Service Dog Vest Trivia

We are in the process of introducing a mobility harness to Lily, who has worn a "standard" lightweight Service Dog vest for the first four years of her life.

Her basic vest is lightweight, has a pocket on either side, a strap under her chest and a second across the front.  The manufacturer embroidered the Freedom Dogs logo on each pocket and On Duty across her spine.  Because Freedom Dogs encourages interaction between the public and its dogs, no "Do Not Touch" patches or words are found anywhere on the vest.  These vests, by Raspberry Field, wash beautifully and are easy to maintain.

Now we are changing vests for Lily.  I am requiring more balance support and so I am looking for just the right fit for a vest that will accommodate this new need.  TLCAD uses the ActiveDogs padded vest for both the autistic children and the Marines that they serve.  There is a cloth handle running perpendicular across Lily's spine.  The straps are wider than those of the original vest and the chest strap, although adjustable, does not open.  The girth strap supports the handle and the pressure placed on the handle.

The vest itself is nicely padded and is heavier than the simple cloth vest.  The material, however, is the same.  The straps are not padded.  The harness has three O rings on the back and the company sells 2 types of mobility handles designed to attach to the O rings.  But, for Lily anyway, they would support downward pressure on her spine and are placed wrong to put downward pressure on her withers.  I called the company and asked if they could make an O ring adjustment for my dog and they could not.

I don't anticipate needing the handle or the downward balance pressure at this time.  But, it's an important consideration.  Jan uses the ActiveDog vest and had her shoe repair add the above mentioned O rings.  Because of the vest's fit on Nad, her handle accommodates her weight on Nad's withers.  It wouldn't work on Lily without major adjustment.

Active Dogs

Padded Vest

L

The other vest that I am considering is the Ruff Wear Web Master harness/vest.  It's appearance is totally different.  It is actually made for hiking and for assisting the dog.  It has weight is distributed between 5 points, instead of 3.  The majority of pressure is designed to be borne by the breastbone, where three straps converge.  All of the straps are padded.  The cloth handle runs parallel to Lily's spine.  The forward girth strap encircles her rib cage, the rear strap comes just in front of her hind legs.

I followed the sizing directions accompanying the Web Master and ordered the L/XL.  When I fitted the straps to her, I wasn't sure that this was the correct sizing for Lily and there were no sizing videos on the Ruff Wear website or on YouTube.  So I ordered a second Web Master, this time in M.  As soon as I put the M on Lily, I knew that this vest was too small.

This vest is taking a while for Lily to get used to wearing.  Sue uses the Web Master for both Stitch and Syn when doing water work and to assist in lifting them from the water into the boat.

ActiveDogs caters to service dogs (and other working dogs) and offers a variety of patches.  I opted to have their "Service Dog" patch sewn on to the back of the vest.  When it arrived, I placed an iron-on Freedom Dogs patch on each side.  The fabrics easily bonded.  I haven't subjected it to the laundry yet.

The Ruff Wear vest arrives as is.  IOW, neither company offers embroidery service, so both require patches, either sewn on or ironed on.  And neither has pockets.

The Active Dog vest/harness comes in a wider variety of colors.  The Web Master comes in red, black and grey only.

The iron on FD patches adhered nicely to the Web Master, but my attempt to glue the Service Dog patch with Patch Attach didn't work.  Guess I will have to find a place to have it sewn on.

Web Master

L/XL

Triangular Breast Pad

Web Master

M

The jury is still out as to which vest is the correct match for Lily and for my needs.