Hey, fellow pet lovers!

Today’s post is a review of one of my favourite products we have ever got the girls, and that is their Xdog Weight and Fitness Vests. I think this post fits in pretty well with my last post, which was all about Obesity and our pets, the shocking truth! If you haven’t checked this post out, then give it read now or after finishing this Xdog weight vest review, as it is exciting! So many of our companion animals are obese and are suffering every day because of the excess weight they carry, but today’s post could help combat canine obesity.

Let’s jump straight in and learn what I love so much about the Xdog Weight and Fitness vest!

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Xdog Weight and Fitness Vest

Nia and Lily having fun at the park in their Xdog Weight Vests.

Here are my girls Nia and Lily having lots of fun at the park while wearing their Xdog Weight and Fitness vests. We got the girls these vests at the start of May and weren’t able to use them as much as we had hoped in the Summer with it being so warm, but thankfully with the weather cooling down now, we can use them a lot more.

What are the benefits of your canine wearing a weight vest?

There are so many different benefits of your pooch wearing an Xdog Weight and Fitness vest, such as:

• Build Healthy Muscle

The first benefit to talk about is the fact that getting your pet an Xdog Weight and Fitness vest will help them build healthy muscle and in turn, stay fit and strong. By keeping your pooch in good shape and a healthy weight, you are preventing them from becoming obese and suffering from a myriad of health conditions, as well as ensuring your pet has a happy and healthy life, with many years by your side.

• Combats Obesity In Overweight Dogs

If you have read my last post on Obesity and our pets, the shocking truth! Then you will already know how big of a problem obesity is amongst our canine friends and feline friends.

Just a quick recap, in the UK vets, believe that:

• 52% of dogs are overweight.
• 47% of cats are overweight.
• Shockingly 83% of owners don’t think their pets are overweight!

Statistics are taken from: (pfma (2018). [online] Available at: https://www.pfma.org.uk/_assets/docs/annual-reports/PFMA-Pet-Data-Report-2018.pdf [Accessed 1 Sep. 2018].)

In America, the statistics are just as bad, and In APOP’s 2017 clinical survey, it was found that:

• 56% of dogs were classified as clinically overweight (body condition score (BCS) 6-7) or obese (BCS 8-9)
• 60% of cats were classified as clinically overweight (body condition score (BCS) 6-7) or obese (BCS 8-9) by their veterinary professional.

Statistics are taken from the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. (n.d.). Home. [online] Available at: https://petobesityprevention.org/ [Accessed 1 Sep. 2018].

These are scary statistics, and one way we can combat this ever-growing obesity problem amongst our canine friends is by getting our pets a weight vest. It is a simple and effective way to ensure your pet is getting enough physical exercise and can maintain a healthy weight.

My girl Nia used to be the laziest dog on the planet, not kidding you!

Nia lives either on the sofa or the bed. She very rarely chases after the ball at the park, but thankfully now all that has changed. Since getting her an Xdog Weight and Fitness Vest, her stamina has increased massively alongside her energy levels, and this is, great as it means a happier, healthier Nia.

• Ignite Performance Levels

Whether or not your pooch is a performance dog or participates in pet agility and competes it doesn’t matter, this Xdog Weight and Fitness vest will ignite your pet’s performance levels and help them reach a new personal best. It has been amazing to watch my girls get stronger each month, and I cannot wait to see what they are like after a whole year of wearing their Xdog weight vests, they are going to be so buff!

• Natural Calming Tool that Reduces Anxiety

A lot of pooches suffer from anxiety, and by getting your pet a weight vest, it can help them to feel more comfortable and relaxed when out and about. This is because of a variety of reasons such as:

• Your pet feels safe when wearing their Xdog Weight and Fitness Vest

When your pet wears their weight vest, this will provide them with a hugging sensation which will make them feel more comfortable, relaxed and happy when out and about.

• Your pet has a purpose when wearing their Xdog Weight and Fitness Vest

The second reason that wearing a weight vest calms our pets is that it gives our pets purpose because you are providing your pet with an exercise that is just for them, and this makes them feel like they have a particular purpose, which results in a calmer, happier pet. My girl Lily can be a bit hit or miss with other dogs sometimes and by having her Xdog Weight and Fitness vest on it allows us to get more of her energy out which in turn will help her be calmer and more relaxed around other dogs.

There have been a few times in the park this year when Lily has been wearing her weight vest, and other dogs have come on the field, and she hasn’t kicked off with them. I think this is because of how much energy she has expanded while running around with her weight vest. 

• Max Out Strength

Let’s get our pooches fit & healthy! 💪

Having a healthy and robust dog is vital for your pets overall quality of life, longevity, and happiness.

By pushing the boundaries of normal pet activities with your pet and not merely doing the usual walk around the block or a quick trip to the park, you are maximising every second of physical exercise with your pooch. You are creating a more energetic, happy and healthy pet. We all want our furry friends by our side for as long as possible and by keeping them healthy and fit you are doing everything you can to have them around for as long as possible.

• Strengthens Cardiovascular Health

Another great benefit of getting your pet their very own Xdog Weight and Fitness vest is that it strengthens their cardiovascular health. Which is a massive advantage for ensuring your pet stays healthy and has a strong heart to keep up with plenty of physical activities? 

• Xdog’s Weight and Fitness Vest is fully Waterproof

Another great thing about the Xdog’s Weight and Fitness Vest is that it is fully waterproof which means you can take your pet to the beach for a fun day of playing in the sea or even just a quick dip in your pool if you lucky enough to have one! Either way by making their vest waterproof it means you can take your pooch out on great adventures and not have to worry about them getting wet or ruining their vest if they decide to go for a quick plunge.

• Total Body Workout!

What is better than a total body workout?

The last benefit to talk about is that the Xdog Weight and Fitness Vest provides your pet with a full body work out when wearing it and means you don’t have to worry about overworking or underworking certain parts of your dog’s body. The fact that you have weights evenly distributed on each part of your pet ensures every muscle is being used and will provide your pet with a safe full-body workout.

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What makes the Xdog Weight & Fitness Vest better than others on the market?

There are so many weight vests to choose from so why opt for an Xdog Weight and Fitness vest instead of others on the market?

In my opinion, the Xdog’s Weight and Fitness vest are superior in a variety of ways to other vests. This is because of their weight vest:

• Having Adjustable Weights

One of the best things about the Xdog weight vest is that you can adjust your pets weights accordingly. You are not stuck with one weight and can decrease the weight if your pet has had a hard work out a few days prior or increase if you want to push their limits and help them get stronger.

What I love is that you are in full control every second of your pets workout.

• Safe, Sand filled Weight Bags

The use of metal weights can be dangerous on your dog, not only causing heavy pressure on their backs but also an injury if your dog falls incorrectly. The Xdog Weight and Fitness Vest does not use metal weights and instead uses sand-filled weights that mould and shape to the body of your pet naturally. Sand also allows you to slowly increase or decrease the weight so you can gradually and comfortably increase the weight of your pets vest when necessary. The Xdog Weight and Fitness vest do not come with sand included, and you do have to order some to put in your weight bags. If you want to increase the weight beyond what the sand-filled bags will allow, you can then fill the bags with steel or copper bbs but remember these are heavy so increase the weight slowly. 

• They’re Made Using High Quality, Lightweight Material

The Xdog Weight and Fitness vests are made using high quality, durable material that allows smooth, free movement when your pet is wearing their vest.

• They Have Front Shoulder Weights

Another great thing about the Xdog Weight and Fitness Vest is the fact that it has front shoulder weights and is the only vest on the market that does this and it allows your pet to build stronger muscle and strength on their front legs which helps them to have faster takeoff speeds. 

By evenly distributing the weights in your pets vest, you can put more in without compromising on comfort or the safety of your pet.

• Double Secure Strapping

The Xdog Weight and Fitness vest have two secure straps that ensure the vest stays nicely fitted on your pooch while they are wearing it. Some vests aren’t as secure as this one, and my girl’s vests stay on while they are running around like crazy and jumping in the air to catch the ball at the park.

• No weights placed directly on the spine area of your pet

Unlike other weight and fitness vests on the market that features weight placement directly on the spine area, the Xdog weight vest doesn’t. By having weights placed directly on your pet’s spine, this can cause pain and discomfort to your pooch. Each weight placement on the Xdog Weight and Fitness Vest is properly positioned on the sides and front shoulder area of the vest to ensure your pet is comfortable and safe at all times when wearing their vest.

• Additional Resistance Attachments

Xdog is a company that focuses on pushing the boundaries of canine fitness and wants to help you get your pet as fit as possible; which is why they have a range of resistance attachments for their weight vests to help you push your pets workouts to the extreme.

As well as their Xdog Weight and Fitness vest they also sell:

• Xdog Parachute
• Xdog Resistance Band
• Xdog Weighted Drag Bag

There are so many great Xdog accessories to make your pets workout more awesome, we are yet to get Nia and Lily the Xdog parachute, resistance band, and weighted drag bag but I can certainly say we will look at some point.

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Tips for Safely using an Xdog Weight and Fitness Vest

It is so important that you know how to safely use a weight vest when helping your pet get fit and healthy. There are a few rules you should stick with and these are:

• Supervise your pet at all times when they are wearing their weight vest

You should always be around when your pet is wearing their weight vest and never leave them alone when wearing it. 

• Be super careful during warm weather

If it is hot outside, then you should miss sticking your pets weight vest on until later on in the day if the weather is going to cool down or get up super early and take them out before it gets too warm.

• Make sure your pet is hydrated before using their vest and take water out with you

Make sure your pet has had a good drink before you go out with them wearing their weight vest and be sure to take water out with you encase your furry friend needs a drink during their workout.

• Don’t put a weight vest on a puppy or a dog under 2 years old

An adult dog can handle the extra weight, but a puppy is still growing, and it is not a good idea to put the added stress on their growing bones and joints. Wait until your puppy is at least two years of age until you put a weight vest on them. Plus even if you could, they would just outgrow their weight vests in a few months, and you would have to keep buying them new ones, which would be very expensive!

• Don’t use a weight vest on dogs with any injuries

To be safe, don’t use a weighted vest on any dogs with injuries as this could make them worse. If your dog has had an injury in the past, consult your veterinarian before getting them a weight vest.

• Don’t use a weight vest for pregnant mothers

Don’t use a weight vest on pregnant bitches as they already have enough strain on their body, and it will not do the mother or her pups any good.

• Slowly increase the weights as the weeks and months progress

It is super important to increase the weights as the weeks go on slowly, so your pet gets used to the added stress on their body.

• Never put more than 10-20% of your dog’s ideal body weight in their weight vest

This next tip is super essential. All pets need to be carrying the correct weight for their body weight, and if they carry too much, then they could do some severe harm to their body. Never put more than 10-20% of your pet’s ideal body weight in their weight bag to ensure they are safe from injury.

• Increase your pet’s food accordingly

Remember that your pet is doing more exercise than just going on a normal walk, therefore you need to up their food depending on how much extra exercise they are doing, to help their body create more lean muscle mass.

• Be sure to give your pet many rest days

Don’t make your pet wear their weight vest every day; you must give them days off to rest, for example, you could start using the vest on alternate days and work your way toward three days on one day off.

• Lastly, always be super-mindful when your dog is wearing their weight vest.

Always be observant when your pet is wearing their weight vest or bag and keep a close eye on them at all times. If you can tell, your dog is acting odd or maybe in any discomfort then remove their vest straight away!

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Xdog Weight and Fitness Vest Size Chart

To know what size Xdog Weight and Fitness vest your pet needs simply check the chart above and measure your pooch to be sure. For Nia, we got a Small/Medium, but for tiny Lily, we had to get an Extra Small.

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What do I love about the Xdog Weight and Fitness Vest?

My gorgeous girls, Nia and Lily rocking their Xdog Weight and Fitness Vests 😍 

I wanted to finish this post by saying what I love so much about the Xdog Weight and Fitness vest. I love my girl’s Xdog Weight and Fitness vests, and they are one of the best things we have ever got them!!

They are perfect when my partner and I have a super busy day ahead of us and need to get the girls out on a quick walk but want to ensure they still get enough physical exercise. We can simply stick their vests on and know they are working much harder than just going on a regular walk. I also love seeing how happy my girls are when they are wearing their vests. I think they both look great and appreciate the extra mental and physical stimulation that these vests provide. Knowing my partner and I are pushing the boundaries of the standard of care and giving my girls fun, and creative ways to exercise makes me feel great! 

I want to have my girls around for as long as possible and by feeding a species-appropriate diet, finding fun and exciting ways to exercise them and lastly giving them plenty of love every day; I hope we can achieve this. 

Order your Xdog Weight and Fitness Vest Today! 🙌

To order your pet their very own Xdog Weight and Fitness Vest simply follow the link above and use the coupon code epoch at the checkout to get 10%!

*By purchasing through this link you are supporting epoch.pet as we get a small amount of commission, with no extra cost to you. This money helps keep the blog up and running and allows us to purchase pet products to review on our site. I only ever review products that my girls have tried and tested and that I think are great!

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Thanks for reading this post. I cannot stress enough how life-changing these vests have been for the girls; they have made ordinary walks a fun workout or trips to the park so much more exciting. If you have a pooch who needs to lose a few pounds or you simply want to find a fun and exciting way to provide them with a full-body workout, then the Xdog Weight and Fitness vest is a great option. One last thing to note if you live outside of America and order your pet their very own Xdog Weight and Fitness Vest then you may have to pay a courier charge for getting it into the country, we had to for the girls’ vests, but they have been worth every single penny!

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Fortnightly posts every other Tuesday!