Pools and dogs

[wagon ropes]

Our little dog, Missie, hates water. She can go for hours without 'relief' if it is raining! When we filled our swimming pool, however, we decided to make sure she knew how to find the steps and get out. Poor thing how she hated it, but with patience we managed to teach her. We would take her into the pool, lower her into the water, and help her to swim to the steps till in the end she could find her way,on her own, direct from any part of the pool.

At lunch time today we were at the dining table when in came a very soggy little doggy On checking the pool edge it was obvious that she had rolled off the edge of the pool whilst sleeping in one of her favourite bits of shade but we could also see that she had gone straight to the steps to get out.No water marks anywhere else.

We are just sooo pleased that we had taken the time to teach her.

[dido72]

That is such a good idea, most of us assume that dogs can swim but it isn't always the case, I am looking forward to many days in the pool teaching the dogs and the kids to swim!!

[peteroldracer]

Reading this, I think there needs to be a new law - that anyone who allows/encourages dogs to go in their pool, which may be used by humans young or old should have a large notice saying that this is the case.
Much though I like animals, I would not want anyone I liked to get in water that may have flea dirt, dog urine, dissolved bits of dog poo, or any of the really harmful stuff that can lead to children being ill or blinded for life in it.

[country boy]

That, Peter Old Racer, is just about the most crass remark I have ever read on this forum. It is silly, Glib,irrelevent and totally unhelpfull and slanted. Of course people who use pools are absolutely pristine...not.

[wagon ropes]

Excuse me P. I was not encouraging my dog to swim, all animals do that automatically. I was teaching her how to get out of the pool if she fell in accidentally and if you think that it is better that I should not have done so but let her drown from exhaustion because she could not get out then I am sorry for you.

[country boy]

I worked on the Entertainments Staff at Butlins Filey for a couple of seasons, I can tell you that things people do in swimming pools intentionally no animal would ever contemplate. Fortunately, the chemicals used in the treatment of swimming pool water take care of the hygiene issue; we still had to fish out the floaters tho

[oliveview01]

Very sensible thing to do and what a clever doggy you have to remember

[Dixie]

I taught my shihtzu to swim after he fell in the pool at 8 weeks old and nearly drowned, I am now teaching a 5 month newfoundland to do the same. We have a rather good filtering system in our pool which keeps it spotless, nets to take out any unwanted bits and generally the time and effort also keeps a pool clean. This I feel is a small price to pay instead of finding our much loved pets drowned in our pool! Well done Wagon and I hope Missie enjoys her swimming sessions