We have four Mustang auto/manual inflatable vests and a pair of Sospender auto/manual inflatable vests. The two Mustangs with built-in harnesses are kept on the large boat all the time and are what my wife and I use. The other Mustangs are for us on the fishing boat or guests on the big boat. The Sospenders are for guests on the fishing boat. Both boats also have several Type II PFDs on them. The dog has a floatation vest on both boats.
Our lab mix Pearl has a doggie pfd, yes, with a handle on it. Very useful if she tries to jump from the swim step to the dock and doesn't quite make it, or jumps out of the dingy. They make some very nice, sporty, well-designed doggie pfd's now, although ours cost more than some human pfd's.
Yes they are. He also wears a harness, much to his disgust, at all times on both boats. We can lift him with the harness as it's designed not to put pressure on sensitive areas.
This dog is much smarter when it comes to boating than the previous two. When it's rough on the fishing boat he comes out of the forecabin and lies on the floor in the cockpit where the motion is less.
In the cabin cruiser when it's rough he goes and lies down on the floor of the aft cabin which is just above the hull bottom and is the area of least motion in the boat. He has no inclination to go out on deck when it's rough plus the bulwarks on the cabin cruiser are high and the cockpit floor is low in the fishing boat. As he's in no danger of falling overboard on either boat we see no need for him to wear the life vests although we keep them handy next to the ditch bags on both boats.