Keeping Animals Safe

[veghead]

We will be closing on a house with a pool in about two weeks. The current owner has a solar blanket on a roller, but I am worried about my dog getting trapped under it. Currently, there is a fence around the pool and we plan to keep that up until we know whether our dog - a small, mixed breed - can swim. We plan to install additional pet stairs in the pool, too.

The solar blanket has me worried. I think our dog will be fine with swimming, but if he ended up under the blanket, well, we all know what could happen.

Also, we want to add another dog to our home. I have read that certain breeds, like bulldogs, cannot swim, but I would really like to add a rottweiler to our family. Any advice on that? Our vet suggested that we take our previous rott for swim therapy as she aged, so I am thinking rotts are okay in the water (I hope).

And, finally, has anyone ever had a cat fall in the pool? Our cat is older and doesn't go outside much, but I am still concerned.

[AnnaK]

The tragedy of pets getting trapped under a solar of winter cover and drowning can be avoided with a pool fence. Even animals with excellent swimming skills can and will get disoriented once they're under the cover and will drown. Pet-appropriate steps or ramps are a must-have, and you must show the animals how to use them to exit the pool, but they are frequently of no use in cases where the pet is trapped under the cover. They panic, they forget where the exit is, they drown. Do a search on Scamper Ramp which is a pool exit ramp for dogs. It works best on inground pools.

As to breeds that can't swim, I haven't heard that. Some dogs dislike water or are afraid of it but as far as I know, all dogs can be taught to swim.

[veghead]

The tragedy of pets getting trapped under a solar of winter cover and drowning can be avoided with a pool fence. Even animals with excellent swimming skills can and will get disoriented once they're under the cover and will drown. Pet-appropriate steps or ramps are a must-have, and you must show the animals how to use them to exit the pool, but they are frequently of no use in cases where the pet is trapped under the cover. They panic, they forget where the exit is, they drown. Do a search on Scamper Ramp which is a pool exit ramp for dogs. It works best on inground pools.

Yes! The Scamper Ramp. I had found those and forgotten the name.

We would like to remove the fence. There are safer pool covers, aren't there? If we have to, I guess we can leave off the cover completely.


As to breeds that can't swim, I haven't heard that. Some dogs dislike water or are afraid of it but as far as I know, all dogs can be taught to swim.

I don't know how accurate it is, I have just read that. *shrug*

[aylad]

I had a chow mix that couldn't swim her way out of a mud puddle. Hated water, and I think she just was too panicked in the water to learn. My German Shepherd, however, absolutely LOVES the water!!

[AnnaK]

We would like to remove the fence. There are safer pool covers, aren't there? If we have to, I guess we can leave off the cover completely.

Yes, there are pool covers that will hold the weight of an elephant but you probably won't want to put that on at the end of each swim session.

The Scamper Ramp is a nice addition to the regular pool steps, sort of an emergency exit if the dog forgets where the steps are, but neither the ramp nor the steps will do any good if the dog is under the cover and panics. My dogs are excellent swimmers. One of them followed me on the pool deck one year–I hadn't latched the gate properly–and dove into the water. The pool was covered with the solar cover at the time. He got tangled up in it and looked awfully darned scared, I'll never forget the impression on his face and the frantic splashing, trying to free himself of that huge sheet of bubble wrap. Very, very scary!

Both gates now have a self-latching spring installed.

[waterbear]

I have stopped using a solar cover after my Schanuzer almost drowned! She thought it was a solid surface and jumped on it! Luckily we were by the pool when it happened and jumped in to get her out of the water. She was trapped under the cover! This was several years ago and we have not covered the pool since!

[cleancloths]

Keep the pool fenced and the gate closed and it should never be an issue. My huskies love to swim, but we only let them in the pool area when we are there. You want the solar cover on the pool all the time when you are not using it. If it costs you $1,000 to heat it without the solar cover, it will cost you about $100 to heat if you use the cover.

[cooper]

Hi,

We have a male 2 yr old Rottie we've had since 8 weeks and he loves to swim. He doesn't like to jump in from the deck which is 3" above the pool ledge so I built him a ramp that's hinged to the deck and he loves it. He is in and out of the pool by himself all summer. He swims over to the wedding cake stairs and climbs out.

This is an 24' above ground with a permanent deck 1/2 way around. Although I heat the pool I won't use a bubble cover for the same fear. During winter I run a 3' high piece of cyclone fence across so he can't get near it. Looks like hell but I'd be devistated if something happened to him. I realize I'm wasting money by not using the bubble cover but I also really enjoy looking at the water vs the cover.

That's my story.

Cooper

[veghead]

The pool does not have a heater, but I do live in the desert southwest. I am thinking about getting a roof solar heater. Quite honestly, I think the bubble solar covers look like heck too. I know, though, they will cut down on cleaning and help with retaining heat.

[AnnaK]

Hi Cooper,
I'm very interested in learning more about the hinged ramp you built. Do you have photos of it posted somewhere?

[cooper]

Hi Anna,

No I don't. But I should have one on my computer if I can figure out how to post it. I bought one of those white plastic ramps from the pool store but it wasn't big or strong enough for him. He weights 157 pounds.
I'll look

Cooper

[cooper]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a385/bobn/2011-12-15_20-59-48_622.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a385/bobn/Ramp1.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a385/bobn/Ramp2.jpg

[AnnaK]

That's kind of a big-ish dog, goodness! Ours are only 85 pounds.

We had also bought a Scamper ramp. We wanted an emergency exit for those times of the year when the steps aren't in the pool and just in case a dog did manage to get on the pool deck. Accidents happen no matter how careful a person is. The Scamper ramp does not work with AGPs.

I like what you've built there. It's braced only against the 2x4, right? A very interesting concept and nicely done.

Ours love to dive in from the deck. In fact, my 8 year old seems to think that's the only way to get in the pool. The 4 year old was taught to go in by the steps after his hip surgery when he was a puppy but he'll fling himself off the deck just because he can :)

[cooper]

Yes he's a big boy......but afraid to dive in. The first step on the wedding cake stairs is too far and too close to the wall for him. The lumber is 2x8 with 3-2x4's going across the backside...top, bottom and middle. There's a 2x4 under the decking material and the hinges screwed into there. Nothing fancy but effective. I have a piece of foam on the back side to keep it boyant. He hangs out on the ramp alot, jumps in when ready, swims around and climbs up the stairs. The stairs stay in over winter.

I'm not sure what brand the ramp was I bought when he was a puppy... it's white resin, I think with holes in it for traction. Not very wide....maybe 16" and not very strong. It wasn't good enough even when he was a puppy

We had a shepperd a long time ago that would jump in like that... we'd take him to my aunts shore house and he run down the dock and dive in.

Nice chatting with you!
Cooper

[veghead]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a385/bobn/2011-12-15_20-59-48_622.jpg



This picture makes me happy. :)

[cooper]

Glad I could make you smile!

[AnnaK]

Nice chatting with you!
Cooper


It's what I love about this forum. We can get a little off-topic now and then and chatter about personal stuff.

[alisonquilts]

I just read your post and wanted to cross-post to http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?16565-passive-solar-heat-with-homemade-solar-disks which we use to avoid the same trapped-person-or-pet scenario you are describing.

Alison