Bulldogs + Water = Disaster

With lake and pool season just around the corner, I've been thinking a lot about how to make my dog-owning responsibilities transition to the leisurely life of water sports. Before Linus came into my life, it was no problem taking off to the lakes of southern Kentucky for a weekend. Maybe I am living in a dream world, but I am determined that trips to the lake this summer will not be one of those things I "just have to sacrifice" as the owner of a, shall we say, "special needs dog." In fact, I've been semi-seriously considering solutions, if they should exist, for water people who want to bring coveted pets around pools or aboard boats. Maybe we're fetching too far on this one, but I have luckily come across one reliable source with testimonials of floating bulldogs to boot.

Pawsaboard specializes in lifejackets for pooches who weren't so blessed as to have been born with webbed feet - or, dogs with webbed feet who want live up the life of a water dog. Their products, which include designer lifejackets, puppy pool steps and even skii rope leashes, are backed up by touching testimonials. One of these stories includes a case of an English bulldog, Libbey, who plopped into the water while disembarking her parents' boat, and was able to paddle her way to safety thanks to her doggie lifejacket. The owner said the lifejacket kept Libbeys' bulky bulldog head "way above the water," preventing the 11-year old companion from inhaling in any water.

A directory to help you find your nearest Pawsaboard vendor is available at the Pawsaboard Web site. While the lifejacket seems like a good idea in theory, I still have my own reservations about relying on one to save Linus' life. If Linus ever was launched from a boat, suited in a lifejacket or not, I would probably lose my mind. Maybe for sanity's sake I should toss out this idea for now.