Hello, dog-loving readers! In the event that you’re looking for a hunting vest for your eager, outdoorsy pup, then we have just the selection for you. We’ve put together an extensive guide to help you choose from all of the best dog hunting coats and vests available on the market today. Safety vests are crucial if you’re planning to take your dog hunting or camping. These vests keep your dog safe and visible, among other great features. Take a look!
The Best Dog Hunting Vests
The Reflective Waterproof Windproof Dog Coat by Migohi has our best choice spot for a number of reasons.
This stylish dog vest is the perfect high quality coat to dress your hunting dog in when you’re talking them outdoors. Migohi have designed their Reflective Waterproof Windproof Dog Coat to be used in wind, snow, and rain, making sure that your pup stays warm during their hunting adventures or their playtime outside.
Seven sizes to fit as many dogs as possible.
Easy to clean.
Designed to be splashproof, snowproof, and windproof.
Reflective edge tape to keep your dog safe at night.
- Brand: MIGOHI
- Weight: 2.4 Ounces
This Camo Neoprene dog vest from Browning is perhaps one of the most stylish and functional camo dog vest products you will find on Amazon.
Reviewers are raving about the product in all of its variations (of which there are four that span thickness and color).
The Mossy Oak Shadow Grass Blades variation is available with a 5mm thickness of neoprene fabric. A great find for hunting dogs that prefer water!
Camo style makes for a great hunting jacket.
Chestplate is flexible, keeping your dog safe and still allowing good mobility.
Designed to be trimmed where needed, securing the best fit for your hunting dog.
Adjustable straps across the back and side.
- Brand: Browning
This inexpensive hunting vest will certainly ensure you can see where your dog is while you’re outside with them. There’s no doubt about that. In fact, it’s such a bright color that you might need sunglasses during the day!
The Funtone Colors Store sell this vest in six different sizes and two colors. If orange isn’t on your list of product color needs, there’s a nice, reflective yellow instead.
Made from Oxford weave fabric, for added comfort.
Durable and won’t discolor.
Waterproof design with adjustable straps.
Simple design that is easy to take on and off your dog.
- Brand: Funtone Colors
- Weight: 3.53 Ounces
This is a perfect example of a brand that has reflective dog vests, ensuring the visibility and safety of your dog.
SafetyPUP XD’s Hi-Vis vests will make sure your dog can be seen at any time of day. The vest is a fluorescent color and has several reflective accents across the design.
These vests are also made with the attitude of a playful dog in mind. They’re designed with 300D Oxford Weave fabric, which is a durable fabric. Perfect for dog vests!
These blazing orange vests have adjustable straps, and are available in four different sizes. The largest size of these vests (that being Extra Large) will not fit a dog over 130lbs, with a chest measurement that is a maximum of 42 inches. That’s quite a large size, and we think you’d be hard-pressed to find a dog that big! For example, an adult Bloodhound has an average chest size of 28 inches, so they would fit a size Large easily.
Inexpensive.
Bright, visible design with reflective trim.
Made from a durable fabric.
Adjustable straps and comfortable design to keep your dog from chaffing.
- Brand: SafetyPUP XD
- Model: 14725
- Weight: 2.4 Ounces
An outdoor dog jacket that is perfect for all types of weather, here is the bestselling product from SILD.
SILD’s dog jacket comes in four colors – black, orange, rose red (which is a fuchsia pink tone), and yellow.
This dog jacket only seems to be available in two sizes, with those being a size Medium and a size Large. The Large is suitable for dogs with a back length of 16.9 inches and a chest measurement of 22.8 inches, while the Medium is good for a length of 15 inches and a chest measurement of 19.7 inches.
They’re pretty strange measurements, but the dog jacket is usually available in sizes Extra Small to XXXL. We can only assume their stock is currently low, hence the choice of just two sizes. If you’re interested in other sizes, check back in a few weeks to see if the stock has changed!
There doesn’t seem to be any adjustable straps on this design, but it’s extremely well-made and will fully wrap around the torso of your dog to encase them in a high quality, waterproof material with Velcro fastenings.
Convenient fastenings.
Full jacket for comfort and warmth, all year round.
Suitable for dogs and cats.
Available in several sizes and colors.
- Brand: SILD
- Weight: 3.53 Ounces
A vest that looks a little more “action movie” that the other vests we’ve shown so far, this dog vest comes from the brand EJG.
EJG have designed this dog vest as a tactical-type vest, which would be better for use in military or hunting scenarios. In fact, they market it as a vest primarily for service and military dogs. You can easily imagine a police dog wearing something like this.
That’s not to say it wouldn’t work for your house pup, too! This vest comes with its own collapsible bowl and folding spoon. Imagine taking your dog hiking with you and they’re wearing this amazing tactical harness? Wait, it gets better. There are also bungee cords tied into the design, so that your dog can carry items like a water bottle or a flashlight.
We wouldn’t recommend using a tactical vest like this for a small dog, as the vest is actually only available in sizes Medium, Large, and Extra Large. It comes in both black and tan colors, which both scream “military”. This could be an ideal dog vest for the serious hunter!
Find out more about Tactical Dog Vests.
Bungee cords to store water and other items on your dog’s back.
Front handle to lead and control your pup.
Comes with a bowl, spoon, and patch that can be sewn into the design.
Customizable.
- Brand: EJG
- Weight: 14.89 Ounces
A great vest if all you’re looking for is a simple product to keep your dog cool and safe during hot days outdoors.
The Dog Cooling Vest from Smartelf is designed to act as a cooling agent, when your dog could easily overheat in warm weather.
You can soak the entire vest in cool water for a couple of minutes, wring it out, and fix it onto your dog to keep them from getting too hot.
On top of this feature, the bright orange color of the vest ensures your dog can be seen, even if you aren’t near them. Areas of the vest are outfitted with reflective trim for an added peace of mind.
This could be a great vest to take your dog hunting in. If they become too warm, all you’d need to do is pour some water over the vest and let the product work its magic!
Take a look at our guide on the Best Dog Cooling Vests.
Cooling and evaporating technology.
Reflective trim.
Lightweight.
Breathable fabric.
- Brand: Smartelf
- Weight: 7.05 Ounces
This LED Dog Vest by Illuminseen takes dog visibility and safety to a whole new level.
It is a truly unique vest, featuring rechargeable LED lights that can be seen through the reflective strips down either side of the jacket. The lights are wonderfully bright and will ensure that your dog can be seen in the dark by anyone who is driving around at night.
Recharging isn’t difficult, either! Simply plug in your rechargeable battery pack into a free USB port in your home and wait up to one hour.
This jacket is adjustable, too, for added comfort, with five sizes to choose from!
Reflective trim combined with LED lights.
Bright design for added visibility.
Quick-release buckles.
Comfortable fabric.
- Brand: Illuminseen
- Weight: 3 Ounces
Designed with the protection of your dog in mind, the Pet Skid Plate Dog Harness from Mendota ensures your pup stays safe.
The harness fits around your dog’s chest, stomach, and flank. These are the most likely areas that your dog would be hit by another dog or object.
The idea behind the plate is to give your pup more protection that they would otherwise not have without it. Dog injuries can be costly vet trips, after all!
Protective design.
Bright color for visibility.
Easy to adjust.
Quick-release buckles.
- Brand: Mendota Pet
- Model: ME65192
- Weight: 4.8 ounces
This is more that just a vest for your dog. This Camo Pet Life Preserver Jacket is a wonderfully designed life jacket that you shouldn’t be without. Especially if you’re taking your pup anywhere near a body of water!
Not only does the life jacket have a rescue handle that allows you to simply pick your dog up if you need to, but the straps of the design also fully encase your dog. This ensures they won’t slip out of the life jacket if you do need to rescue them or quickly get them out of the water.
Beyond water adventures, such as boating, you could also fit this to your pup before you take them swimming.
Read here our article on the Best Dog Life Jacket.
Quick rescue handle.
Secure fit.
Easy to adjust.
Reflective detailing.
- Brand: yoyoung
- Weight: 12.64 Ounces
Dog Hunting Vests Buying Guide & FAQ
Things to Look for When Picking a Dog Hunting Vest
If you’re looking for the perfect dog hunting vest, then we have just the thing for you! Even if you don’t want a vest specifically for hunting, our list of the best outdoorsy doggie coats also work great on hikes, late-night walks, and forest adventures. All vests are high quality made and great to have on hand. Here are some important features to look for when picking the best vest for your dog.
Check out our guide on the Best Dog Winter Coats.
Neoprene Fabric
Fabric is uber-important, especially if it is made of neoprene material! Neoprene is material made from synthetic rubbers. It’s stretchy, flexible, and water-resistant, so it’s great for all kinds of outdoorsy escapades.
As well as being used in some brands of hunting vest, neoprene is commonly used to create sports clothing for humans. It isn’t a breathable fabric, though, more of a protective layer. You’ll find that neoprene is used to make products like wetsuits. This is because it insulates the body and stops water from getting to your skin, or soaking your pup’s fur!
For a hunting vest, that makes neoprene a great fabric choice. Hunting is an all-weather kind of activity, and it’s unlikely you and your dog will leave the second a little drizzle starts. Having a neoprene hunting vest means that your dog will be protected from the weather a bit better than they would without one! If your dog is hunting ducks, then all the better for them to be wearing this on their back when they jump into the pond to retrieve them!
Some of the best dog hunting vests use neoprene in their design. If you and your hunting dog are going anywhere near water, then outfitting them with a neoprene vest is just common sense.
Adjustability and Size Options
There’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to dogs. Hunting dogs are a variety of shapes and sizes, from the Beagle and the English Springer Spaniel, to the Labrador Retriever and the Bloodhound. Your hunting dog deserves a vest that fits them just as well as your own clothes do! That’s why we value size as an equally important consideration.
To start, check the sizing chart of the vests that you’re considering and find the option that fits your dog best. Second, figure out whether you’d want an adjustable vest or one that is one size. Dogs continue to grow, even after they’ve stopped being puppies! As an adult, they can put on weight, gain more muscle, or loose excess fat. The adjustable option ensures that you aren’t buying a new hunting vest every few years. The only reason you’d need to replace the one you buy is if it becomes too damaged to function, which would really only happen from excess use anyway!
Vest Features
You should also compare the features of the different vests you’re considering, as each one comes with a unique set.
For example, having a vest with reflective detailing can ensure the safety of your hunting dog while you and they are out and about. We’ve already touched on size and adjustable straps, but both are just as important when choosing a vest.
Consider also the material and design of the hunting vests. Not all hunting vests are suitable for every hunting dog. Do a little research to find the best dog hunting vests for your furry friend!
Why Your Dog Needs a Hunting Vest
There are several reasons that your dog might benefit from having their own hunting vest. For one, it gives them added protection while on outdoor excursions. Every dog is unique, but hunting dogs love chasing down scents, running off into fields and forests, and, well, hunting objects and small animals.
There are so many great hunting vests out there that are perfect for this situation, depending on you and your hunting dog’s needs. Dog hunting vests are a dime a dozen, but it’s still important to have one at the ready before you and your hunting dog go out for the day.
It’s likely that your dog will easily camouflage themselves into their surroundings. In an open field, provided that they aren’t too far away, you should be able to spot them. But in a forest setting, you may find yourself hunting for your dog if they aren’t wearing a vest that makes it easier for you to find them. Not only will vests allow you to find your dog, they will also ensure that other people can see your dog while you’re out hunting. This is especially important during the evening, when the sun sets.
Without brightly colored vests or ones that have reflective accents, another person out walking or driving in their car might not see your dog. Visibility is crucial in an urban setting. There are too many variables and too many things that could happen to your dog if they can’t be seen by others.
Dog Hunting Vest FAQs:
Q: Which material is best for dog hunting jackets?
A: Choose a jacket that is made of neoprene. This material is best for dog hunting jackets, as you can use it while hunting on land or near water. All fabrics have their own benefits, but a neoprene jacket is a good all-rounder. Alternatively, any jacket with a waterproof layer is ideal.
Q: Do all hunting vests for dogs feature reflective properties?
A: All of the vests that we have featured on our list do. We wouldn’t recommend buying a hunting vest that has no reflective or safety properties.
Q: How can I tell that a vest is fitting my dog properly?
A: Before you purchase any vest, ensure that you measure your dog while they are standing, with all four paws firmly on the ground. Doing this will ensure that you get the best fit every time. To check the fit, slip two fingers underneath any of the straps of the vest. If they cannot fit, it’s too tight.
Our Top Pick
To refresh your mind, our top pick for the best reflective vest for your hunting dog is the Migohi Reflective Waterproof Windproof Dog Coat.
Here is our review of the product:
Migohi gives their customers seven sizes and four colors to choose from. With so many size choices, it’d be difficult for a dog owner to struggle finding a suitable size. This feature makes this dog vest an ideal online purchase.
When you visit a pet store, they rarely carry so many sizes. It’s more likely that they’ll only have sizes ranging in Small and Extra Large. That’s only if you’re lucky on the day you visit! This forces more people to shop for their dog’s products and protective pieces online. It’s much easier to have all of the size information and product features in front of you and to compare with other products on your screen. Plus, if it doesn’t fit, sending it back and getting a replacement is a simple trip to your local post office.
Migohi designed this vest using terylene, fleece, and cotton. The composition of the vest ensures that your dogs stay warm from the inner layer of fleece and cotton, while the waterproof outer layer of terylene keeps your dogs nice and dry.
As if that wasn’t enough, the design of the vest also includes a zipper for easier access to your dog’s collar and/or harness. The elasticated leg straps ensure the product stays in place on your dog’s back, without moving too much while they’re out walking.
That’s not even the best part. Our favorite feature of the product is its reflective edge. There’s nothing we advocate for more than dog safety. Visibility of dogs during nighttime or low-light walks is a sure sign of that! Make sure your hunting dog is clearly seen with this blazing, orange-toned vest. The orange version of Migohi’s product is sure to keep your pup in the light!
You may also like our article on the Best LED Dog Harness.
Sources:
- Cold Weather Animal Safety, American Veterinary Medical Association
- Pet Tip: Cold Weather Safety, The MSPCA–Angell
- How to Keep Dogs Warm in the Winter, Best Friends Animal Society
