The dog in the pool: good or bad idea?
For those of you who have been following us for a while, you must have seen photos of Musher in our pool. As soon as I say the word “swimming pool” or she sees me putting on my bathing suit, her cock races and she sways her hips with happiness. At home, Musher is allowed to bathe with us for her greatest pleasure and ours because what a joy to see her so happy.
Before letting your dog jump into the pool, there are a few precautions to take. Can he swim? Can he get back on board easily? Will doggie hair clog the pool filtration system?
Some precautions
Before letting your dog jump into the pool at your home or vacation rental, there are a few precautions to take.
The first of all is to check that the pool owner allows your dog to swim in his pool.
No need to make him bathe on the sly, the hairs in the water as well as in the skimmer and the filtration system of the swimming pool will very quickly betray his bathing...
Musher loses thousands of hairs with each swim and my filtration system attests to it!! The filters must be cleaned very regularly to avoid technical problems.
On the other hand, before your dog dives into the pool, you must check the manufacture of your pool. A plastic shell is not afraid of scratches, however pools covered with a liner are fragile and a scratch can cause great damage… Tiled pools are not afraid of anything either. Remember to check!
Does my dog know how to swim?
Does your dog know how to swim? The question seems stupid but it is better to ask it. If your dog is not a keen swimmer, beware.
Let him go into the water on his own, but if he doesn't, it's because he doesn't feel capable of it or it doesn't inspire him.
Do not force him especially, he could panic, hurt himself and be traumatized. Wouldn't you like to be thrown into the water if you don't feel like it?? Same for him; respect your animal and its mood.
If your dog can't swim, discover how to teach your dog to swim using the very simple method explained in this article.
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Geoffrey told us that Laïka wore the red Trixie dog life jacket that we tested: it gives her better stability and helps her keep her head above water. It also allows him to have a straighter back. When she starts to get tired, she swims slower and prefers to go out. Laïka bathes twice a day at least 3-4 days a week when the weather permits.
Check that he can get out of the pool freely
Ladder ? Stairs ? Check that your dog can get out easily and when he wants water. It's primordial !!
You have feet but he does not, so he will necessarily swim to float.
Depending on his physical abilities, he can get tired more or less quickly. He must therefore be able to leave freely.
The first reflex to have in a swimming pool that he does not know is to show him where the exit is. Show him 2-3 times: he will remember quickly.
As for ladders, it's not ideal… Your dog may not understand how to use them. And if there is no possible way out, be extremely vigilant... Watch out for drowning. Especially if your dog decides to go swimming without you. If he escapes your vigilance, once he has fallen into the water, he can quickly get tired, exhausted and drown. A swimming pool remains a dangerous place without supervision.
Rinsing before and after each mandatory swim
Musher does not have free access to the pool. An accident can happen very quickly. When she bathes it means that we bathe too. The risk of drowning is too great.
Same at Laïka, the swimming pool is fenced and accessible only by a door with a child safety system. She only bathes if Geoffrey is there.
Before each swim, I rinse it, especially if we come back from a walk and Melle has rolled around in the dust, for example. So the pool water stays clean 😉 And when you get out of the pool re-belote. I rinse it because of the chlorine. As with us, chlorine isn't great for your dog's skin and hair. Without rinsing, I noticed that his hair was very dry and rough after swimming. The skin of the dog is much more fragile than ours. Chlorine can cause damage such as itching and/or infection.
Do you know that there are swimming pools whose water is treated with salt? For these, as after a visit to the beach or in the sea, you must also rinse your four-legged friend well. Salt is not better for the skin, so rinsing with fresh water is mandatory.
👋 Musher's great deal
Dog food, supplies, grooming, vacations… the cost of a dog can quickly add up. So, with Musher, we created the Advantage Card : the very first card that brings together useful discounts to save you money all year round, on everyday expenses or vacations. 💸 See the 34 available discounts
It's time to have fun!
Be careful, in the water your dog cannot stop swimming. When it comes towards you, it will swim over you and watch out for scratches…. Teach him quickly to go around you: so no more problems! An uncertain dog may tend to take you for an island on which he wants to land... Don't let him get into this very bad habit. If he does the same with a child who bathes in your swimming pool and who has no feet, tragedy can occur.
One last point of vigilance: we very often want to jump into the pool when it is very hot. beware of hydrocution! Your dog can also have a hydrocution: be careful that he does not throw himself in the water directly… It is also to avoid this that I rinse Musher before each swim.
READ ALSO : Taking your dog to the beach: some precautions to take , The GR20: A Corsican adventure full of surprises
