It’s time to celebrate National Dog Week! All this week, from September 22nd through the 28th, we’re celebrating our four-legged friends. On the Life Saver Pool Fence blog, we’ve previously discussed ways to keep your pets safe by the water.
As part of National Dog Week, let’s go over some old favorite safety tips and learn some new tricks to keep our faithful companions happy and safe!
Take That Doggy for an Extra-Long Walk
Let’s face it: during National Dog Week and beyond, dogs love going for a walk. That’s no surprise, as walking is terrific exercise both for owners and their pets. It’s great to step out on the town, and the pups love it. This week, take your dog somewhere special. Take a nice long hike for extra exercise and change of pace. Both of you will love this time you spend together.
Protect Your Pup With a Pool Fence
It wouldn’t be a Life Saver blog if we didn’t mention pool fences, right? Joking aside, these fences are commonly used to protect children from getting into the pool area and drowning… but they are also extremely helpful for pet owners. A proper pool fence should be roughly 30-inches high. This size is perfect for anyone with kids, or small to medium-sized pets.
In truth, this fence height allows adults to keep a physical barrier between the pool and their four-legged loved ones. For larger dogs, there are larger fences. Overall, we recommend that owners of larger dogs purchase a higher fence that they can’t jump over. To learn more, read our detailed article about protecting your dog with a pool fence.
Another related pet drowning danger topic includes dog doors. A doggie door may seem like a good idea, but it can actually be quite a hazard. Before installing one, it’s crucial that you understand the risks of giving your furry friend full access to the outdoors.
Teach Your Dog to Swim
You read that right! There are swimming lessons for dogs! Contrary to popular beliefs, dogs are not actually natural swimmers. Sure, they can “dog paddle.” When a playful pooch jumps into the water, they will instinctively begin to kick their paws to tread the water. That is great in a pinch, but it’s not a perfect solution in a truly dangerous situation. In actuality, this helps your furry friend to stay afloat, but it’s not actually a valid survival method.
In a truly dangerous scenario, a dog can quickly lose control and drown in the water. This happens far more often than you might expect. Veterinarians estimate that 5,000 family pets drown in their own backyards each year.
Above all, don’t throw your dog in the water. It could accidentally lead to a tragic situation. Instead, National Dog Week is a perfect time to enroll your dog in swimming lessons. You’ve heard of obedience training, but swimming lessons are an important learning experience for any faithful hound. No matter what, these lessons can help your dog learn how to properly enter and exit the pool
Give Your Pup a Present During National Dog Week
In a way, National Dog Week is a holiday for pets. Far too many pooches don’t ever get to truly celebrate their birthdays. Why not make them feel special with a new chew toy or a tasty treat. Even if you just end up throwing around a new ball in the yard, a playful pup will be overjoyed. After all, even dogs love gifts!
For more water safety tips for dogs, read our detailed article. We sincerely hope you and your pet(s) have a wonderful week!
