Hi, I’m Maanasa, and welcome to the first day of PawSquad Summer! Today we are visiting the Olde Towne Pet Resort to learn about what dogs can do there and how to keep your dog safe during water activities this summer.
I love visiting the beach and pool in the summer, what about you? I know how much you might want to bring your dog with you on these trips, so today I’ll bring you along on an adventure to learn about keeping your furry friend safe!
This is the pool at the front of the pet resort. Only dogs and trained swimmers are allowed in the pool, but they use it for lots of reasons!
Reason #1: Some dogs think that swimming is fun! Just like you might go to a pool to splash around during summer camp, these dogs do the same when they are dropped off for the day. The first dog we are seeing, Hunter, is exactly one of these dogs. He loves playing fetch in the water, and your dog might too! Here he is with a water toy:
Reason #2: A dog might use the pool because it helps them. You know how your grandparent might use a walking aid like a cane or wheelchair to get around? Some dogs struggle with walking when they get old too! They are just like us, and can deal with something called arthritis, which makes it hard for them to run around like they did when they were a puppy. Some dogs have gotten injured or sick and use the water to make themselves more comfortable while exercising. Water can help these dogs move easier, and the pool has jets to make it even better!
Now it’s time to talk about YOU! If you want to bring your dog swimming this summer, how can you make sure that your four-legged friend stays safe and has fun like Hunter? Some people solve this problem by sending their dogs to swimming lessons at pet resorts like the one we are visiting today.
I’ll give you 3 seconds to guess what the dog in the photo is wearing… 1…. 2… 3… did you say a life-jacket? That would be correct! Believe it or not, they make life jackets for dogs too. Just like you need to wear one if you don’t know how to swim, or are on a boat, your dog does too! The first thing they do at Olde Towne Pet Resort when teaching a dog to swim is put a life jacket on them.
This is JJ, he is one of the swimmers at the resort. A swimmer is someone who stays in the water with the dogs to play with them and keep them safe. It’s a pretty fun (and important) job! Today, JJ is with Autobot! Here are some tips that JJ has for us about teaching a dog to swim, this way you can help YOUR adult when they are teaching your dog how to swim.
- Always make sure one or two adults are around just in case something goes wrong. Water can be dangerous – and it’s important to have a person to help out, even if you are an adult!
- Let your dog set their own pace, don’t throw or push them into the water. Be patient with them. You’d want your swim teacher to be patient with you, too!
- If your dog is wiggling around and trying to get out of the water, let them go and try again another time.
Most importantly, you have to remember that not all dogs are going to like swimming or even being in the water. All of us have things we don’t like. Maybe it’s that one vegetable or flavor, or a scratchy piece of clothing. Remember that your dog is a living thing with feelings, just like you, and you want to treat their wishes with respect by listening to them.
This is an example of a dog who definitely doesn’t like water. Autobot is climbing all the way up on JJs shoulder to stay out of the water! Autobot is at the pet resort to learn how to swim for a beach vacation his owners are bringing him on this summer, so we try one more time to introduce him to the water. By moving a lot and trying to run away, Autobot is telling us that he doesn’t want to be in the pool anymore, and we listen!
Before we leave, we interview another one of the swimmers, Syd. You can watch the full interview on our video, but for now here are her top 3 safety tips!
- Never be in the water without an adult, especially with your dog! It can be dangerous and your safety is the most important thing.
- Let your dog warm up to the water, sniff the water area, and dip their paws in the water on their own. This makes it a lot less scary when they are fully introduced to the water.
- Get a life vest! Dogs can actually sink in water, so it’s always a good idea to put a life vest on them.
I had so much fun visiting the Old Towne Pet Resort with you guys today, and I hope you enjoyed learning something new just as much as I did. I learned that dogs can wear life jackets just like us and I’d love for you to take a second right now to tell your adult one new thing that you learned. If they are comfortable, you can even ask them to comment it under this blog post. Now you’re ready to splash into summer fun!
Your PawSquad Summer Friend,
Watch the video of our visit to Olde Towne Pet Resort here! – https://fb.watch/lBmqXkdoqi/
Join us for PawSquad Summer on Facebook from July 3 – September 1! – @pawtectorsprogram
Follow The PawSquad on Instagram – @pawtectorsprogram
Watch more fun videos on our Tik Tok! – @pawtectorsprogram
Visit the Pawtectors website for more information – www.thepawtectors.org
Credits
- Olde Towne Pet Resort
- JJ – Swimmer
- Syd – Swimmer
- Chris Tyler – Executive Director
- Photos taken by Maanasa and Debbie Henry
- Edited by Kirsten Johnson and Debbie Henry
