By Kate Masters
While fetch is fun and it’s hard to beat a nice walk in the park, swimming might take top dog in terms of canine cardio. According to Roger Collins, the owner and operator of the Northern Virginia Animal Swim Center in Middleburg, there are wide-ranging health benefits for dogs that swim regularly, from increased muscle tone to pain relief.
For younger, healthy dogs, swimming can provide an invigorating break from their normal exercise routine or regularly supplement their daily activity. For older dogs, the benefits might be even greater. Collins says that water eases arthritis and joint pain in geriatric dogs by giving them a greater range of mobility, and rebuilds muscle much faster than walking or running. Swimming can even help dogs with degenerative neuromuscular diseases, slowing deterioration and providing a level of activity that improves their outlook on life.
Despite their shaggy exteriors, most dogs take like ducks to water—if they’re given the opportunity to develop their skills. Veronica Sanchez, a trainer and behavior consultant at Cooperative Paws in Vienna, says that breeds like Labradors and Newfoundlands were bred to work in the water and usually jump right in with little to no prompting. With other breeds, it’s not so easy. Dobermans don’t particularly enjoy the water, nor do many lap-dog breeds. In cases like these, Collins says pups need time to build confidence before they embrace the doggy paddle.
“All dogs have the instinct to swim, but it needs to be developed,” Collins says. “Dogs suddenly introduced or thrown in will panic.” Collins and Sanchez recommend training reluctant dogs in calm, shallow areas of water to make them feel more comfortable.
“Tossing toys or offering treats when the dog walks into a shallow area can help build confidence,” Sanchez says. “It can also help if the owner enters the water first, or if the dog has a canine friend that is happy to play in the water.”
Whether they’re novice paddlers or seasoned swimmers, Collins says that a dog’s safety in the water depends on their owner’s common sense. “Some people think dogs can swim forever, but they do get exhausted,” he says. “You have to consider a dog’s limitations and keep them away from areas frequented by non-dog owners,” such as boat camps and crowded beaches, where broken glass can litter the ground, as well as fishing grounds where dogs can get caught on broken lines or stray hooks. Collins also says it’s important to watch out for dirty water—since all dogs drink while they swim, it’s up to the owner to check the site’s water quality.
Pooch swimming is all about safety, and Virginia’s sweltering summers present the perfect opportunity to warm dogs up to water. With a little owner oversight and a doggy life vest, pups can swim anywhere their humans would, and enjoy it just as much.
Mason Neck State Park
7301 High Point Road, Lorton; 703-339-2385
Mason Neck is known for bald eagle conservation, but the beach may overshadow the birds for water-loving pups. Take the Bay View Trail for easy access to Belmont Bay, an ideal inlet for doggy paddling.
Prince William Forest Park
18100 Park Headquarters Road, Triangle; 703-221-4706
Prince William Park protects some of the earliest settled land in American history, and visitors can find centuries of history hidden along its forested paths. Explore sites like an abandoned pyrite mine while Fido splashes through brooks and pools formed by industrious beaver colonies.
Leesylvania State Park
2001 Daniel K. Ludwig Drive, Woodbridge; 703-730-8205
You can’t get more Virginia than Leesylvania State Park, the ancestral home of the Lee and Fairfax families. Head to Freestone Point Beach at the northern tip of the park for a sandy strip of Potomac shore, perfect for wading or a few rounds of fetch.
Northern Virginia Animal Swim Center
35469 Millville Road, Middleburg; 540-687-6816
Ideal for swimming beginners, the Northern Virginia Animal Swim Center offers a safe environment for dogs to adjust to the water. The Center offers year-round training, conditioning, and rehabilitation sessions for dogs in their two indoor swimming pools, where owners can guide their canine friends through the water with a chest harness and lead.
Pup ’N Iron
21 Perchwood Drive, Unit 111, Fredericksburg; 540-659-7614
Besides training, fitness and wellness services, Pup’N Iron in Fredericksburg also offer a heated hydrotherapy pool for dogs with injuries or mobility issues. Healthy dogs are also free to make a splash—the facility offers Fun and Fitness sessions where owners can play in the pool with their pups.
Shirlington Dog Park
2601 S. Arlington Mill Drive, Arlington; 703-228-6525
The Shirlington Dog Park offers its furry visitors unique access to a creek that runs alongside the main play area. Pups can wet their paws in the shallow areas near the bank, or enjoy a full-fledged swim in the deeper areas by the creek’s waterfall.
Pools Offering Dog Swim Days
Atlantis Waterpark
7700 Bull Run Drive, Centreville
Pirate’s Cove Waterpark
6501 Pohick Bay Drive, Lorton
Ocean Dunes Waterpark
6060 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
Great Waves Waterpark
4001 Eisenhower Ave., Alexandria
Volcano Island Waterpark
47001 Fairway Drive, Sterling
While the parks haven’t set an official date for their dog swim days, they’re traditionally held on the Saturday after Labor Day.
Larry Weeks Community Pools at Vint Hill
4248 Bludau Drive, Warrenton
The pool will hold a Doggy Swim Pool Party on September 6 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
A.V. Symington Aquatic Center
80 Ida Lee Drive NW, Leesburg
Swim day scheduled for September 6.
Lovettsville Community Center Pool
57 E. Broad Way, Lovettsville
Franklin Park Pool
17501 Franklin Park Road, Purcellville
Weekend of September 13, usually 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Veterans Memorial Park
14300 Featherstone Road, Woodbridge
The pooch plunge is held the weekend after the pool closes.
Curtis Park Pool
58 Jesse Curtis Lane, Stafford
Curtis Park is holding a Drool in the Pool event on September 6 from 10 a.m.–noon.
(August 2014)