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I wanted a vest that:
1. was relatively cheap;
2. did not have a snarling or drooling herding dog on it;
3. was wearable year-found;
4. Was adjustable and had many, many, many pockets;
5. could accomodate my tugs, collars, backties, orbees, dog bags, your mom, fetch-it "flingers," keys, Blackberry, pocket knife, and whatever other gadget might strike me as something to throw for/with/at the dog.
My solution?
Cabela's mesh fly fishing jacket
This thing can, at any one time, accomodate multiple mini-tugs up front, a 12 inch Ray Allen tug (my new favorite) or bigger in the back, any number of play balls and tugs you aim to carry, remotes, cell phone, collar tabs, everything...has small rings for clipping on leashes, etc.
You can laugh but it's really cool to take stuff out and throw a bunch of stuff at the dog in random patterns from anywhere on your chest. Makes the dog goofy and happy.
I ordered it a size big so I can wear it over my clothes (big concern here in Minnesota). And I only interact with Annie around the house (i.e., for play and tug and prey-building) when I'm wearing it so she does not think life with me is 24 hours of following me around and panting and looking for a game. It works pretty well in that respect.
Collar is a little heavier than I'd like...it will be warm over 80 degrees, I think...but the heavy collar makes it really comfortable to carry junk. It hasn't slowed down my prey-building stuff too much (i.e., baiting Annie with a tug and yanking it out, offering it a few times but finally letting her having it...)but I really need to make sure the tug clears my vest when I draw it from the back left or back right.
Way cooler for everyday walks than a dog training jacket. You do look like you are headed off to fly fish, but as we all know, chicks dig fly-fisherman. At worst I look like that strange uncle you had. And I am that guy. Pass me the cranberry sauce.
Ratings:
Coolness factor:
(you're wearing a fly fishing vest, dork)
Cost relative to training vests: ($55 or so)
Storage space relative to training jackets: (way better, ridiculous amounts of pockets and lots of locations to switch around)
Year-round utility: (it will get hot in summer heat and I will sweat, but I sweat because of my guilt and my corporate fat suit, you may not have the same problem)
Usefulness in basement torture sessions: Slicing an Achilles' tendon, going Mengele on some poor Dustin Hoffman-looking grad student, and performing quick Columbian neckties was never so easy (or fun!). Many pockets for utility knives, pliers, tape, scalpels, hammers, cat o' nine tails, popsicles, Little Debbies. And your mom.
Highly recommended!
1. was relatively cheap;
2. did not have a snarling or drooling herding dog on it;
3. was wearable year-found;
4. Was adjustable and had many, many, many pockets;
5. could accomodate my tugs, collars, backties, orbees, dog bags, your mom, fetch-it "flingers," keys, Blackberry, pocket knife, and whatever other gadget might strike me as something to throw for/with/at the dog.
My solution?
Cabela's mesh fly fishing jacket
This thing can, at any one time, accomodate multiple mini-tugs up front, a 12 inch Ray Allen tug (my new favorite) or bigger in the back, any number of play balls and tugs you aim to carry, remotes, cell phone, collar tabs, everything...has small rings for clipping on leashes, etc.
You can laugh but it's really cool to take stuff out and throw a bunch of stuff at the dog in random patterns from anywhere on your chest. Makes the dog goofy and happy.
I ordered it a size big so I can wear it over my clothes (big concern here in Minnesota). And I only interact with Annie around the house (i.e., for play and tug and prey-building) when I'm wearing it so she does not think life with me is 24 hours of following me around and panting and looking for a game. It works pretty well in that respect.
Collar is a little heavier than I'd like...it will be warm over 80 degrees, I think...but the heavy collar makes it really comfortable to carry junk. It hasn't slowed down my prey-building stuff too much (i.e., baiting Annie with a tug and yanking it out, offering it a few times but finally letting her having it...)but I really need to make sure the tug clears my vest when I draw it from the back left or back right.
Way cooler for everyday walks than a dog training jacket. You do look like you are headed off to fly fish, but as we all know, chicks dig fly-fisherman. At worst I look like that strange uncle you had. And I am that guy. Pass me the cranberry sauce.
Ratings:
Coolness factor:
(you're wearing a fly fishing vest, dork)Cost relative to training vests:
($55 or so)Storage space relative to training jackets:
(way better, ridiculous amounts of pockets and lots of locations to switch around)Year-round utility:
(it will get hot in summer heat and I will sweat, but I sweat because of my guilt and my corporate fat suit, you may not have the same problem)Usefulness in basement torture sessions:
Slicing an Achilles' tendon, going Mengele on some poor Dustin Hoffman-looking grad student, and performing quick Columbian neckties was never so easy (or fun!). Many pockets for utility knives, pliers, tape, scalpels, hammers, cat o' nine tails, popsicles, Little Debbies. And your mom.Highly recommended!
