Product Review: Sylmar Body Guard Dog Vest

Sylmar's Body Guard Vest is a high-visibility vest designed to protect your dog's chest and belly from burrs, sticks, barbed wire, and other nasty stuff they can run into out in the field. This vest is made from heavy duty nylon, with three adjustable buckles along the back. It comes in Safety Orange, High-Viz Yellow, and camouflage. The basic Body Guard is available in eight different sizes, with optional neoprene lining for warmth.

Photo by Erin Koski

This product was originally designed for hunting dogs, but it will work for any dog that needs protection on their underside. We've been using it to keep the foxtails to a minimum, and it also protects Zip from cactus spines and barbed wire.

The Body Guard design is different from the standard visibility vest, though it serves that function nicely. This vest has two leg holes, and provides full chest and belly protection as well as visibility.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros

• Thick ripstop nylon protects against thorns, cactus, barbed wire, burrs, and foxtails
• Genuine Safety Orange and Safety Yellow colors for high visibility during hunting season
• Open back design allows body heat to dissipate
• Sylmar says they do custom sizing and colors, small company eager to wok with customers

Cons

• Leg-hole design may cause chafing if the fit isn't right
• May restrict range of motion

Bottom Line

While the Body Guard does a nice job of keeping the foxtails off Zip's chest and belly, I feel it restricts her range of motion when she runs full-speed. Since most burs and stickers just fall out of her coat, I don't really need to keep her covered like this. However, her dad has a curly coat that picks up every nasty thing in the field, and this vest does wonders for him. Sylmar also makes sleeved suits for maximum protection, and we're seriously considering one for him.

Product Review: Doggles

Doggles are tinted goggles designed to protect a dog's eyes from the sun, flying debris, or accidental injury. Doggles come in an enormous range of sizes, colors, and styles to fit every dog. They are the first eye protection designed just for dogs, and still the best product on the market in my opinion.

Photo by Erin Koski

We jumped on the Doggles bandwagon very early, back when they came in five sizes but only one color. I actually bought these right when I brought Brisbane home as a baby puppy. I expected them to be a passing fad and wanted to grab them while they were available. Expecting him to grow to the 60-lb dog based on his size at 7 weeks, I purchased Large Doggles. A size Medium would fit better, but Briz hates these so the fit has never been an issue. I mostly just put them on dogs to laugh at them. Still, their pretty awesome and I wish they'd been around when I had a dog with glaucoma stumbling around.

When Brisbane was a baby, I used to take him to a morning playgroup at the Camarillo dog park. A hound mix named Stubbs had eye issues caused by flying crud getting lodged in his eyes when he stuck his head out the car window on the freeway. Rather than take this joy from him, Stubb's owner got him a set of Doggles and put them on him faithfully every time they got in the car. The eye issue resolved right away and Stubbs still got to feel the wind up his nose.

Pros: These come in an enormous variety of sizes and shapes to fit any dog. The company continues to improve their products, and if I had a dog that didn't fit any existing products I would probably contact them and see if they could take on the challenge of designing something that would work. The product line has been extended to include goggles with interchangeable lenses, fashion sunglasses, and the EYME UV protection mask that works like a flymask on a horse. Doggles provide UV protection just like human sunglasses. They also stay on thanks to a strap around behind the ears and one under the chin.

Cons: Not every dog will tolerate wearing them. Doggles make Brisbane want to give up at life. He doesn't care how well they accompany his fabulous steampunk outfit, he just doesn't want anything on his head.

Bottom Line: Doggles for dogs with injured or injury-prone eyes. Doggles for dogs that ride in the open air at high speed. Doggles for blind dogs with eyeballs at coffee table corner height. Doggles for desert hiking dogs. Doggles for everyone!

Phrases We Can Retire: "My Dog is Protective"

Another phrase that grates on my nerves is "protective", as in "my dog is so protective" or "he's just being protective" when a dog shows signs of aggression.

This is not a sign of aggression, it's just silly.

When my dog spazzes out and throws a barking fit because he saw another human on the street, he is not trying to protect me. My dog is being reactive, the sight of the other person causes him stress and anxiety, and he puts on a big loud display to tell the guy not to come any closer.

When my dog is ok with other dogs at the dog park, but attacks them when on leash, he isn't trying to protect me from the other dog. He is feeling vulnerable because the leash prevents him from retreating in a confrontation.

I think the reason that hearing bad behavior dismissed as "protective" bothers me so much is because it puts a positive spin on something we should be discouraging. There is absolutely nothing good about a dog that turns into a sputtering ball of rage every time another living thing gets within range. There is no reason to put a positive spin on a lapdog chomping anyone who sits down beside its favorite lap.

A lot of people I've talked to claim that their dog's protective behavior is a bad thing, but I feel that the word itself lends a subconscious positive cast to the word. Sure, I do feel at ease walking Brisbane through the bad part of town at 2am because I know he will eat anyone who gets within leash range, but I never call him or his behavior "protective". Briz is reactive, when he's feeling anxious he is likely to go off at anyone no matter how nonthreatening. On a dark street at 2am when I'm feeling antsy and the tension is going right down the leash, Brisbane would probably chomp a baby.

Happily, Brisbane does not guard non-edible toys.

This is why I greatly prefer the term "resource guarding" and "reactive" to describe the vast majority of "protective" behaviors. When my chihuahua shows his teeth because another dog or cat hopped up on the couch while he was sitting on my lap, he is guarding me as a resource. I can help improve this behavior by giving him treats when the other pets get close by, so he develops a positive association.

Brisbane used to throw a fit every time he saw a jogger, I improved this behavior by giving him treats every time he saw someone jogging. Eventually he learned that joggers meant tasty treats, and now he doesn't care about them anymore. Had I viewed this behavior as Brisbane protecting me from joggers, I may have tried to discourage it through aversive training.

When we call aggression and anxious behavior "protective", it gives us a reason to avoid dealing with it. Without consciously realizing it, we may write it off as something potentially positive. We may also attempt to remedy it the same way we might remedy other overly enthusiastic behaviors like jumping up to greet people. A knee to the chest might discourage a bouncy dog from pawing my clean shirt, but a leash correction or a harsh word when he's growling at a jogger across the street could be enough to convince him that everyone in sweats must die.