Paw-rtying in the pool to stay cool

Picture this: A gorgeous Border Collie getting into a pool, its hair streaked with hues of sunshine, followed by a Labrador with breath-taking angulations and several other pooches. They make their way into a pool meant exclusively for their kind. Then the owners join their dogs and it is a get-together of all proportions.

Dog owners in the city are feeling the need to beat the heat, but in the company of their furred buddies. Paws Pack’s Annual Hawaiian Pawrty had the owners and their dogs partying around at the pool side, and later in the pool. “The main idea behind these parties was to encourage dog socialising. Also, summer is a good time to get the dogs in the water to cool off,” said Tanya Kane, a dog trainer and member of the Paws Pack.

But, there are pointers one must keep in mind before organising a dog pool party. “The pool must be hygienically maintained. Besides that, you need to ensure that the dogs are social with other dogs and people. If you have first time swimmers it is advisable to have life jackets. Some dogs like it so much that they don’t want to stop and they can tire themselves to the point of exhaustion,” she said.

Shalaka Mundada, who runs a pet hostel, called Pet Sitters, said her clients have been constantly asking her to build a pool at the hostel for their dogs.

“I will be opening my pool on April 25. It would basically be a place where dogs and their owners can spend time together and beat the heat. If the family wills, they can jump into the pool with their dog,” said Shalaka. She added that numerous veterinarians have recommended swimming as a good physiotherapy technique to treat dogs that are obese or have joint problems.

But do dogs love being in the water? “Some of them hate it. Some are water babies. Certain breeds are better than others. The ones that like the water play fetch games in the pool. They love it even more if their owners are in the water. Also, never ever throw a dog into the water because they don’t all naturally swim,” added Kane.
“Swimming is good for dogs that have hip dysplasia. In addition, being with one’s dog in the pool is a fun experience. You feel happy to see your dog doing things like running around and splashing in the water,” said Shalaka.

Anamika D’Souza (name changed), a dog owner based in Pune, says that she often takes her dog to Alibaug, where her friends have a pool especially made for dogs.

“They get their Labradors and Basset Hounds into the pool, while I do just that with my dog. The owners can get into the pool too, if they want. It is designed such that the dogs can easily get in and out of the pool,” she said.