Teach Your Dog to Wear a Life Jacket (in 6 Simple Steps!)

Want to teach your dog how to wear a life jacket but don’t know where to start? In this video, Davy and I will show you how to build a positive association with the life jacket using 6 simple, reward-based steps. 🐾

It’s all about creating good feelings around the life jacket — because life jackets = adventures + snacks! 🍖🛶

✅ Go at your dog’s own pace
✅ Keep sessions short and fun
✅ Use plenty of treats and praise
✅ Take breaks to release pressure

Here are the 6 steps we used to get Davy ready for his first paddle board adventure:

01:12 *Step 1:* See the life jacket = get treats!
01:42 *Step 2:* Stepping onto the life jacket = cool! ... and more treats!
02:09 *Step 3:* Standing underneath the life jacket = no biggie!
03:07 *Step 4:* Life jacket touching his back = nothing much to worry about (you can practice this with a towel!)
04:10 *Step 5:* Closing the front buckle and guiding the head through
07:25 *Step 6:* Close the belly strap... and move around like a pro!

🐶 Top Tips for Life Jacket Success:

Break the training into as many short sessions as needed
Don’t progress until your dog is ready
Be *VERY* generous with the food
Add upbeat praise to reassure your dog
Success = wearing it + moving around with it comfortably

Make sure to watch the video to the end as you'll see a short clip of Davy happily moving around on my paddle board, out on Star Lake, on the same day we started his training - how cool is that?!

🎥 *Want to get your dog comfortable being *on the paddle board too?**
Watch this video to learn how:    • Dog SUP Training: How to Get Your Pup Padd...  

***Equipment used:
Vivaglory Life Jacket (L) https://amzn.to/4rsecCX
My favorite Treat Pouch: https://amzn.to/4nXOHpT
Aqua Plus inflatable paddle board https://amzn.to/3Xnn3YP
(Disclaimer: as an Amazon affiliate I will get a small commission when you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you)

Let’s get your pup water-ready the fun, stress-free way! 🌊🐕

#gamesbaseddogtraining #paddleboarding #adventuredog