Best French Bulldog Life Jacket: Top 3 Picks for 2024
Alex Vicente • Updated on August 18, 2023
- This review contains affiliate links. Read more here.
- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the top life jacket for Frenchies is, then we recommend the RUFFWEAR Float Coat as the best French Bulldog life jacket.
It’s so much fun to have your pooch accompany you on your water adventures.
You can see the smile on their face the whole time they’re in the water.
However, it’s important to make sure that we keep our dogs safe, just like we do with our kids.
A dog life jacket is a necessity in this case, especially if you own a French bulldog.
Frenchies aren’t the best swimmers, but their love for water is quite unmatchable.
Having that in mind, we created a guide to help you choose the best French Bulldog life jacket.
The 3 Best Life Jackets for French Bulldogs
There are many dog-specific life jackets on the market, but not all of them are suited for French bulldogs.
To narrow down your options, we rounded up three life vests with different price points, features, sizes, and buoyancy.
The Float Coat is the ultimate in canine flotation and water safety. This life jacket is designed for dogs that love to join their humans rafting, kayaking, boating, surfing and paddleboarding.
Ruffwear is one of the best brands in the market when it comes to outdoor gear for dogs.
The brand is dedicated to producing premium products that ensure the well-being of your dogs.
The Ruffwear Float Coat is a life jacket that’s made to stand the test of time.
It’s manufactured specifically to handle the water without losing its durability.
Unlike other dog life jackets, this vest stays the same in the water without getting stretched or loosened, thanks to its water-compatible webbing.
This dog-specific coat has an improved fit.
It’s manufactured with PVC-free GAIA foam panels that make the jacket soft and comfortable on your dog’s body.
It also features an adjustable neck closure to adjust the fit perfectly on your dog.
Additionally, the Ruffwear life vest features a strong handle for helping your Frenchie get out of the water.
With the brand’s safety-first philosophy, this vest includes reflective accents and a light loop so you can attach The Beacon.
- PROS
- Excellent durability
- Perfect for all water activities
- Comfortable and snug fit
- Increased visibility
- Adjustable neck closure
- CONS
- Not the most affordable option
- Perfect for all water activities
- Comfortable and snug fit
- Increased visibility
- Adjustable neck closure
Take your dog on amphibious missions with the US ARMY Dog Life Vest, Dark Camo. This life vest will help keep your best bud safe around water with its high buoyancy foam and bright yellow details that keep him visible even at a distance.
This life jacket is best for dogs that will be spending long periods in the water, especially during the daytime.
The high buoyancy foam ensures the safety of your dog and will keep him floating all the time, while the polyester material will keep your Frenchie’s body cool during the sun.
Also, polyester is highly UV-resistant, which enables this jacket to withstand prolonged exposure to the sunlight without being damaged.
The jacket fits snug on your dog and has adjustable fasteners for neck and girth.
However, keep in mind that it’s made for medium size breeds. So, if you have other dog breeds other than your Frenchie, they might not fit in this jacket.
To help keep your dog visible the vest features bright yellow details.
Additionally, it has a D-ring string to attach a leash to keep your bulldog close to you even in the water.
- PROS
- High buoyancy foam
- Adjustable fasteners
- Sturdy handle
- High visibility
- Affordable price
- CONS
- Only good for small to medium size breeds
- Adjustable fasteners
- Sturdy handle
- High visibility
- Affordable price
Outward Hound’s Granby Splash Dog Life Jacket is a dog flotation device designed with our thickest foam for maximum buoyancy. This life jacket is a water flotation aid designed for all swimmers.
Although this is a wallet-friendly option, the Outward Hound Granby Splash provides premium features that compete with high-end products.
That’s why it’s recommended by many French bulldog owners.
The Outward Hound Granby life vest comes in different colors and sizes to fit a wide range of dogs.
Your dog will fit perfectly into it, thanks to the adjustable straps.
It’s easy to get the fit right with this life jacket as the manufacturer provides a sizing chart based on girth measurement.
What’s perfect about this life jacket is its ripstop material that fits comfortably on your Frenchie’s body and doesn’t restrict its movement.
It also has a neoprene belly band that supports the belly and chest of your best bud.
This life vest is designed with a front neck float to help keep your bulldog’s head always above the water.
This is especially useful for Frenchies.
- PROS
- Reflective accents
- Adjustable straps with side release buckles
- A front neck float
- Ripstop material for high buoyancy
- Dual grab handles
- Budget-friendly
- CONS
- Not the most durable
- No D-ring
- A front neck float
- Ripstop material for high buoyancy
- Dual grab handles
- Budget-friendly
Everything we recommend
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OUR PICK
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What to Look For in a Life Jacket for French Bulldogs?
Before purchasing a life jacket for your French bulldog, you must first understand what your dog needs in a life jacket.
Here are things to look for in a life jacket for your French bulldog:
Sufficient Buoyancy
Some life jackets provide insufficient buoyancy relative to your dog’s size.
So, it’s important to check the weight guide to find out if the life vest will provide sufficient buoyancy for your dog’s weight.
Always look for words like high buoyancy, waterproof webbing, or floating foam.
Snug Fit
You don’t want to spend your hard-earned money on a life jacket only to find out that it doesn’t fit your Frenchie.
Make sure to check the manufacturer’s sizing chart, and to measure your Frenchie’s girth with respect to that chart, before making a purchase. purchasing.
Also, be sure to read the manufacturer’s guide on how to choose the right size for your dog, if present.
Another thing to always look for in dog life jackets is adjustability.
Adjustable straps allow the life vest to fit snugly on your dog without being uncomfortable and restricting the dog’s movements.
Durable Build
Most dog life jackets on the market provide average durability.
This isn’t a big problem if our dog will be in the water occasionally.
However, if your dog is addicted to being in the water, you’ll have to invest in a good durable life jacket.
It’s always better to look for a jacket that’s UV-resistant to ensure great durability.
Grab Handle
It might not seem important to you now, but if you’ve been in the water with your dog before, you’ll know the importance of a grab handle.
A grab handle makes it way easier on you to get your dog out of the water.
Without it, you’ll struggle a lot to get your dog out, especially if there are a lot of waves.
Wrapping Up
Your Frenchie shouldn’t come close to any body of water without a life jacket. All brachycephalic dogs, which include Frenchies, don’t have the right body for swimming.
They have short snouts, heavy heads and upper bodies, short legs, and dense muscle mass.
All of these just don’t help with swimming at all.
Frenchies can’t keep their heads above water without any type of buoyancy aid, so you have to provide a life jacket for your bulldog to keep him safe.
We assure you that all three products reviewed in this article are perfect for keeping your French bulldog safe in the water.
All you have to do is pick the one that suits your needs the most.
About Alex Vicente
Dog Lover, Founder & Chief Editor at Paws Insider
I’ve been rescuing dogs since a very early age. I got my first dog when I was 9 years old and I remember how he, out of a litter of 6 puppies, started running towards me. He’d just chosen me. Ever since then, my love for dogs only grows stronger and I want what’s best for them. My mission is to let our readers know about the best products in the market for our best friends, as well as providing guides and tips on how we can take better care of them.