How to keep your pets safe around the pool

Who doesn’t enjoy spending time in the pool when the weather heats up? But if you have pets at home, a pool can pose a serious hazard to your four-legged family members. Just as with small children, you want to ensure that dogs, cats and other pets are safe when they’re around your pool. If you want to enjoy your pool this summer and ensure that your pets stay safe, it takes some planning.

How to limit pool access for pets Supervise your pets

The easiest way to keep your pets safe around the pool is to make sure they’re always supervised. Never let them wander around the pool area if there isn’t someone around to keep an eye on them. If your dog or cat does fall in the pool, you want to be right there to help them out.

Sometimes, your pets may find their way into the pool area when you’re not aware. Installing security cameras around your pool can help you supervise your furry friends even if you’re inside the house. Many cameras are motion-activated, so the camera’s app sends an alert to your smartphone or tablet when it detects movement in its line of view. If your dog, cat or other pet approaches the pool area, you’ll know right away so you can get outside to intervene.

Block pet access to the pool

If you don’t want to worry about your pets getting into the pool unsupervised, it’s best to block access to the area with a barrier. Putting a fence around your pool is usually the easiest way to keep out pets and small children. In fact, many places have zoning laws requiring pool fences.

In addition to putting up a fence, it helps to have a pool alarm to keep pets away from the pool. Some alarms are wall- or fencemounted, so they sound if the gate opens. Other alarms are pool mounted, alerting you if the water’s surface is disturbed by children or pets falling in. You can even find some alarms with wristbands you can attach to your pet’s collar. If the band is immersed in the water, the alarm goes off.

How to prepare your pets for pool exposure Help your pets learn to swim

If your pets are willing, it’s always a good idea to give them a few swimming lessons.

Dogs are often natural swimmers, so they usually learn to swim easily. However, while the “dog paddle” is a natural motion, dogs tend to panic in the water, tiring themselves out and putting themselves at risk.

If you help dogs practice swimming, they will be less likely to get scared if they fall into the water. For the best results, get in the water with your pets when teaching them to swim. Dogs instinctively know to move their front paws, so support their backsides until they learn how to move their back legs properly. Encourage your pets to swim short distances, so they get used to moving calmly through the water.

To take safety to the next level, enroll in a pet first-aid course or ask your veterinarian for resources to learn animal CPR.

Make sure your pets can find pool exits

In addition to teaching your pets to swim, it’s crucial to ensure that they know where the pool’s exits are. That way, if they fall into the water, they’ll understand how to get out safely. Teach your pets to swim to the pool’s steps or ladder, and show them how to get out. It can be tricky for them to climb out of the pool, so practice always helps.

To make it easier for your pets to get out of the water, you may even want to invest in a dog ramp for your pool. A dog ramp has a nonslip surface and doesn’t require pets to lift their paws too high, so they can get out of the water without sliding or falling.

Buy proper safety equipment for your pets

If your pets are going to spend time around the pool, you want to make sure they’re protected. You can find plenty of dog life jackets to help dogs float if they fall in the water. While you usually can’t find life vests specifically for cats, you may be able to find a jacket for a small dog that fits your cat.

A life jacket can keep pets safe if they’re running around the pool while family and friends are in the water. If they slip on the pool deck and wind up in the water, they’re less likely to panic if they have a vest to keep them afloat.