Water Play

Dogs are like children in a lot of ways, and we need to remember that they need to be watched in dangerous areas and taught the skills needed to look after themselves so that we can be confident in their abilities to have fun in a safe way. It’s also good to retrain these safety skills from the perspective of your dog as your dog does have some unique safety issues that we need to be aware of and prepare for as responsible dog owners.

Water can be quite dangerous for dogs for a lot of reasons, and it isn’t just about drowning. They can get dehydrated, over-exhausted, water-intoxicated, or anxious in certain situations. To avoid these things we need to treat water safety as a skill that needs to be trained and reinforced over time. It is also a big form of socialisation - to the ocean, to the pool, to other humans in the pool, to other dogs at the lake, to SUP boards and boats and floaties, to umbrellas and crabs and waves. There are a lot of overwhelming things that generally come along with water that your dog needs to slowly be introduced to in a way that shows them that these things are fun and not something to be anxious about.

Lots of the main things to look out for are similar to those that we look out for as humans and for our children. Things like currents, blue-green algae, rocks, depth, jelly-fish, and pool fencing - all have the same rules for dogs as for humans. Don’t let them in water unsupervised. Don’t let them swim somewhere that they may not be able to get back out - teach them how to use pool stairs. Check for the general safety of the area before allowing your dog access. These are not new rules to us Australians who are taught about water safety from a young age, so we just need to adjust these skills for our four-legged, hairy companions.

There are a few things that are less common that you should also be aware of to protect your dog around water:

Life Jackets.

Doggy life vests are becoming more popular and easier to purchase (and more stylish!) and they are SO useful!

Putting a life vest on your dog is like putting floaties on a toddler. It is just that extra safety net that helps to avoid risks of drowning and helps to increase their confidence in the water. It helps them to develop their swimming skills without “throwing them in the deep end” and is crucial to socialising your dog to water and allowing them to have a fun time without any anxieties, which improves their confidence when going swimming the next time.

Confident swimming.

Because our dogs can’t speak to us we need to read their body language to ensure that they are confident in the water.

The easiest thing to look out for is that your dog’s head is up and they are not taking any water in their mouth. If you compare to humans: we can keep our bodies quite high in the water while treading water when we have full energy, but as our energy depletes we start floating lower in the water and eventually take water into our mouths which is never good. Same with dogs: if they are taking water in their mouths or can’t keep their head up, they are too tired to swim and need a break.

Water intoxication.

This is when your dog drinks too much water and their body starts to react to the abnormal amounts when their cells begin to swell. It is quite rare, but if their brain cells swell too much it can be irreversible and often fatal. The signs are similar to human alcohol intoxication (lethargy, bloating, loss of coordination, vomiting, loss of consciousness) and progress very quickly so should be taken to a vet immediately.

Dogs that love playing in the water and retrieving things are the most likely to suffer from water intoxication as they swallow water every time they use their mouth to grab a ball. To avoid this, always use a long toy like a stick rather than a ball that is easier for the dog to grab in their mouths in the water (and avoids any apple-bobbing type behaviour). Also ensure you watch how much they drink after water play and let them rest and digest before refilling their water bowl.