BFS First Mate Dog Life Jacket

If your dog comes on the boat, and around here, the dog comes on the boat, this is the first thing to buy. The First Mate wraps your dog in closed-cell foam panels that float without bulking up the shoulders, in a high-visibility orange you can spot against open water in a blink. The reinforced top handle is the feature you'll be glad exists: one motion lifts your dog back onto the swim platform, no wrestling, no panic.

Sizing is girth-first, because that's the measurement that actually decides fit. Wrap a soft tape around the widest part of the chest, just behind the front legs, and match it to the chart below. Use weight only as a tiebreaker, and if your dog lands between sizes, go up, a jacket that's a touch roomy still floats; one that's too tight doesn't get worn.

When it arrives, do the two checks: slide two fingers under every strap (snug, not pinching), then lift gently by the handle, your dog's body should stay level, not fold. Rinse the jacket in fresh water after salt days and let it air dry, and it'll be ready for every dock walk and deck nap of the season.

What you're getting

• Closed-cell foam panels float your dog without restricting the front legs
• Reinforced top grab handle, lift your dog back aboard in one motion
• High-visibility orange with reflective piping, easy to spot on open water
• Girth-first sizing, XS–XL, with a two-finger fit check on every strap
• Stainless D-ring for a leash on the dock, quick-release buckles for fast on/off
• Rinses clean after salt water; air dries fast