Should You Let Your Dog Swim In Your Pool?
Australia is a nation of dog lovers. We have one of the highest pet ownership rates in the world. 61% of people who live in Australia own pets – with dogs being the most common. It’s estimated around 5.1 million people own one.
With so many people living with dogs, should you let them swim in your fibreglass pool? Will it do them any harm and what impact will it have on the water?
Is Swimming In The Pool Bad For A Dog?
A pool won’t harm your dog and dogs are natural swimmers. It’s perfectly safe for them to take a dip in a chlorinated or saltwater pool, but every time they immerse themselves in that water it will impact the quality of it.
You may find that your dog will only go in the pool when you’re in it. If your dog has a skin condition, then you wouldn’t want to encourage them to jump into chlorinated water.
Once the dog is out of a swimming pool you may want to give them a quick rinse with a towel paying attention to dab their ears to prevent an infection.
You ought to discourage dogs from drinking pool water. A fibreglass pool full of water is not a huge water bowl. Provide fresh drinking water in the pool area, so that your dog doesn’t resort to drinking from the pool.
They’ll soon learn how to get out of the pool using steps and the shallow area. You can buy a ‘Skamper Ramp’ to help your dog exit easily from the pool.
What Impact Does It Have On The Water?
A dog that goes into your pool is equal to three or more people in the water. It means there’s more oil, dirt and unwanted material that will go into your pool.
When you think about it, dogs like to roll around in the grass, so any muck they pick up on the fur or their paws may come loose in a swimming pool.
Dog hair easily sheds and can easily clog up your skimmer and pump basket. It’s not pleasant, but on the plus side, it does act as a net to collect bugs. If your dog does enjoy regular swimming, empty it regularly. If you don’t, the water in the pool won’t circulate correctly and the pool equipment may fail.
Any cartridge filters should be hosed down and cleaned often.
Extra dirt increases phosphate levels and affects the pH with the chlorine being dissolved at a faster rate. If your dog likes a regular dip, check the pH and chlorine and adjust accordingly.
Children And Dogs
Some people love watching their dogs play with children. Be warned that larger dogs and younger children may not be the best mix. They may get scratched by a dog’s nails and dunked by dogs as they collect toys and balls.
There are plenty of health benefits to swimming and these apply to dogs just not humans. It’s a great way of giving them extra exercise.
If you’ve been considering a pool, come talk to the team at Factory Pools Perth. They may be the paw-fect solution for you, your family and your dog! WA owned and operated, we have years of experience and all our pools are manufactured locally and come with extensive warranties to offer peace of mind.
