I love the Ruff Wear products- the best brand I've found for big tough outdoor dogs, as extremely well built and durable. We give our Great Pyrenees his annual hair cut in early May, as our summers are unbearably hot, and our winters very cold. He is always panting in the summer, and actually stands out in the river off and on for hours just to stay cool. I think this vest will help out a lot. He is a hard fit, as he weighs about 140 pounds, but the Ruff Wear products are adjustable so that the XL works for him in the Swamp Cooler Vest, and the Float Coat.

For the most part when it is wet this coat did keep my dog cool. The problem with it is on hot sunny day it dries out very very quickly. My girl is about 90% black so finding something that will help cool her for summer activites is very important to me. The plus side to it is that when she does wear it she has a very fast recovery time. She doesn't pant nearly as much with it on when it is wet. Also in her case after a few minutes in the shade she is ready to go. This is a good product and I would recomend it, but make sure you have plenty of water to keep it "recharged." Also the instructions tell you to ring it out after getting it wet. If you are in the sun a lot don't bother, I found it kept her cooler longer.

This cooling jacket makes a huge difference! I have a black dog and we spend a lot of time in the hot desert. In 85 degree weather, I can put this jacket on him - soaking wet - and we can go for a hike and he won't start panting for an hour! Plus, it reflects a massive amount of sun so even bone dry it helps keep him from overheating. I slide my hand under the jacket every once in a while to test the temp and though his fur is absolutely dry, it is very chilly. I was hesitant to buy this jacket, but after having done so, I am very pleased. The only drawback is the fabric. It's very snag/plant life prone and after each wearing i've had to de-grass, de-sticker, and de-twig it. If you have a black dog in a hot world, I highly suggest you treat yourselves to this jacket.

I would have to say that this vest does in fact work. My dog is about 95 % black and it did keep her cool when it was wet. The problem that I found with it is that on a hot sunny day it tends to dry out very quickly, so you will need to keep plenty of water available to "recharge' it. I did notice that when we got to shady spots that she recovered from the sun very very quickly. In her case a few minutes of rest and she was ready to go again.

This vest is the best summer buy I have found for my dog. He plays hard so gets overheated really easy and then spends all night trying to cool down. I got this vest and had him wear it while he fetched the frisbee and there was a huge difference. When we got home he was a little tired but not overheated or panting all night; after about 30 min. he could have gone right back outside to play some more. This vest reflects sunlight and when it needs to be 'recharged' I just get it wet while he's still wearing it. Perfect dog accessory for summer heat!!!

I bought the Swamp Cooler Vest for my black lab (who just can't slow down out on the trail -- he LOVES to run!). It works great. I bought another one for my Aussie mix because it does keep them cooler. We have to pack extra water or run by a water source to re-wet the vest after about 40 min on a hot day.

Size L was too big for my slender-but-muscular 86 lb. lab -- but the neck had to be widened by about an inch on the size M. Size M fits my 60 lb. Aussie perfectly.