If you have an in ground pool, do you ever let your dogs swim?

[Big Cuddly Bear]

I don't know if I will intentionally let them, but yesterday I was in the pool cleaning a bit, when my big ole yellow lab decided to come in for a swim. It's a concrete pool, so I don't have liner issues. Still, I'm not sure I want her swimming.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

As long as you properly maintain the pool, I wouldn't have an issue.

We don't have a dog, but we have friends that did. Now, the only thing was one dog was a little too excited and presented a danger, so when my kids were swimming at their house, the dog had to stay inside.

 

[J3nn78]

We have an above ground and our dogs like to swim. They are little yorkies. They jump in onto a foam floating mattress and jump in and out from there. But the pool is fenced, so there is no chance of them getting in without us.

 

[budmonster]

My labs get in our pool all the time. During the summer it's hard to keep them out as soon as the back door open....their in it. I have a liner and haven't had any problems with holes. Here's a video of our dogs playing in the pool with the kids. They've even taught them how to jump off the side and catch the frisbee. The only thing with my labs is their hair, we are constantly having to clean the filter because of them shedding hair in the pool.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=1576305812923

 

[Big Cuddly Bear]

Yeah, the hair could sure be an issue... so if I let them in, I will REALLY brush them well first.... nice video.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

If we had a pool, I don't think I could stop my one German Shepherd from swimming in it. He would swim in a puddle, if he could.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Just remember if they are on flea stuff like Frontline the chlorine erases it. Not sure about Advantix.

 

[StitchFanZ]

Our German Shepherds can play in the pool but only when its just my kids since I know they know how to play appropriately so the dog does not get too excited. We also use it to exercise our one dog that has developed arthritis

I have a firm rule of no dogs in the pool when there are other kids around. There is just too much risk of the dogs or the kids jumping wrong or getting too excited and then a kid gets scratched or bumped accidentally.

 

[Yankeemouse]

great video, Budmonster! I love watching dogs, and labs in particular.We have 2 labs as well, one yellow, one black. I love how your labs get out by the ladder!!! so smart. No pool so we have to take them to a pond. In-laws have a pool like yours but refuse to have dogs in it...too scared that they will tear up the liner.

 

[DVC-Don]

Our Yorkie loved to swim. We could not keep her out so we bought her a little doggie life jacket (they sell them in boating supply catalogs). We taught her to use the ladder on the deep end.

 

[lvloopingbag]

Love the video of the Labs!

 

[mrodgers]

You have a pool and a yellow Lab and you don't let it swim?

That should be against the law!

 

[luvsJack]

Well, its not really a matter of "letting" them but they do get in the pool. DS's pit bull loves to swim with ds (but he doesn't let him in the pool when anyone else is swimming) Our collie/spaniel mix just likes to stand on the steps and get wet. Our border collie loves to swim but prefers the pond (especially when dd throws a tennis ball in for her to go after).

 

[Princess_Meghan <3]

My dad's dog loves the pool- he just never remembers how deep it is. and he doesn't swim well. He's a jack russel terrier, and had never been in anything deeper than a bathtub before he was introduced to our pool. a friend helped him with learning to swim, but he can only swim in circles, and doesn't know how to swim to the steps.

we will let him get in, but only if someone is in there to help him when he gets too tired for his little circles, so we can carry him to the steps.

 

[Miller1412]

Our lab loves the pool better than anyone else.

 

[rie'smom]

Our pool guy told us that letting dogs in the pool messes up the pH so we don't let ours swim. Also, the chlorine is not good for their skin.

 

[aprilgail2]

I have an above ground and my dog figured out how to get up the steps and go in the pool one year- I do not want all that hair floating around in my pool so I had to go out and get a different ladder that had ladder type steps on the outside so the dog couldn't climb up them!

 

[Art 1]

My beagle is about the only one that uses our pool. He likes his afternoon swim on extra hot days.

 

[gator75]

nothing to add other then gross.

 

[MichelleVW]

We don't have a pool yet, but when we do I'm sure we won't be able to keep our golden out of it. He loves to swim, we even caught him once trying to go swimming in the neighbors pool!