As the temps continue to climb, some of our furry best friends want to enjoy the family pool too! Whether you decide to let your dog swim is entirely up to you, but there are maintenance and safety factors that you will want to consider before making the “plunge”. And, for some pooches—it’s a quick forming habit that training will need to be strictly encouraged.
POOL ACCESS:
Your dogs should ALWAYS be supervised when you let them out with access to or around the pool in addition to swimming—regardless of the size of the pool. Not all dogs are naturals and may struggle to swim or can’t figure out how to enter and leave the pool. Therefore, it is essential to adapt areas to assure their safety and ability to get in and out easily and without entrapment.
POOL WATER SAFETY
Under most circumstances neither salt water nor chlorinated pool water is harmful for your pooch. However, just like your children, dogs are more likely to swallow larger amounts of pool water than an adult. This can lead to gastrointestinal upset and dangerous health conditions if the amounts are excessive. This is another reason why you should not leave your dogs unattended. Also, just like humans, animals can develop skin irritation and reactions to certain chemicals or dried out skin with prolonged swimming durations. If their nails are maintained and they won’t puncture your favorite floats, let them enjoy a rest on their favorite float after their swim. This is another great way to safely include them.
POOL MAINTENANCE CHANGES:
Allowing your dogs access to the pool will, also, change the chemistry, cleaning needs and possible product changes. Make sure your filtration system is working efficiently and consider purchasing skimmer socks to help strain out the fur, nails and dirt and pollen from their coats. Some experts say one dog has the same effect as three humans. Reduce negative issues that your dog may have on your pool by trimming your dogs nails and keeping them bathed and brushed before entering the pool. The maintenance may take a little extra time to work through, but once you have it down they will be thrilled that you included them in family pool fun.
