Why did you pick this product vs others?:Haven’t got to test it out in the lake yet but the fit and quality is exceptional. I got an XL for my 85lb male golden. There is plenty of extra room, I may have gotten away with a large but he’s on the heavier scale of the large.

*Note: we exchanged the EZdog DFD original for the upgraded EZdog DFD X2. 5 stars for the DFD X2 upgrade (2.5 for the original which was VERY bulky, restricted movement and we had concerns that the gap created by Velcro on neck strap wouldn’t provide consistent head support). The upgraded EZdog DFD x2’s were better than we hoped. I was only expecting a marginal improvement, but the difference was significant. The DFD X2 still provides the extra the flotation we wanted over the handful of other brands we tried, while providing a sleek athletic fit that did not inhibit or restrict running, swimming, jumping or them rolling around upside down. The one piece neckline (with adjustments on the back of the neck) provided exceptional head support, supplementing their natural swim style. Unlike the original DFD, the large DFD X2’s fit both of our English Goldens perfectly. Our male is larger than usual, his measurements and build typically land him in between sizes on the chart. This was true for both versions of the DFD. The large DFD original was too small for him, and based on the measurements think the XL would have been too big. However, despite our experience with the original, we stuck with the large rather than sizing up on the DFD X2 based on other reviews and it was perfect! The adjustment capability between the neck strap and two belly straps allowed us to get a perfect fit on both of them. Functionally the vests provided the extra buoyancy we were looking for. It gave us peace of mind while embarking on longer swims alongside our SUPs, and notably gave them more confidence both being further away from shore and going longer distances. Unexpected bonuses: 1) the combination of the handle placement and design, it made it super easy to pull both dogs up on the paddle board with us, even in deep water! Our oldest became so confident from the added buoyancy and learning he could now easefully join or jump off mid-paddle he became like a little kid just getting on and off for what seemed to be the fun of it. 2) the vests look super cute and comfy. The pink and blue colors combined with the sleek fit makes them look super stylish. 3) initial impressions is one of durability. Straps, fabric and stitching seem to be of high quality, all survived our first outing without any signs of wear despite pulling them both up on board many times, as well as their continual (and joyful) rolling around upside onshore (note: they do this even without the life jackets for the joy of rolling and backscratching, not because of discomfort). The EZdog DFD X2 exceeded all our expectations and that made it worth the higher price point. Highly recommend upgrading to the EZdog DFD X2 !

We bought this in size L for our 80 pound German Shepherd to use in the pool. He doesn't know when to quit swimming, so we bought this to keep him safe. The large fits him perfectly, and he is a long, fit/slim 80 pounds. It would definitely fit him if he gained 10-20 pounds, as there is plenty more length in the belly straps. I don't think it would fit a "longer" dog or a larger breed. We love the bright red color because it's highly visible. It's heavy duty without being physically heavy. It feels high quality and I'm optimistic it will last a while, as it's holding up to near-daily use quite well.

My one dog has always loved to swim, but when she was 5, she developed an inner ear problem that lead to her getting vertigo. The first time she tried to swim after that was managed, she went to turn, rolled, and just sunk. I got other life jackets for her to try, and each of them had the same result as if she wasn't wearing them at all. This one is amazing, though. I don't think she'd be able to roll over in this if she tried.It is a little bulkier than the other life jackets I've seen/tried (just as far as abilty to fold and pack up to transport; it is not any heavier and it doesn't affect her ability to walk, run, jump, or swim at all), but for the ease of mind of having one that actually helps to protect my dog, I'm ok with it taking up a little more space in my closet.It has held together well over the years, but we haven't used it as much as those that live closer to water or have a pool might.My only problem with it is that I had to get my dog a rash guard because without it, the straps left her chest and abdomen pretty raw.

We received the EzyDog life vest today. I’ve included pictures of my Great Dane, Kissy, wearing the vest after we made adjustments for the fit, but I’m not sure yet if it is long enough for our 5 year old, 165-175 lb (tall) female Great Dane, but have no way to test it. And if you are a Great Dane owner, you know by her expressions on her face she is not excited about this new article of clothing. At this time of year, we don’t have a means to put her in water in December to confirm controlled flotation. Our pool is covered and closed in December so too cold here to test the vest in water. (She was put in the pool once as a 6-month old puppy and did swim the several feet to the steps (to make sure she could if she fell in) and she was NOT happy with her daddy, at all!), and she avoids being in the water at all costs so I would say she is not a “swimmer dog”.) And especially with the giant breeds, when you put the vest on, adjust the neck strap first to make sure the colored flotation part is all the way around the large neck/head area of these breeds, otherwise the colored flotation part will not fit all the way around neck/head area if you adjust the chest first,— the neck strap will be too low and you will just see the black strap around the neck, which will no support the head. The straps around the chest and the belly are pretty wide so should be more comfortable than narrow straps in this area. We had her wear the vest for about an hour tonight (until she clearly asked that it be removed) and will put it on her everyday to get her used to it. We have not found ANY dog life vest that accommodates the weight of a Great Dane—I only found “99+” lbs for those that even gave a weight. If anyone found a size AND weight for a Great Dane dog life vest that supports a Great Dane, PLEASE let me know in these comments. We bought this because we recently bought a 44’ Maxim 4100 SCR cabin cruiser to go along the Floria coast and to Bahamas and I have to have some kind of peace of mind for my baby for emergencies.