Puppy Dog Tales - September 2015 - The Shoofly Magazine

Puppy Dog Tales - September 2015

9/1/2015

Water Safety For Your Pets!

This month, Daisy Mae (our columnist and registered seizure-alert dog) explains ways you can keep your animal companion safe while you both enjoy the water.
- by Daisy Mae Delray

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You can’t depend on the superdog next door to come to the rescue when your pet needs a tow. This video is a performance, but it does make a point. Dogs around water - even the family pool - need to be wearing a vest as Frenchie here is:

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At the home pool:

Even pets that are experienced swimmers sometimes panic when they fall into the water, even into a pool where there are steps. Pets too small to use steps should not be allowed in the pool at all. Think of pets and pools the same way you think about children and pools.

Fencing is a must. A pet safety ladder or more than one set of steps is a requirement.
No supervision, no pool access. Consider a pool alarm just in case.
A pool cover is not a form of protection. Covers look solid but can give way and your pet could easily drown.
Teach your pets to swim at a young age and never assume they are safe in the pool—watch constantly.

At the beach or on your boat:

This is a fun video with well-trained dogs and cats enjoying a day at the beach.

On the beach, keep your pets on leash when there are other folks and dogs around. You may like wet, stinky dogs, but others most likely will not. Do follow the laws regarding off-leash playing.
As around a pool, never allow your pet near water without a life vest. Statistics are hard to find but thousands of dogs drown every year. Not all dogs are natural swimmers and an exhausted dog can easily drown.
Pets can fall off a boat and get tangled in lines or get caught in the current. On a boat, have a set of steps for your pet to use. Charlie, the dog below, has a step, but he is not wearing his vest.
After being in the water, wash your pet to remove sand and other substances that can irritate the skin.
Take a pet first-aid class so you know what to do if there is a cut foot, or if you need to do CPR, or treat for heat exhaustion.

Beaching and being in the pool with your pet is fun and great for bonding. Just be careful, as pets will be pets. They need to be under your watchful eye and control every single minute.

Stay dry and keep your tail high!

Love, Daisy Mae