If you have a pool, your number one priority is to teach your dog how to swim.
Pool safety for your beloved canines should be a top priority for all dog owners. Latest research finds that dog drowning is linked to various factors, such as accidents in the water, seizures near the pool, falling through ice and falling into the water.
Even if your dog knows how to swim, s/he might be afraid of the water. For such dogs, panic quickly ensues if s/he ends up in the water. Panic will cause a dog to tire easily, increasing the risk of drowning. To keep your beloved dog safe, your best bet is to dog-proof your pool for its safety.
Here are the Top 6 Considerations to ensure your pool area is safe for your dog.
Teach Your Dog How to Swim
The first and most important thing you can do is teach your dogs how to swim! Let s/he become familiar with the water by standing on steps in the shallow end. Then, hold your dog’s hind section to let it learn to kick the water with its bag legs. Professional swimming lessons can be a good idea too, so that you’ll have greater peace of mind when your dog is in the water.
A Fence Around the Pool
This is a must simply because you can’t watch where your beloved canine is every second of the day. When you’re inside the house, s/he might be sniffing around the pool. You’ll have more peace of mind if you have a fence to keep it away from the pool when you’re not outside. If you’ve got a chain link fence, make sure the fence’s diamond pattern isn’t larger than 1-¾ inches, as this can’t be climbed by children or dogs alike.
Be aware of paved areas when it gets hot.
Make sure your dog knows how to exit the pool.
Areas Can Get Hot
The pads under a dog’s paws are really delicate and prone to injury from the heat. Dogs love to run across a swimming pool pavement, especially if s/he is excited because you’re in the pool! Bear in mind, hot concrete or bricks can really hurt or burn their paws. Be careful to keep the paved areas cool by strategically placing garden umbrellas to cast shade on the ground or by having more grass around the pool to offer their paws relief. If your dog has injured its paws due to heat scalding, keep it out of the swimming pool. Actually, swimming can make the situation worse instead of offering relief because it softens the paws and makes them more prone to getting burned.
An Easy Way Out of the Pool
Even if your dog can swim, you want to be sure that s/he knows how to get out of the water quickly if s/he encounters a problem. You can help by putting something on the steps leading out of the pool, such as a light to make the exit point more visible. Another idea is to install a ramp in the pool. This is easily attached to the top of the pool, making it easy for your dog to climb on it and walk out of the water.
A Pool Cover
You might think a pool cover is a great way to keep dogs out of the pool, but your good intentions can backfire. If your dog falls into the pool, s/he might get trapped under the pool cover and not be able to find its way out. This can lead to suffocation and drowning.
A clean pool is a happy pool.
Keep the Pool Water Clean
Some dogs love lapping up water from the swimming pool, and this is generally safe if your pool is well-maintained and disinfected. However, you should prevent your dog from drinking swimming pool water if the water has just been treated with chemicals to kill algae. You don’t want your beloved furry family member to get sick from those toxins.
When it comes to your beloved fur babies, always be water wise! Dogs are curious beings and it’s really easy for disaster to strike. By ensuring you’ve got a safe pool and pool area, you can keep Fido and Fifi happy and healthy.
