Should You Wash Your Dog After Swimming In The Pool?
Yes, you should wash your dog after swimming in the pool. Chlorine dries out dog fur and skin as it strips the natural oils. This can make your dog’s coat very dull, more prone to being tangled and also make their skin itchy. The chemicals in the chlorine can also have a bleaching effect on a dog’s fur and can even turn it a green shade. Continue reading for the best way to wash your dog, measures you can take to make sure your dog’s coat is in top condition before swimming and my top recommendations for dog swimming gear!
Table of Contents
Reasons Why You Should Wash Your Dog After Pool Swimming
1. Chlorine Can Dry Out Your Dog’s Fur And Skin
The main reason why you want to wash your dog after swimming at the pool, especially if the water is chlorinated, is that the chemicals can dry out your dog’s fur and skin. This can make your dog’s fur brittle and dull looking.
2. Swimming Can Cause Your Dog’s Fur To Get Tangled & Matted
You should also be washing your dog’s fur as it will reduce the amount of tangles and matted areas in the coat. I also suggest giving your dog a good brush after swimming to further remove tangled fur.
3. Pool Water Can Make Your Dog’s Skin Itchy
In addition to pool water making dog’s fur and skin go dry it can also make your dog’s skin very itchy due to allergic reaction or skin irritations to chlorine. Itchiness can lead to your dog to over groom which can cause hair loss and skin infections.
4. Chlorine Can Make Light Coloured Dog Fur Go Green!
You might have bleached your hair blonde before and realised that after a few dips in the pool the tips starting going green. It is the exact same for dogs!
If your dog has white, yellow or golden coloured fur there is a high chance that it will start to go a green shade. The chance is increased if you do not wash your dog after swimming at the pool. Unless you want a green dog, you should be bathing your dog after a trip to the pool!
How To Wash Your Dog After Swimming In The Pool
Hose Your Dog Before Entering The House
It is a good idea to have a hose set up next to the pool so that you can give your dog a quick initial rinse off. In this way no extra dirt and chlorinated water will make it’s way into your house.
A hose with a spray nozzle attachment will also have a pretty good water pressure so it will be able to dislodge quite a bit of dirt and debris caught in your dog’s coat.
Alternatively you can use a portable dog shower. These showers are small plastic attachments that you can screw onto the top of a water bottle. Simply tip it upside down and then water will spray out of it.
Give Your Dog A Bath With Mild Soap
To further remove the harmful chlorine from your dog’s fur you should give him/her a bath with mild soap or your preferred dog shampoo and conditioner. As it goes for dog shampoo and conditioner I recommend Burt’s Bees Natural Dog Shampoo.
Make sure to massage the shampoo or soap all the way to the undercoat of your dog’s fur and onto his skin to remove all of the chlorine. Next rinse your dog with warm water and then towel dry.
Note This: If you are regularly swimming in your pool with your dog you should not give them a bath with soap every single day as this will dry out their skin just as badly as the chlorine. Instead wash your dog with only water and use a dog shampoo every few days.
Remember To Wash & Dry Your Dog’s Ears
Dogs that frequently swim in pools are at a risk of developing ear infections and other problems. So while washing your dog after swimming at the pool you should scrub your dog’s ears. This is especially the case for dog breeds with long, floppy ears that don’t get much air flow and easily become a warm environment for organisms such as bacteria and yeast to grow.
Read Also: How To Clean Your Dog After A Day At The Beach
Measures You Can Take To Protect Your Dog’s Skin & Fur Before Going Swimming
1. Spray Your Dog’s Coat With Dog Conditioner
A light coating of dog conditioner over your dog’s fur before swimming can help protect your dog’s skin and coat from drying out. The easiest way to apply conditioner for swimming is to spray it on. You can either put your favourite dog conditioner into a spray bottle or you can get a pre-packaged spray dog conditioner like this one here!
You can also consider using a moisturising dog sunscreen to protect your dog from getting sunburned. Don’t be fooled by a dog’s long coat as they can get skin cancer just like humans without proper protection. This dog sunscreen here gets great reviews on Amazon.
2. Brush Your Dog’s Fur Before Pool Swimming
Swimming can make dog’s fur super tangled and matted in areas. That is why it is such a good idea to brush your dog’s fur before pool swimming as it will reduce the amount of dog grooming work that you will have to do afterwards.
3. Swap To Oral Tick & Flea Control Over Topical Options
After swimming in a chlorinated pool topical flea or tick control can be washed off. Therefore to protect your dog’s skin and fur from fleas and ticks you should consider swapping to an oral option such as a tablet or liquid that is digested.
4. Consider Giving Your Dog Omega Fatty Acids
To keep up your dog’s coat health, you can give your dog some omega-3 supplements. These can come in either a liquid or chewable form and can be found at most pet stores. You should visit your veterinarian to see which omega supplements are going to be the best for your dog. Alternatively you can start adding more fish to your dogs diet such as salmon to boost his/her omega fatty acids intake.
Must Have Dog Pool Swimming Gear
Dog Pool Toys
Dog Life Jackets
Dog Towels
Read Also: 17 Must Have Dog Beach Essentials
What's Your Reaction?
