If your dog needs to build muscles for four-legged friends, you are active in dog sports with your darling or are simply looking for a new way to exercise, a dog weight vest is just what you need. In this article, we will explain the advantages of a dog weight vest and tell you what you have to pay attention to when buying.
What is a dog weight vest?
A weight vest for dogs is a training accessory that is used in dog sports.
As the name suggests, it is a vest that is equipped with weight and put on the dog.
In this way, corresponding vests can be used in muscle building training and/or competition preparation.
Weight vests are also used in draft dog sports or in the training of service dogs.
Advantages of a weight vest for dogs
We have summarized the most important advantages of a weight vest for dogs for you in the next section:
Muscle building
Some dogs need more employment/utilization than others. In particular, “working dogs” such as the Malinois need a task and must be physically challenged to feel comfortable.
With a weight vest, dog owners can specifically power up your darling and increase both strength and muscle tone.
In addition, training with a weight vest trains agility, condition and sense of balance.
Even if your dog needs to build muscle mass after surgery or due to illness, a weight vest is suitable. In this case, however, it is advisable to discuss training with the veterinarian or a physiotherapist for dogs beforehand
Increased well-being
Exercise and physical exercise are good not only for people, but also for dogs. Happiness hormones are released through regular training sessions.
In this way, a weight vest can be used to increase the well-being of a dog and strengthen its self-confidence.
Four-legged friends who are not sufficiently challenged can develop behavioral abnormalities or even become depressed.
In addition, exercises with the weight vest have a positive effect on the relationship between dog and owner.
Aggressive dogs
If your dog tends to perform like Rambo, this can have various causes.
Stress or lack of employment are often among the main triggers of such behavior.
A weight vest is ideal for your dog to get rid of its energy and relieve stress.
Even persevering, strong dogs are heavily challenged by the increased load and then come to rest.
This makes it easier to work on aggression problems or other construction sites.
When to pass on a canine weight vest
But there are also some cases in which it is better to not use a weight vest. Here are the most common ones:
Young dogs
Wearing a weight vest could lead to development problems in puppies and young dogs that are still growing. In order to avoid damage to the musculoskeletal system, it is recommended to wait with the training until the dog is fully grown. In case of doubt, it is better to get the green light from the veterinarian and inform him about the training.
Old dogs
Many dog seniors have a weak cardiovascular system due to their age. In addition, bone density and cognitive abilities decrease. Training sessions with a weight vest can increase the risk of injury and/or overload the dog. Thus, a subject-to-mand training ban applies to older four-one. However, if the veterinarian gives his Ok, there is nothing against exercises with a light weight vest for dogs.
Sick dogs
In order to get well again quickly, it is not only we humans who need to spare ourselves. Rest also has a positive effect on the healing process in dogs. In order for your dog to quickly be the old one, you should hang the weight vest on the nail until your four-legged friend is healthy again. After recovery, you can slowly start training again. It is advisable to start with a light weight vest and gradually increase the weight. Dogs suffering from osteoarthritis, HD or other chronic diseases should generally not wear a weight vest.
Small dogs
Small dogs have a finer bone structure than large dogs. In addition, Chihuahua and co are also more sensitive and physically weaker than, for example, a dog the size of a shepherd dog. Therefore, in our opinion, training sessions with a weight vest are not for small dogs under 15 kilograms of body weight.
Buying a dog weight vest — Guide
As a potential buyer of a weight vest for dogs, you can choose between various models. In the next section, we have listed the decisive purchase criteria:
Fit
In order to avoid problems with the musculoskeletal system due to one-sided or incorrect load, it is important that the weight vest fits properly. Make sure that the size can be adjusted individually. This gives you the opportunity to adapt the weight vest to your dog. After each put on, check whether your dog can move freely within itself and whether the straps are too tight somewhere. If you have any questions about the right fit, you can contact the respective manufacturer. These usually have a size chart as well as tips for measuring your four-legged friend.
Quality
A good weight vest for dogs should be of high quality. Better spend a little more money to secure a quality product. If you want to know whether a weight vest is good or not, we advise you to read the reviews of other dog owners in advance. This saves you the trouble of a wrong purchase and gets a vest that lasts a long time.
Weight
Well-trained dogs should carry a maximum of 20% of their own body weight. In untrained dogs, the weight vest should weigh between 5% and 10% of body weight. Choose a model that suits your darling to prevent health consequences. Vests are ideal for which you can vary the weight. For this purpose, there is the possibility of filling/leting water or sand with some weight vests.
Where can I buy it?
You can order a dog weight vest in many online shops. Larger mail order companies such as Amazon offer a huge variety of these weight vests. So make sure to compare prices and pick the one that fits you and your dog the most.
Here are some of our recommendations:
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Possible alternatives
A dog backpack is an alternative to a weight vest. These are particularly loved by hikers and nature lovers. Even if you are not planning a camping trip with your four-legged friend, a dog backpack is a good replacement for a weight vest. Backpacks for dogs are available in various versions. They can be filled with equipment or sand as needed and training progress and used for training.