Pool drownings can be avoided – make sure you put preventative measures in place to keep your pet safe.

The drowning of a beloved pet is an awful tragedy that can be prevented. Every summer terrible stories appear in newspapers and other media about deaths of children and even adults from drowning. These stories number in their dozens so one can imagine how many puppies and dogs drown each year.
There are many myths about dogs and water. Owners often say ‘oh my dog HATES water – he will never go near the pool/fishpond/water feature.’ Other myths are that dogs and puppies swim automatically – this is also not true. Many breeders have received heartbreaking calls from new owners telling them the beautiful well-raised puppy fell into
the pool and drowned.
Avoid this tragedy by following a few simple dos and don’ts. Yes there are dogs that love swimming and one can’t keep them away from the pool; however in the main puppies and dogs need to be taught about the dangers of swimming pools.

Puppies
Puppies need to be taught where the pool is. Puppy-proofing is the ideal solution, by securely fencing the pool area. However the fencing traditionally used for pool areas is usually quite widely-spaced and really quite easy for an eight-week old puppy to simply walk through. What one can do is to get fine-gauge plastic fencing and securely attach around the pool fencing with cable ties. Once the puppies are big and fat enough not to squeeze through, just snip the cable
ties and remove the plastic fencing. Nets are totally useless because a small puppy will merely fall through and the solid pool covers often sag in the middle if not correctly fitted and a pool of water appears in the centre.

Older dogs
Often owners call breeders and say they want to get a new puppy. Breeders are a nosy lot and generally want to know how an owner’s previous dog died. The worst thing a breeder can hear is “Oh he was old and blind and fell in the pool and drowned.” This will send a shiver up anyone’s spine – how sad for an elderly dog to suffer such an awful fate! Obviously as your dog gets older and you notice that he can’t seem to find his way around the pool area, it is time to look at moving the dog from his normal area into a more confined space such as the laundry yard. The walks in the garden and pool area should be under supervision. Dogs
generally take years to go blind so cope well with the situation as their other senses take over.

Rivers and Seaside
Many owners take their dogs boating, however like their owners dogs should always wear a life vest. There are some excellent ones available at pet stores. Swimming in the sea can be great fun for you and your dog but like humans, a strong tide pulling a dog into deeper waters can cause him to panic if he can’t see land or owner, so again a life vest is recommended. Drowning of dogs or children is very preventable and all parents and dogowners need to put simple preventative measures into place that will ensure a happy, fun-filled summer.

Some Preventive Measures to Avoid Pet Drowning Accidents
• Purchase a puppy pen. They are light-weight mesh, easily put up and come with a top. They are very similar to a child’s playpen. If you have a small breed like a Yorkshire Terrier or a Pomeranian there are also very attractive fabric playpens. They fold up into a carry-case so you can take your puppy with you on an outing as well, thereby providing a portable safe and secure play area. Puppy pens are available from Kingpin in Gauteng.
• For a larger breed show your puppy the pool. Always remember the surface of the pool looks solid to a dog – they need to be shown that it is not. While holding your puppy firmly under his chin and tummy put your puppy in the pool and demonstrate where the steps are. However this is not entirely fool-proof if
you are not present when the dog is in the vicinity of the pool, because dogs cannot see through water – unless there is a clear marker to indicate where the steps are the dog won’t find them if he falls in the deep end.
• Another great life saving apparatus for a pool is the Scamper Ramp. It is rather like the boarding ramp of a boat but fixed to the side of the pool and a dog can reach this and haul himself out.
What causes dogs to drown is exhaustion – swimming around and around, in some cases for hours, and when panic sets in they become more quickly exhausted and death soon follows. Prevent this by ensuring that your pool is safe!

Article from: All About Dogs Jan/Feb 2011