Water Safety Tips For Swimming With Your Dog
Swimming is a great way to cool off in the heat of the summer, and it is also terrific exercise for both people and their pets. Most dogs enjoy some time in the pool, the lake, or even in the calm pools along a river. However, even though dogs may be good swimmers, it is important to take safety precautions to help avoid a tragic accident when spending time in the water with your pet.Which is why I have some dog water safety tips for you.
It is important to check the water before letting your dog in to swim. Throughout the country, blue-green algae have been found in lakes and ponds that are linked to dog deaths just hours after swimming. As the dogs swim, they ingest the toxins from the algae in the water with potentially fatal results.
Keep Your Dog Supervised
Dogs, like children, should always be supervised when they are in the water. Swimming can be tiring, and dogs can drown in relatively shallow bodies of water if they become tired and cannot get to shore.
Pools can also be a potential problem for dogs. Dogs often try to climb out of the side of the pool and become excited and anxious as their front feet slip and they cannot pull themselves out. Remember, dogs and puppies do not go to the stairs to get out of the pool, which creates a potentially life-threatening situation as the dog panics and becomes more frantic in the water.
It is highly recommended to supervise the dog and train them to go in and out of the pool by the stairs. Even with this training, there are some additional safety measures to put in place.
Dog Life Jackets
A dog life jacket is a great option for dogs in the pool, in the water at the lake, or dogs out on the boat with the family. Moderately priced, these life jackets are brightly colored for ease of spotting the dog in the water. They use a vest-like design and hold snug to the dog’s body, allowing full movement of the legs for swimming.
The life jackets also have an easy grip handle on the top just about at the shoulder blades, making it easy to help the dog out of the water or to pull them back into the boat.
Enjoy Fun in the Water
Water toys for dogs are a great way to encourage them to swim and have fun. One of our most popular water toys for dogs is Chuckit! Flying Squirrel disc. Lightweight and easy to grab on the water, this is the perfect toy for dogs that love to play fetch.
For even greater distance and for larger dogs, we sell that Chuckit! Paraflight flyer. This disc is great for on land and in the water and is perfect for the larger breeds.
Be sure to drop by DogiZone or shop the DogiMarket online for a full selection of dog life jackets and water toys before your next outing.