Many dog owners are aware of this situation: As soon as our four-legged darling sees the water, he runs off and plunges into the cold water. The dog doesn’t really care how big or small the waters are, as long as he can be inside and play. However, this isn’t completely harmless.

When quadrupeds start to swim, there’s almost no stopping them. But not all come back on command, but simply keep swimming straight ahead until they are completely exhausted. In order to save them, the owners have to get wet themselves or charter a boat.

At first the shore should be walked with the dog to be able to judge the situation and to recognize possible nature reserves. For dogs who do not know a stop while swimming, it is recommended to have a longline with them, so that the dog can’t swim out into infinity.

Even if the daily walk takes you past a river in which the dog has already played for hours, there are always dangers lurking that the dog can be dragged along. Especially after heavy rainfall, the water level can rise enormously and quickly change from a small stream to a torrential river. For this reason, the dog should be kept on a leash after heavy rains and the situation should be assessed first so that it cannot get into a life-threatening situation.

Of course you don’t want to annoy other bathers when the dog is bathing. In order for the dog to go about the whole thing calmly, it is always worth doing a little exercise, e.g. that the dog sits down beforehand and looks at the owner. As a reward he may then jump into the water. And also the coming out should be controlled, so that the dog does not shake himself next to the bathers. It is best if the dog goes directly back to the owner or is otherwise kept on a leash.

In small, stagnant waters, there is also the danger of the so-called leptospirosis bacteria, which are released via the urine of mice and rats. Although dogs are often vaccinated against it, vaccination does not provide reliable protection. Therefore a dog should never drink from standing waters! In addition, in rare cases blue-green algae can occur in waters which can be dangerous for the dog. It is best to inform yourself in advance about the water quality of the water.

So if you take all precautions, nothing stands in the way of enjoying yourself in the water – no matter if you are a land egg or a water rat.