Dogs love playing in the pool as much as we do but there can be concerns when bringing a dog into a swimming pool
Many dog owners wonder if their pet dogs can swim in swimming pools or chlorine pools and whether allowing dogs swim in pools can cause trouble to either the property or the dogs. Apart from the obvious possibility of an altercation with other members of the society for allowing a dog in a pool, if it is a common pool, there are other concerns that need to be addressed.
You need to consider the following points before letting your pet dog swim in a swimming pool.
- Dogs shed a lot, especially during summers
- Dogs may jump in the pool dirty or muddy
- Dogs may cause damage to pool walls or stairs
- Dogs can panic in swimming pools sometimes
- Dogs may ingest chlorine water or get an ear or eye infection
Dogs shed a lot, especially during summers
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Summers are the best time to enjoy lazy swims in the pool and many pet owners extend the joy to their pets too. Now, the difference between humans and dogs is the shedding of hair, which is extreme in the case of dogs, especially during the summers. Having said that, your pet dog may shed during the swim and over a period of a few days, the fur balls, along with other dirt particles, may collect in the filter. As a result, it would increase the maintenance efforts and costs, every other time. So, the best you can do is to scrub off loose hair or rinse them off during the shower (discussed in the next point).
Dogs may jump in the pool dirty or muddy
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Pet dogs are just like children but unlike them, they don’t know the ‘pool rules’, like taking a shower before jumping into the swimming pool. They may be playing in dirt or mud and join you in the pool in that very condition, dirty or muddy. As a result the pool water may get dirty muddied or even worse. So, the best thing would be to make a rule to take your pet dog to the shower and rinse off all the dirt, mud or loose hair before the swim.
Dogs may cause damage to pool walls or stairs
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Now this may not be that extreme but is worth mentioning. Swimming pools are made of different materials like vinyl lining, cement lining or fiberglass lining. In cases where the pools have either fiberglass or cement lining, letting a pet dog into the pool may not cause any damage to the interiors when the dog scratches against the walls or the stairs. However, if the material used is vinyl, then there is a high possibility that the surface will bear scratch marks and tears over time.
So, the best thing would be to first familarise the dog with the pool and create a comfort level of sorts. You can use floats and portable stairs to help your pet dog remain in water for longer durations without panicking. Stop using the floats when you feel that your dog has got used to being in the pool.
Also read: Can your dog swim in a chlorine pool?
Dogs can panic in swimming pools sometimes
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It is a fact that pet dogs are just like children and they are more into the frolicking part when in the pool. So, just like children dogs too get tired or exhausted and become panicky in the pool, though not that frequently. Always make it a point to supervise your pet dog when in a pool and never keep it out of sight. So, you can keep your eyes on your dog or at least keep enough floating materials in the pool in case the need arises. But try never to leave your dog alone in the pool if possible.
Dogs may ingest chlorine water or get an ear or eye infection
The level of chlorine in a swimming pool is safe for humans and animals alike and an accidental ingestion of chlorine water doesn’t cause much harm and it rarely occurs as humans are trained not to ingest the water in a swimming pool. However, pet dogs are not aware of the fact that the water in the pool is not meant for drinking and your dog may end up licking and ingesting more than required every time you take it along for a swim.
Also, the ears and eyes of dogs are far more sensitive than us and hence they are more vulnerable against the chlorine levels on continuous exposures. It may not cause an alarming threat but can cause infections, especially in the ears owing to the dampness.
So, the best thing would be to give your pet dog a quick rinse once out of the pool to wash off all remains of the chlorine. Also, make sure that you dab it clean with a fresh towel, especially the ears. We request you to consider all the things mentioned above and decide if your do can swim in a swimming pool or not. With all things in place, both you and your dog can have a great time together and beat the heat.
