Is it safe for my dog to swim in natural water and go underwater?

Hello, thank you for your question about Oscar. Taking your dog to the beach can be a great way to get them outside and allow them to get exercise. Yes, generally it is safe to let Oscar into the water. However, please prevent him from drinking from the ocean as large amounts of salt water can lead to problems. Additionally, it is also important to ensure that Oscar doesn't ingest things off the beach (trash, shells, crabs, etc) as these can lead to stomach upset and often people leave litter that can be harmful to pets. Another thing to keep in mind is encountering other dog's on the beach. Hopefully only dogs that are friendly and can play nicely would be allowed to be off leash at the beach, however this is not always the case. If you see another dog or group of dog's approaching I would try to keep Oscar close to you to prevent any kind of altercation. Hope this helps!

Hello. You just need to use your own senses. If the water looks very cloudy & there is obvious scum on the water & collecting on the shore, stay away. If the water smells particularly putrid, stay away. Basically, if you would not go into the water, neither should your dog & everyone will stay safe. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Those dogs are amazing! It should be okay for dogs to swim if they want to, as long as it is sunny and they have access to dry bedding/towels. For the lab with arthritis, swimming is actually great exercise as it is low impact - just be careful with her getting in and out of the pool. I hope this helps and that all is well!

If your dog is healthy and fit you can take him for a swim even in colder days. If Spot is suffering from arthritis he may get a flare-up of painful joint(s), so it would be better to avoid getting wet. Finally, if he is Labrador or Golden Retriever he may get a condition called 'swimmers tail' which is a very painful condition of the tail. In general, I would recommdend to dry-towel Spot if you do take him for a swim in cold days.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Raen. Swimming would be absolutely fine for her. One thing to pay attention to is if any water gets into her ears. The ears are a dark, warm environment and when you introduce water, an ear infection can develop. After swimming, I would use a good ear cleanser to make sure the ear stays warm and dry. Good luck with Raen. I don't think you will see any problems with her eye.

You are welcome! I'm so glad that we are able to help you :-) Poor Teddy falling in the pool! If he got caught in the pool and was unable to get out, he could drown, so that would not be good at all. In addition, the pool water likely has chlorine in it, and while it won't be high levels, it's not the best for him to drink. The chlorine in the pool could dry out his skin as well if he went in again. I would try to keep him away from the pool if possible.

That's a very good question. Honestly, I might ask your vet why they recommended that. I can't think of any reason that a puppy can't swim except for safety reasons. I used a lifevest for my puppy when he was young to be safe and NEVER allowed him unsupervised or with any other dogs. But I think it's a great idea for puppies to be exposed to swimming and is a great way for them to burn off some extra energy. Congrats on your new baby! I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.