Have You Invited Your Dog to the Pool Party?
Does your dog love splashing and playing in the water? Then he’d probably love sharing a great pool with his family!
Matching the Dog to the Pool
Contrary to popular belief, not all dogs are natural swimmers. Many of them have to learn how to dog paddle. And, just like children, dogs can drown in a pool unless they’re properly supervised around it.
In order to teach a dog to swim, start off by putting a leash and doggie life jacket on him.
Slowly walk him into the shallow end of the pool where his feet can touch the bottom.
Practice walking in and out so he learns how to safely exit the pool.
Use your arm to provide gentle support under his belly as the two of you venture into slightly deeper water. This will encourage him to paddle with all four legs at once.
Once he’s dog-paddling on his own, swim beside him for a short while before showing him how to return to the exit.
Give him plenty of praise and yummy treats for learning how to swim!
Practice with him once or twice a day until he’s completely comfortable in the water.
If you use any kind of chemicals in your pool, it’s a good idea to rinse your dog off after he’s been swimming. Not only could chemicals irritate his skin, but they could be toxic if he ingests them while giving himself a tongue bath.
Dogs Breeds that Enjoy the Water
Beagles
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers
Curly-Coated Retrievers
English Setters
Flat-Coated Retrievers
Golden Retrievers
Irish Setters
Irish Water Spaniels
Labrador Retrievers
Newfoundlands
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers
Standard Poodles
Portuguese Water Dogs
Generally, any dog breed with ‘water’ in its name or that was bred for hunting or working around water will probably enjoy swimming in your pool.
What Breeds Shouldn’t Use Pools
Some breeds simply aren’t built for pool life. Dogs with long bodies and short legs (like Dachshunds, Corgis, and Basset Hounds) will often struggle in the water. Brachiocephalic (flat-faced) dogs like Pugs and Bulldogs have difficulty enough breathing on land. They’re at serious risk of drowning when placed in water.
Other dogs are frightened of water. They should never be thrown into the pool or otherwise forced to swim! Even if they survive the experience, they’ll probably never trust you again. Such a terrifying experience may even turn a formerly gentle dog into a fear-biter.
These types of dogs are better off with a kiddie pool where they can spend lazy summer days safely cooling off in a few inches of water.
Choosing the Right Pool Equipment for Your Dog
If you’re sharing your pool with a dog, it may require extra maintenance. It’s especially important to make sure the pool filtration system is in good working order so it can handle all that extra hair. According to Wag!, you’ll also need:
A security cover — not a floating cover!
A dog-proof pool fence
Something to clearly mark the steps
It takes extra care to share your pool with your pet, but isn’t the extra fun worth it?
Let Saturn Pools Build Your Dog-Friendly Pool
At Saturn Pool Company, we’ve helped many residents of the Phoenix area get the pool of their dreams. If you (and your dog!) would like a custom pool, contact us for more information or to schedule a consultation. We’d be happy to design and build a pool that will delight every member of your family.
