Guidance for allowing your dog to swim during the hot summer
The Beach is Best.
Some dogs absolutely LOVE water and will go swimming even in winter. Others are only interested if the weather is hot and they want to cool down. The true water-loving dogs will be desperate to get in to the water in the summer heat. Taking your dog to the beach is by far the best option compared to letting him swim in lakes and rivers. The sea is guaranteed to be cooler, almost always cleaner and the salt is great for his skin and paws. There might be families enjoying the beach, but as long as your dog doesn't frighten children or fowl the beach it should be fine to visit most beaches. You might need to keep an eye on whether your dog drinks the salty water. Some dogs are a bit silly and don't realise that it will not do them any good. The best thing is to make sure you have offered him plenty of fresh water before the swim so he doesn't go in while he is thirsty.
If you are taking your dog to the beach in your car you will probably find that you soon have a hairy beach in the boot. There are two good solutions for catching all the sand and dog hair that is drizzling off your dog as he dries up: A Tuffies Nest or a Travel Tuffie. The Nest catches everything inside it, which you can then easily empty out regularly. If he is digging around after the walk he will not move anything and the nest will still catch sand and hair. The Travel Tuffie takes up less room and is easier to take out for a shake, but it doesn't contain the hairs as much. Both are easy to clean and will save the inside of your car from getting too affected by the sand. The same is of course the case for the muddy walks later in the year.
Inland Lakes and Rivers.
During our hot summers there is unfortunately a high risk of the blue-green algae blooms. The "algae" is actually not a real algae, but rather a bacterium that uses photosynthesis to survive. These blooms are extremely poisonous to animals and if you see brown, blue-green or gray scum in the water, do not allow your dog to swim. It can kill a dog. To be safe, keep your dog out of stagnant waters like lakes for the summer. Rivers will be safer as the blooms only thrive in standing water.
Flea Treatments....
One thing that is prominent in the media at the moment is the detrimental effect that spot-on flea treatments have on aquatic insects. It has been proven that even weeks after you apply "Spot-on" to your dog's coat, the chemicals that are forever chemicals will come off your dog's coat and in to the waterways. Please keep your dog out of the waters if you use flea/tick products. Best way is to avoid using these products all together unless you find that your dog has got mites or fleas. The chemicals, PHAS, are killing insects everywhere. It is really up to us, dog owners, to stop their use as most Veterinarians are keen to administer them and take the money....
Hose Pipe Ban.
Finally, if there is a hose pipe ban in your area, you could still give your dog a rinse down in your shower with cold water if the heat is unbearable. It only needs to be a 20 second shower. He can rest on a waterproof dog bed like a Tuffies Mattress bed in the shade and feel much, much better for it. I am sure 20 seconds of shower will not drain the reservoirs and it will make a remarkable difference to him.
