A Few Tips to Make Your Pool Safe for Your Dog
When the warm months come so does the fun at the swimming pool for humans and our pets! While it is always nice to cool off at the pool it can also be a potentially dangerous place for our furry loved ones. Pool owners need to be familiar with their pets’ physical capabilities along with proper safety measures involved with having a swimming pool and pets in the same household.
Here are three tips that will make for a safe summer for your pets at the pool:
Non-Swimming Breeds
Although most people believe that all dogs are natural swimmers, there are a handful of breeds that are just not built to swim. Some have traits that are not conducive to swimming, while others just are not born swimmers and prefer the comfort of land.
Dogs with flat faces or short snouts are known as Brachycephalic dogs. Bulldogs, Pugs and Boston Terriers all fall into this category. These breeds are known to sink when in a pool. Dogs with very short legs like Corgis and Bassett Hounds also have trouble trying to tread water. Dogs with heads that are disproportionate to their bodies, like Staffordshire Terriers, are also known to be bad swimmers.
Safety Equipment and Precautions
Life vests can be used for dogs just like with young children. Make sure your pet is comfortable in the water with the vest on before you let them go.
Try not to let your dog drink from a chlorine pool. A small amount of chlorine will not harm your dog but dogs are more sensitive to chlorine then humans. You should rinse off your dog with a hose after swimming or you can look into a salt water pool.
Ramps are a great thing for dogs at the pool. This really can help them in and out of the pool. Having a gate around the pool can also prevent any unsupervised laps. Safety covers for the pool can also be another way to prevent any accidents while your dog is alone in the yard.
Never force or throw your dog into the pool. This could lead to them never wanting to swim or it could make them terrified around the pool.
CPR
Learn how to administer CPR to your dog in case of an emergency. You can check with your local American Red Cross location for classes to become certified.
Thinking ahead and putting these things in place can make you and your dogs summer safer and more enjoyable!
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