Mondays with Moody: Water Safety
Hi, friends! Thanks for coming back for more Mondays with Moody! Hopefully you’re here because you enjoyed my first post, and you’re back for more. I think I’m getting the hang of this whole “hobby” thing.
Now, if you haven’t noticed, it’s getting doggone hot outside this Summer, especially where I live in Central Florida. As a dog, there’s nothing I love more in the summertime than diving into a lake, doggy-paddling through the pool, or sprinting through the sprinklers. But water can cause it’s a few problems for me and my canine companions. If you’ve got yourself a waterpup like me, here are a few things to remember:
1- Never leave us alone around water. Even the strongest swimmers need supervision. Watch for signs of fatigue or struggling with currents, and always keep us away from things that could be dangerous like fishing tackle boxes. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it’s landed more than one of my buddies in the emergency vet clinic with an unintentional new nose piercing.
2- Make it easy. Most pups have no problem pouncing right into the pool to be with our humans. Getting out, on the other hand, might pose a challenge. Make sure there are steps we can climb out, or consider installing a ramp made just for us.
3- Life vests aren’t just for humans. You know the only thing that beats hanging your head out of a car window? Letting your jowls feel the joy of flapping in the wind on a boat! We love boat rides, but we need life vests just like you. Consider one that’s brightly colored (so we’re easily spotted), and has a nifty handle (in case you need to haul us out of the water).
4- Hose us down and dry us off. When water time is over, give us a good hose down to remove saltwater, chlorine, lake algae, or anything else that might be clinging to us. Then be sure to dry us off, paying special attention to our ears. This will help prevent any infections that love to spread in our damp, dark ears. If water is a regular part of our summer routine, you may even want to pick up an ear cleaner you can use once or twice a week. Oh, and apologies in advance for when we shake and splatter it all over you. It tickles!
5- Take drinking water. Whether we’re hanging by the backyard pool or splashing around in the lake, it’s really important that we have plenty of fresh drinking water. Playing in the sun all day makes us thirsty, and it’s not safe to drink the water we’re playing in. We’re still probably going to dink some of it on accident, but at least having a better option will help us wash it down.
Have fun and be safe out there, everyone! Tune in next week for more helpful advice straight from the horse’s- errr…. dog’s mouth!
Wet noses and tail wags,
Moody