Water Safety for Fido: Pools, Beaches, and Backyard Sprinklers

Q: I am blessed to have an eager-to-please dog who loves water play. You name it — the beach, pool, and even backyard sprinklers. What are some ways to keep him safe and avoid him becoming too fatigued when swimming or fetching balls in the water?

Labs and Portuguese water dogs love to fetch and will happily swim or dog paddle. Bulldogs, pugs, and other short-snouted breeds are not the best swimmers. Avoid throwing a dog in the water to teach him to swim; you risk trauma and a lasting fear of water.

Put on a doggie life jacket and teach your dog to "come" and "retrieve" a safe floating toy on dry terrain first. Next, sit in a kid-size pool with just a few inches of water. Deliver a tasty treat to reinforce the fun!

Pool safety requires a clear exit strategy: place a blue or yellow flag or cone as a fixed object by the stairs or ramp, and teach your dog how to exit the water.

Pooches that beach-dive for tennis balls or swim in the pool for long periods can become fatigued, so take regular time-outs. Pups that lap up pool water, drink salt water, or ingest too much playing with the hose can become victims of water intoxication — rare, but it can be fatal. Then there's the risk of drinking pond water: dogs can contract giardia, an intestinal infection from a microscopic parasite found in standing water.

If your dog-tired pup is swimming or drifting toward danger, tossing a floating toy in the opposite direction can potentially save your dog's life.

Start and stop water games: take five and rest in the shade with a small amount of fresh water.

I recommend every owner learn pet first aid and CPR and watch for signs of heat stroke: excessive panting, disorientation, weakness, foaming at the mouth, vomiting, rapid heart rate, red tongue, pale gums. Move your dog to a cool area and contact your emergency vet.

When summer heats up, apply doggie sunscreen and sunglasses. And remember — just like kids, whenever canines are around water unsupervised, always use a pool cover or alarm, an enclosed gate, and training!