. Probably won't, but could so just keep it in the back of your head. With the retrievers, no problems. So be safe , and have a fun hunt!! Life is good, Later Jonesy

just to clarify this is a nylon vest not a niopreme retreaver vest. I can't see the dog getting hot in what I ordered. After all they "sweat" from the tounge and we are talking a GSP so there isn't much hair there to keep her warm.

OK, if air doesn't get to the chest they will also get hot. Like I say I personally don't use, my buddies go to texas 4 to 5 times a year, and the nylon does well against cactus. They are running shorthairs and pointers. Thanks Jonesy

In Texas it may be a be an issue. In Iowaour hunting season is durning the fall and winter. Temps are for the most part pretty cool or darn right cold. If anything the vest will help keep her from getting cold...thanks for your input I guess I didn't state I was in Iowa...but it does say it under my name.

I use one on my tracking dog to help protect her from some very nasty briar thickets. Seems to work real good. Even though she is only working 30 feet out in front of me on lead she is hard to see with out it exspecially at night. The bright colors that the one I have helps me keep up with her. I have not had a problem with her over heating in it but then most of the time she is only in it for 1 1/2 -2 hrs at a time.

I use one on my dog from Cabellas that has a double layer of Cordura. I am more liable to use it when it gets cool. If I use it when it is warmer, I watch my dog VERY closely for signs of overheating. I think that they are a great option if you are hunting in heavy cover. For me, If I'm wearing chaps it's only fair for my dog to have some protection.

We used to do alot of hunting down around Leon. Not alot of heavy thickets so to speak, but I did start wearing a belly protector on my boys after my buddies dog ran into a barbed wire and ripped her whole chest open. As they will do, she kept hunting and we never noticed the wound for sometime. Spent the day looking for a Vet to get her sewn back together. After than, like another poster said, if I have brush pants on, so do my babies. My $.02 worth