Swimming in the lake or the pool can be a great way for your dog to cool off , but not all dogs are able or designed to swim. Breeds like Labrador and Golden Retrievers, sporting breeds and Newfoundland’s usually love to swim and have the longer legs and stronger limbs to “dog paddle”. You might say they were born to swim. On the other hand Bulldogs, Dachshunds, Pugs and Basset Hounds have shorter legs, bigger chests or smaller noses; all these things make is a lot harder for them to swim. Then you have the dogs who just do not like to swim and who tend to panic in the water. Smaller dogs are not huge fans of the water and may just panic when they enter the water, this brings on fatigue and can lead to drowning.
It’s best to know your dogs’ limits and their love for the water before you let them near the dock or swimming pool. For those riding on the boats, even for the strongest of swimmers we highly recommend a life jacket for safety. You can find a variety of life jackets with handles on the back, so you can just lift the dog back into the boat.
So enjoy some bounding time with your dog, swimming in the lake or pool or just wading on the beach edge this summer.
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