Swimming pools, rivers, lakes, ponds, and oceans tempt your dog to take a cooling dip when temperatures soar. Swimming is a fun activity that provides dogs relief from the summer heat while engaging them mentally and physically. However, the activity poses some inherent risks. Most dogs understand how to swim, but they need to learn and practice this skill. Help ensure your pet stays safe in the water by following our Aloha Veterinary Hospital team’s canine water safety tips.

#1: Teach your dog to swim

Most dogs instinctively paddle in the water, but many lack the skill they need to swim on their first try. If you are introducing your pup to swimming for the first time, join them in the water and provide assistance. Keep this experience positive by rewarding your pet for simply entering the water and allowing them to get out if they feel uncomfortable or anxious. Try to lure them back with a treat and praise, but don’t force them. Ensure they know where the stairs are to get out of the pool safely. Support your pet’s hind end to help them learn how to stay afloat and guide them in and out of the pool. Another strategy to help your dog learn to swim is to enroll them in a lesson at a canine water therapy facility.

#2: Use a dog life jacket

A well-fitting, high-quality life jacket is a must for water lovers who lack the swimming skills or strength they need to stay safe, including young puppies, beginners, seniors, or short-legged, stocky breeds. You should also plan to outfit your pet with a life jacket on a boat and when they are swimming in a large body of water where currents, waves, or watercraft pose dangers. A life jacket helps with floatation, and makes your pet more visible in the water.

#3: Strengthen your dog’s recall and leave it commands

Before allowing your pet to swim in a natural body of water, ensure they always obey recall and leave it commands. Your pet should understand that they must come when called because this is the best way to prevent them from swimming too far from you and avoid hazards such as picking up a stick, dead fish, or other “treasure.” Leave it or drop it commands come in handy in these situations. Work with a trainer if you are unsure how to practice these skills effectively with your dog.

#4: Always supervise your dog in the water

To help ensure your dog stays safe while swimming, always supervise them. A pet can accidentally fall in a pool, become overly tired while swimming, inhale water, or panic, so monitor your furry pal’s activity so you can call them back if they are too far away, and ask them to get out and rest if they are struggling. If you have a backyard pool, securely fence the area and use an appropriate cover to help ensure you prevent your dog from accessing the water while they are unsupervised.

#5: Monitor water conditions closely to help keep your dog safe

When your dog swims in a natural body of water, they face many risks. You should not allow your pet to swim if the following water hazards are present:

  • Algae growth — Some algae species are highly toxic to pets, and you cannot determine the algae species by its appearance. Keep your dog out of scummy or cloudy, still water.
  • Strong currents or riptides — A strong current or riptide can overwhelm the strongest swimmer and carry them away or, worse, cause them to drown.
  • Cold temperatures — Only a few dog breeds can withstand cold water temperatures, so always check the water’s temperature before your pet gets in.

#6: Encourage your dog to drink clean water frequently while swimming

A natural body of water often contains pathogens or parasites, saltwater can quickly cause dehydration and salt toxicity, and chlorinated water may irritate your pet’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Encourage your pet to take frequent breaks and drink clean water from a bowl rather than drinking while they swim. To entice them to rehydrate by drinking the clean water you provide, reward your pooch for choosing clean water to keep them coming back for more.

#7: Clean your dog’s skin and ears after swimming

Rinsing or washing your pet after swimming is important to remove irritants from their skin and coat that could lead to rashes or infections. Ask our team to demonstrate how to dry the inside of your dog’s ears and clean them. This care is key to helping prevent your dog from developing ear infections attributable to swim sessions.

Follow our tips to help keep your dog safe during this summer’s swimming adventures. To schedule your pooch’s next wellness and preventive care visit and prepare them for swimming and other seasonal activities, call our Aloha Veterinary Hospital team.