Swimming with dog is a popular activity in the hot summer months. Many dogs love to swim and frolic in the cool water. A welcome cooling on hot summer days! Tessa at least loves to swim, even though many Podencos give water a wide berth.
Swimming is not only great for healthy dogs. Swimming is also a great workout for some musculoskeletal conditions such as ARTHROSE, neurological conditions such as LIGAMENT DISEASE. (Please always check individually with your dog’s physio if your dog is allowed to swim and for how long). You train the muscles with it and it’s great for the body feeling. Joint mobility and coordination are also trained.
On the positive side, the deeper you go in the water, the less body weight your dog has to carry. And it’s also great exercise for the cardiovascular system. Due to the water resistance, the effort is much higher and the muscles are trained more than when running on land. A workout that is easy on the joints.
What could be more natural than to use the cool water to do something good for our dogs?
There are a few things to keep in mind when your dog goes swimming:
- When you first start your dog swimming or the swimming season has just begun, you should start with short sessions of a few minutes and slowly increase it minute by minute. Even for healthy dogs, the movements are exhausting.
- I recommend you to let your dog swim with a life jacket, because your dog will move more calmly and consciously.
- Dogs don’t have reason and don’t always know their own limits. So they continue to swim even though they are already tired. It’s best not to get your dog into this state of exhaustion in the first place. Watch him very closely. If your dog slows down and movements seem strained, it should definitely stop. I’m sure you’ll get a feel for it quickly.
Dog swimming – this is also important:
- Refreshment is great and pleasant. But the water should not be too cold. Then the dog’s muscles contract and it tenses. Besides, it’s half the fun when you’re shivering in the water.
- Never force your dog to swim. Not every dog finds it pleasant and enjoys it. There are even dogs that get very scared. In that case, treading water may be a better choice.
- It is optimal if your dog can go into the water on a shallow shore.
- Eating is taboo before swimming. Just like any other sporting activity. Not only that it is not good to train with a full stomach. It can even be hazardous to health – keyword gastric torsion or circulatory collapse.
These are the points I urge you to consider:
- If your dog is not yet confident in swimming, has musculoskeletal disorders, or is older, I recommend securing him with a life jacket.
- Avoid waters with currents. A dog cannot judge whether it can handle the current and swims too far out and does not come against the current. This can be life-threatening.
- If you have elbow or knee injuries, as well as some back conditions, your dog should not swim. Then you can switch to treading water. If you still want your dog to swim, then you should resort to therapeutic swimming under the guidance of a canine physiotherapist.
When is swimming taboo for your dog?
No matter how much fun swimming is, there are situations where it is definitely off limits. In case of fever and infectious diseases, open wounds, inflammations and severe heart diseases, your dog should refrain from swimming.
Now you are ready to go! I wish you and your dog a lot of fun in the cool water!
Have fun and all the love, your Tina
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