EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

Ive been debating running vest on a couple of my dogs for quite a while, but I finally decided to give it a shot.  The two dogs I am talking about are young plot males that are rough.  The younger of the two is about 18 months and he has caught every hog he has seen.  He has caught a couple good hogs by the ear and he has stayed locked down while taking a beating.  It is just a matter of time before he tried the wrong boar or barr and I don't think he will back up and bay.  The other plot will try every hog, but he will stand back on a really bad hog.

I have two vest now that I've used on my catch dogs they are both from Hardcore.  After doing some research, I decided to give Larry Paris from P&P a try.  I called Larry today and described what I wanted.  He was everything people have described him to be.  A very nice and knowledgeable man.  After talking about what would be the best option for my long range gritty dogs, I told him to build me a couple vest like he would build them for his own dogs.  I didn't know he also had some plots and he knew a thing or two about the breed and bear hunting.

Im excited about getting the vest and I hope I can get the dogs comfortable in them before fall gets here.  I don't imagine I will use the vests on the dogs in the summer- these dogs will not stay close and I don't want to risk over heating them. 

Will try to post some pics of vest when they get here.  I certainly hope they turn out as well as people have they said they will.

Good luck with them. If the vest fit proper u should have no issue with them. I have a dog that I call a RCD. He will go as far as it takes to put teeth in one. No bay all bite. If he is on the ground he is vested. More than once I figure that vest has saved him. When they are that rough u have no choice really. 


Shotgun
Arkansas

I've known and hunted with Larry for 18 years and one thing I can assure you is that he will make the vest suit you and your needs.  If there is anything that don't suit you just let him know and he'll get it right , asap.  Vests are very tough to fit without the dog being there for measurements and a visual note of the dogs comformation so having said that if the vest needs some "tweaking or tuning" just let him know and he'll take care of business.  

One of the biggest and baddest boars I ever caught was on a hunt with Larry.  I had the hog by the legs trying to flip him and all Larry could say was "what kinda teeth does he have?"   When I finally got him rolled over I told Larry to tie him and I'd just hold him and some how Larry tied the hog in a manner in which my leg was between the strings and the hogs belly and I couldn't get up and he had to untie him and let me up.  Lol

Ask Larry about his Brush-buster curs.  Lol

Some dogs it doesn't bother then I have seen dogs that will tear the woods down with out one put one on them and turn them loose and they stand by the fourwheelers after making them wear it in there pen for a few days. But I have found if you soak them in water and let the dog wear them till they dry it seems to fit better

I have a couple P&P. I like them for CDs. Consider a breastplate for running dogs. I've been running them on my stag/ab crosses. They allow them to maintain most of their speed, agility and don't run near as hot. Hairyholder makes the best in my opinion. Lots of thought put into them.

Not knocking Larry at all. I agree with everything you said about him. His vests are very nice.

The biggest issue I found with a vest on a running dog is reach. Some vest by design normally don't have the reach a running dog needs. The way I check this is hold the front legs about the wrist and stand the dog up on its hind legs as tall as u can without a vest. Then repeat with a vest. Look for binding in point of shoulder at chest. Also leave a lil room when tightening to allow a lil movement for and aft. The vest I run was essentially designed for bulldogs and the range of motion they have. It works great on them. For proper fit on a running dog I had to send it back and have 1.5" removed from point of shoulder. He is now fast as ever with the vest. My vest is also pliable which allows plenty of range of motion twisting and turning. I'm sure mr Larry will make sure u recieve proper fit but these are some things I noticed made a difference and how I check them. 


Shotgun
Arkansas

I have a lot of different ones and the best fit has been from Larry and confederate kennels they have worked good for me. On a side note Larry will do and try anything you ask couldn't ask for more nicer man

Sounds like a good guy


Sonny

I've tried a few different vest on my hounds, but none of them work very good.  I'll look this Larry guy up and give him a call.  The vest are fine, but they bind up a long legged hound. 

I run the hardcore bay vest on my Catahoula's, and they work out great. 

I run a southern style vest that was made to measurement. Like I said all I had to do is have them give me 1.5" in point of shoulder.


Shotgun
Arkansas

I did give Larry my measurements for both dogs, I guess only time will tell now. 

Keep us posted on how they work. I tried running a P&P on a Plott I have. Gave Larry measurements and all and it didn't work worth a hoot. Slowed him up pretty bad.  Good vests but will cut down a track dog's speed IMO.

U should be fine but check for range of motion. The reach on the front legs makes all the difference in the world when it comes to running. Any bind at all will mess up their gate and slow them down.


Shotgun
Arkansas

I'll keep the topic up-to-date.  If the vests slow them down or make a negative impact, I'll have a couple vests for sale LOL.  I would hate to lose either dog but I wont hold them back for what they were bred to do and the reason I feed them and that is to catch hogs.

I received me vests in the mail today.  My initial thoughts are, built well, but a little heavier than I thought.  Larry put a bunch of drain holes in the vest to ensure water can drain.  Vests seem to be well built and he added a little bib to help protect the throat area.  He also added in a lead rope; I guess that was free or no charge.  I'm headed out to the kennels to feed dogs.  I'm going to put the vests on the dogs and see how they fit.

I bought a running vest from Larry and it is a little heavy and seems a little restrictive...also has a bib that I asked for and that was a mistake...this vest is good enough for a catch dog...I still have it but don't use it...I use some cheap ones I get from the local feed store and they are light weight and they have plenty of room to run in...to get the running room the hole for the front legs are a little big for the running/clearance of legs...but is a concern because that is a spot that can get hit, right above the elbow...

I got one just like you stated works good for my dogs and they put down 3 to 15 miles a hunt have no problem the thing is to me when they get there they have the pertection they need cuz they are rough if they weren't as rough I say use the cheap ones but some time my dogs might be caught 1/2 mile or better away. I learned the hard way on that just my two cents good luck

Larry did make the arm holes slightly larger than he normally does to give them a little extra room to run.  I'm not too worried about small areas the vest doesn't cover; it is more protection than they both had before.  And like I said before, it slows them down at all, the vest will come off.  I id manage to take a couple pics in the back yard last night.  I was hoping to try them out this am but I couldn't find anyone that wanted to hunt.

(http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w486/joncowart/2014-01/F30D83E2-68AA-4B08-B3E1-A9AFB11A7617.jpg) (http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/joncowart/media/2014-01/F30D83E2-68AA-4B08-B3E1-A9AFB11A7617.jpg.html)

(http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w486/joncowart/2014-01/ADF8951B-E25A-4C54-B489-ECE732895236.jpg) (http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/joncowart/media/2014-01/ADF8951B-E25A-4C54-B489-ECE732895236.jpg.html)

(http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w486/joncowart/2014-01/21391531-7182-4FFD-8461-03884A962EF7.jpg) (http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/joncowart/media/2014-01/21391531-7182-4FFD-8461-03884A962EF7.jpg.html)

(http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w486/joncowart/2014-01/40F15B4A-5E96-462B-B609-86DB9808EE90_1.jpg) (http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/joncowart/media/2014-01/40F15B4A-5E96-462B-B609-86DB9808EE90_1.jpg.html)

(http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w486/joncowart/2014-01/80293A78-95A7-4FAF-99A7-3CBA320BED68.jpg) (http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/joncowart/media/2014-01/80293A78-95A7-4FAF-99A7-3CBA320BED68.jpg.html)

nice looking vests...I also like those plotts...bob their tail and they could pass for the old time mt cur...

Thanks

It must be cool where y'all are hunting .I know by 830am our dogs are hassling pretty good and it's scorching here  I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be worth a flip with a vest on. Usually a dog can get over a cut with a little time but a heat stroke the dog won't ever be much after that.

I back up Larry parishs vest 100% his vests are all I use I run his 6 ply vest that go to the back of my dogs rib cage so they don't move awkwardly his vest are durable and dependable we've gotten on some bad s.o.b's and haven't had a hole put in em yet I used them for 4 years and I still run my first vest I've ever bought (from Larry) and it don't have any holes in it and he's fixed our vests for free where they fray out and he can build a vest to fit your dog we take dogs to him to have them fitted don't get me wrong i know people that use other brands of vests and they love them but different stroke for different folks let us know how you like em and good looking dogs and happy huntin

Made a hunt this am and couldn't find anything fresh.  On the way back to the truck, I let the two dogs run in front of the ranger.  No issues at all.  Dogs didn't seem bothered.  When I stopped a creek to water the other dogs, the two plotts made their way down the creek a couple hundred yds.  The vest didn't seem to bother them at all,

Bo Pugh- I'm in Central Louisiana- had a little cool spell this weekend and a bunch of rain.  I've never experienced a cool spell like this (at this time of year).  I didn't really plan on running dogs again until fall or so, but I had to take advantage of this weather.

South east AR here. When it gets hot we hunt at night. I don't hunt during the day much over 80. I hunt around lots of water also so I stop and let dogs cool regular. When it gets in the 90's at night I stay home. At night mid 80's and lower never had an issue.

Sounds like they gonna work good for ya. Good luck and happy hunting.


Shotgun
Arkansas

Iv ran cool vest on my ruff baydogs for 3 or 4 yrs  now it sure saves u r dogs and a vet bill. I run cool vest from waurika hog dog  shop good quality vest for the price

Here is one of mine dogs vested up. Nice plott dog you got there (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/23/e5utu4ep.jpg)


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Looks identical to the vest Larry made for me.  I like the holes in the bottom of the vest to help water drain.  Very good looking dog there too.

I like that vest I told him what I wanted and it came out just right I know some people say there heavy and stiff but I don't see much difference. But I do see a good product. Thanks on the dog