Swimming in the pool is not a problem for dogs who love to swim. It’s safe for your dog to swim in a chlorine pool or a salt pool, although high levels of chlorine can irritate a dogs skin and eyes, just like humans.
That’s not the problem we’re talking about.
The problem is how to keep your pool clean.
One dog swimming in the pool = 15 people when it comes to contaminants in your pool. It’s just like you had a pool party. Dogs shed more dirt and more oils, bringing phosphates into the pool - ultimately affecting the pH and creating a sanitizer demand.
If you were to test the water right after the dog swims, you would discover you now you have next to no chlorine, more phosphates, and you will likely see dog hair that will eventually get in the filtering system.
What should you do if you have a dog that loves to swim?
Besides making sure they are safe in the pool (supervised swimming and limiting dogs to short swim periods) it’s a good idea to take a few extra steps with your pool water and chemicals after your dog swims.
First, clean the dog hair out the pump basket.
Next, kill the contaminants your dog brought into the pool. Shock the pool and add additional chlorine after your dog swims - the same as you would do after heavy pool use, or a pool party with 15 of your friends and family.
If you skip adding chlorine or sanitizer, it will take a day or two to raise the chlorine up again.
Paying attention to your pool chemical levels is necessary, but having a dog that swims makes it even more important. If you need help keeping your pool clean and balanced, give Sunset Pool Care a call: 480-682-7986
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