We live by the ocean and many of us have pools, and we want to share these bodies of water with our dogs.
Not all dogs can swim, however.
There are breeds that are “born to swim,” such as the beloved Labrador and golden retrievers seen romping in the surf or jumping into a swimming pool.
There are even dogs that have “water” in their names, like the Portuguese Water Dog, American Water Spaniel, Chesapeake Bay retriever and Otterhound.
There are dogs trained as water rescue dogs that locate and save people in distress or danger, such as Newfoundlands.
Portuguese Water Dogs “herd” fish into nets, and swim out and retrieve broken nets and lost equipment. The Otterhound was bred to hunt otters.
Many breeds of dogs are trained for hunting and retrieving waterfowl.
According to the American Kennel Club, dog breeds that are unable to swim may have one or more of these characteristics, which include being brachycephalic (squished faced). The condition makes their heads heavy and their snouts short so water easily gets into their noses, and the harder they paddle, the more their head drops into the water.
Others have barrel-shaped bodies or long bodies with short legs that make it hard to stay afloat; double or long coats that may weigh them down waterlogged; and/or short legs with very little muscling, which makes it hard to paddle.
Some of these nonswimming dogs are bulldogs, boxers, pugs, Shih Tzus, Dachshunds, Chow Chows and Bassett hounds.
All the nonswimming dogs need life jackets. For any dog, life jackets conserve its energy during a long swim or if there are any currents in the water.
A brightly colored life jacket will help you keep an eye on them in the water. It is best to purchase a life jacket that has a D-ring to attach a leash, and a handle on the top so you can grasp your dog in the water and to assist them when learning to swim.
This handle also helps you assist geriatric dogs and puppies. And speaking of puppies, their life jackets should have adjustable straps for growth.
A life jacket that is too big will slip off in the water. A life jacket that is too tight will limit your dog’s movement, weakening its natural swimming ability.
Unlike a human’s, a dog’s life jacket should allow the user to swim horizontally. The straps should allow the dog to sit or lie down. With a snug fit, you can fit two fingers under the life jacket’s straps.
Dogs learning to swim only paddle their front feet while their rear legs dangle down, usually trying to find the bottom.
If you have a life jacket on a dog, the dog’s back stays level with the water. When the dog’s back is level, the dog uses all four paws to paddle.
If needed, it is a good idea to get an extra flotation piece under the chin to help keep your dog’s head out of the water.
In a pool, your pal does not have arms and hands to grab onto a ladder rail while climbing the pool stairs.
Dogs characteristically lack the upper body strength to use their front legs to pull themselves out of the pool. Pet pool ramps or pet stairs will help with this.
Look for ramps and stairs with nonslip surfaces, including rubber coating. Pool ramps and stairs are partially hidden underwater.
Dogs are clumsy in water and are unsure where their legs are. To keep your pet safe, make sure the ramp has smooth surfaces and no sharp points.
You need to work with your dog to familiarize it with the location and how to use the ramp and/or pool stairs.
Never leave your dog alone when it is swimming in the pool, even if it is wearing a life jacket.
A fenced-in pool provides security, but additional safety measures are needed.
All pools should have a pool alarm system. A pool alarm system notifies you when your dog enters the pool. It has an audible alarm, which has an extremely loud siren-type sound and a mobile app that is friends with Google assistant and Alexa, which allows you to be notified with a loud alarm on your phone by Wi-Fi anytime or anywhere.
The Lifebuoy BCone pool alarm or other pool alarm systems can be found on Amazon.
Every residential pool or hot tub should have a pool alarm system for children, pets and even wildlife. It is a requirement for new pool construction in Santa Barbara County.
If a problem arises and you jump in to save your dog, be careful as a drowning dog tends to grab with its front paws and claws, making it hard to keep them from grabbing onto you, clawing you and pulling you under.
I hope this helps you and your pal have a swimmingly good summer!