About the life jacket

Laurelin

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#1
I bought one from petsmart. The xxsmall. I looked at it and thought it looked really tiny. But the tag said up to 11 lbs. Mia is 7.2 lbs. So I thought it would be safe even though it had the length at 6.5 inches (mia's almost double that length). The x-small was up to nearly 20 lbs.

Long story short, the xxsmall is WAY too small. It doesn't even clasp around her mid-section and makes her look like she's wearing a mini vest. Wtf? I don't get how these things are sized. Are most 11 lb dogs 6.5 inches long? What the heck breed is it supposed to fit?

Why are papillons abnormally shaped!?
 

Dekka

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#2
Think if your dog was the typical obese little dog... I have that same issue with Dekka. Not as bad as she has a LOT of bone, I haven't bought as many things for Kat, but she is bigger than Dekka and weighs less. So I expect it will even be worse with her.
 

Laurelin

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#3
I'm really afraid the x-small will swallow her. I probably will go with another company, I just wanted to try one quickly this weekend but that looks like a bust.

I am having a hard time picturing a dog that is only 6.5 inches long and weighs as much as Mia let alone one that is only 60% her length and weighs a good 5 lbs more! Holy crap that's a fat dog.
 

Kat09Tails

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#4
You know papillons comparatively are light dogs compared to yorkies, pugs, and JRTs. I like to think of it in the same light as comparing weight, height, length on labs and oh say border collies or hounds.
 

MafiaPrincess

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#5
I'll have to take life jacket sizing issues for $100 Alex..

I mean I *totally* feel your pain. My dogs don't fit correctly either. They have tiny waists compared to most dogs and 'large' chests in comparison..

Cider fits not badly in hers, but it's the old outward hound style they don't make now that was less pliable.. She seems less comfy in it.. While in the water it does do it's job though and taught her to swim properly. She can swim without it now, and she was a thrasher originally.



Smudge on the other hand.. HORROR. I bought the new style outward hound for him. It fit when he was oneish.. Fit well actually, he swam well in it. It only JUST fit... His weight fits in this size bracket, but he's grown, and it's not quite right now. Like 3-4" of his back are beyond the jacket now so his tush is so under water that he acts like he's sinking.

Next size up is so big I can fit my arm along his back under the jacket. Tried the new one Dekka has I like it, neither small or medium fits him. Tried 2-3 other brands.. nothing is working.

When his fit



I tried Cider's. I can fit my arm in.. and the belly part covers his penis and he's unimpressed ;)
 

MandyPug

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#6
What's her girth? Neck size?

You know i'm having second thoughts about Izzie's jacket, it seems too small on her to me. It's very tight on her neck and short along her back and doesn't close all the way underneath... It would probably work fine, but i'm just not sure about it yet.

It may fit her. Though it might be rough getting it to you with this bloody postal strike.
 

Laurelin

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#7
You know papillons comparatively are light dogs compared to yorkies, pugs, and JRTs. I like to think of it in the same light as comparing weight, height, length on labs and oh say border collies or hounds.
Oh yeah, I know. I've had this problem with winter jackets too a lot. Things just aren't made to fit lanky papillons. If they fit their length, they're designed for a dog that is at least 2 times their weight. If they fit around, it is way too short.

My friend had a chi that weighed the same as Mia and he was substantially shorter in both leg and body and looked much smaller. I think Summer is the same height as Dekka and then weighs quite a bit less. They're just really light dogs.

So do I try to find something that fits her length-wise then?
 

Laurelin

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#8
What's her girth? Neck size?

You know i'm having second thoughts about Izzie's jacket, it seems too small on her to me. It's very tight on her neck and short along her back and doesn't close all the way underneath... It would probably work fine, but i'm just not sure about it yet.

It may fit her. Though it might be rough getting it to you with this bloody postal strike.
Okay she is 12 inches from base of the neck to her butt.

Chest is 14 inches around.

Waist is 10.5 inches

neck is 8 inches.

And she weighs 7.2 lbs.
 

MandyPug

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#9
Okay she is 12 inches from base of the neck to her butt.

Chest is 14 inches around.

Waist is 10.5 inches

neck is 8 inches.

And she weighs 7.2 lbs.
I'll take some measurements when i get home and get back to you. The XS Big Eddy Float Coat by Ruffwear actually fits tighter than it suggests. But i'm not sure it'd go that tight.
 

JacksonsMom

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#14
Jackson often fits things odd too... he's ALWAYS in between sizes, when it comes to harnesses, clothes, everything. He's always too big for the smalls, too small for the larges, but the mediums often don't fit him properly. For example, I got him Buddy Belt harness and the size 6 was way too big and the size 5 was too small, so yeah, it just didn't work for us.

I *think* we have the XS Outward Hound. I honestly can't remember what size it was. Pretty sure it was "up to 20lbs" one though. He has, like, an 18" girth, about 14-15" long, 11" neck. It fits him pretty good actually, but sometimes it seems a tad big. I'm looking for one a bit less bulky... like the Ruffwear.

Here is the XS Outward Hound on my 16lb dog.




Edit- I dunno, Jackson may have the small. Petsmart website has this:
XX-Small for dogs up to 11 lbs. with a girth of 11"-14"
X-Small for dogs up to 18 lbs. with a girth of 15"-19"
Small for dogs weighing 15-25 lbs. with a girth of 19"-24"
 

MafiaPrincess

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#16
Smudge is 23 pounds and in the OH small.. but it seems if the jacket goes all the way to the tail base it works better for my guys.. But, it's not as ridiculous as how yours fits Mia. D@mn.
 

Dekka

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#19
Okay she is 12 inches from base of the neck to her butt.

Chest is 14 inches around.

Waist is 10.5 inches

neck is 8 inches.

And she weighs 7.2 lbs.
See this is very close to Dekka's measurements. Only she is 15 inches around and weighs 12 pounds... I think its the thick bones of her skull and legs lol. (her neck is likely bigger, can't say I have measured that)
 

Laurelin

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#20
Smudge is 23 pounds and in the OH small.. but it seems if the jacket goes all the way to the tail base it works better for my guys.. But, it's not as ridiculous as how yours fits Mia. D@mn.
Even funnier is my 7.6 lb dog in it....


poorsummer by Summer_Papillon, on Flickr

It won't even close.

See this is very close to Dekka's measurements. Only she is 15 inches around and weighs 12 pounds... I think its the thick bones of her skull and legs lol. (her neck is likely bigger, can't say I have measured that)
She and Summer probably measure similarly. Summer is just around 11 inches tall, 15 inches around her chest, 11 around her waist, and 12.5 long.

I have yet to find a harness that can fit Mia or Summer either. They're usually way too short in the body too.
 

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