Dogs and water: How to play and exercise safely

LOS ANGELES — When you think of four-legged swimmers, Labrador retrievers might come to mind. But any dog can take to the water if enticed properly.

"I don't think that every dog has an inherent skill. They might all have an idea what to do but some dogs do it much better than others. Some are born to swim. Some are never meant to put foot in the water," said veterinarian Karl E. Jandrey, who works in the emergency and critical care units at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California, Davis.

Valentine is a 4-year-old, 42-pound, short-snouted English bulldog with stumpy legs who is heavy on both ends and looks like she would sink if placed in water.

For three years, James MacKinnon of Los Angeles, an Emmy-winning TV and movie makeup artist, went to great lengths to protect Valentine from the swimming pool at his home. Then a year ago, he started boarding her at Paradise Ranch Pet Resort in Sun Valley, a cage-free, luxury country club and water park for dogs about 25 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. (You can board cats there too, but the water is off limits to them.)

It turns out Valentine loves the water. During the eight months MacKinnon traveled for work last year, with more time away this year, Valentine lost seven pounds, partly due to swimming. Her health improved, her endurance grew and she became fast friends with a Rottweiler named Chico who loves to dive off the dock.

She probably decided to try it when she saw how much fun all the other dogs — including Chico — were having, said Chico's owner, Cora Wittekind, an animal behaviorist who worked with Valentine.

The best way to turn your dog into a swimmer is to introduce water very early, as a puppy if possible, making sure the experience is pleasant, according to recommendations from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Never let dogs get in water over their heads until they are accomplished swimmers, and don't force or toss them in water.

"Don't push them to do things they want to do," Jandrey said.

And beware of the risks. Based on emergency room visits, one of the most common backyard pool accidents happens when dogs walk onto pool covers. If the cover collapses, the dog gets trapped, struggles and inhales water, Jandrey said. Safety covers made of solid material can run hundreds of dollars, but are worth the investment if there's a possibility your dog might jump on a soft pool cover.