The flies are buzzing, the grill is sizzling, and everyone is diving into their favorite water-related pastime. But there’s no reason to leave your dog out of the water. There are plenty of water activities your dog can (safely) jump into, paws first.
Surf, puppy!
Catching the waves is a popular sport for beach-loving dogs and their owners. In fact, there are surf competitions to decide who can snag 10 (or 12 if it’s a Norwegian lundehund) the best. Competitors are usually divided into weight classes and are judged on wave height, course length, confidence and tricks performed. Teaching your dog to surf can take some time, but there are surfing websites for dogs that can help you get started and give you tips on how to stay safe.
Hey, what is SUP?
No, we don’t ask you how your day was, although we hope it will be good! The abbreviation SUP, in this case, stands for stand-up paddle. It’s a great opportunity for you and your dog to get out on the water together (and hopefully not end up in it!). Before you begin, make sure your dog has a life jacket, can follow basic commands, and has experienced paddleboarding on land first. And as always when training dogs, give your dog plenty of treats, praise, or other positive reinforcement for doing a great job on the paddleboard. If your dog is a little nervous about all of this, Salty Dog Paddle, a nonprofit surf and SUP brand, has some great tips for paddling with high-anxiety dogs.
Divine Dock’ Dogs
Jumping off the end of a dock is a favorite summer activity for people, so it’s no surprise that it can also be a favorite for dogs. The general idea is that your dog sprints off the dock and jumps through the air to try and get his favorite toy, then lands in the water with a big splash. If they enter a competition, it doesn’t matter whether they get the toy or not, it’s the distance of their “long jump” that counts. Other competitions hosted by a national dockside diving organization DockDogs® include “Extreme Vertical” and “Speed Retrieve”. Extreme Vertical measures how high dogs can jump to get a toy suspended above water and Speed Retrieve sees how quickly dogs can retrieve a bumper toy from the bottom of the pool.
More Water Fun Ideas
Other ideas for splashing your dog in the water include swimming and searching for water. Swimming is a low impact exercise, which makes it ideal for older dogs or dogs with health conditions like arthritis and hip dysplasia. However, some dogs are not natural swimmers, so it’s important not to force your dog into the water if he doesn’t want to.
For dogs obsessed with chasing balls or sticks, fetching water is an obvious choice. All you need is a float toy and a good throwing arm. To mix things up, you can also play “keep away” with a floating toy. If your dog is an expert swimmer, he may be able to dive deep and retrieve a toy from the bottom of the pool.
Stay safe in the water
Playing in water is great fun, but it’s also important that you keep your dog safe when in and around water. Be sure to supervise them at all times and be available to help them if they get into trouble. If your dog is a brachycephalic (flat nose) breed, you may want to avoid deep water. With their barrel-shaped chests, short legs, and proneness to breathing difficulties, these breeds aren’t exactly made for swimming. Also, if your dog has any health issues, it’s best to check with your veterinarian if it’s safe for your dog to participate in water activities.
Potential health hazards of water games
There are a few potential health issues associated with water activities that you will hopefully never encounter, but it is good to be aware of them. Dry drowning is a life-threatening condition that occurs when a dog breathes in water. A frightening aspect of dry drowning is that it can occur hours or even days after a near drowning has occurred. That’s why, if your dog has a near-drowning incident, it’s important to take him to a vet immediately for a full checkup, even if he seems fine.
Another concern is that your dog might get too hot while playing in the sun and water. Watch out for heat-related health issues like dehydration, sunburn, burnt pads (on paved surfaces), heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. There are simple ways to protect your dog from the sun, but on very hot days it may be best to skip the water fun and play indoors instead.
There are lots of fun water activities for your dog and easy ways to make sure he stays safe while he splashes around. If your dog turns out to be a superstar in the water, there are also plenty of competitions he can enter to prove he is the best dog in the water.
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