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.