Looking to make a splash? At Splash Doggy you and your dog can swim together. Its a great way to improve your dogs health and fitness whilst having a splashing good time.
The benefits of swimming for dogs
Swimming is a fantastic form of exercise and is not only fun for your dog (and you), it has great physical and mental benefits too.
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According to Dr Arleigh Reynolds who is a veterinary surgeon and canine Physiologist, 1 minute of swimming is equivalent to 4 minutes of running on land.
Physical benefits:
1. Cardiovascular Fitness; Swimming can improve your dogs cardiovascular and respiratory fitness by strengthening the heart and lungs. It can increase metabolism and improve the circulation. The resistance against water ensures that the dog uses all the major muscle groups and can improve muscle tone and strength. This gives your dog a total body workout!
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2. Joint Friendly; Due to buoyancy, the weight of the dog is evenly distributed and the body is supported by the water. This means that swimming is non-weight bearing and low impact, which is less stressful on joints and can even reduce pain caused by arthritis and dysplasia. Furthermore, swimming can improve the range of movement that they would usually have when running on land.
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3. Overweight dogs; Swimming is great for overweight dogs of any age. It is proven to help some dogs lose excess weight and strengthen their muscle. As mentioned above, its is joint friendly, and because of increased resistance from the water it can burn more calories and improve their metabolic rate in a shorter amount of time than going for a walk.
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Together with a balanced diet, swimming can help to bring a dogs weight back to a healthy level. But we advise that you always speak to your vet regarding diet and exercise for your dog.
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4. Improves mobility; Swimming in warm water warms the muscles much more quickly, this has the benefit of increasing the blood flow and aids relaxation. A study carried out at the Hatpury University Centre in the UK, found that swimming is not only beneficial to dogs with joint issues, but that it significantly improves the mobility of all dogs.
Mental benefits:
1. Relieves stress; Just like humans, having varied activities, playing and generally having fun, can help with your dogs mental well being. Swimming sessions alongside your normal routine can provide the variation in your dogs life. The added bonus is swimming and having fun playing with your dog is also beneficial to humans too! It can also help to strengthen the bond between you and your dog.
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2. Stimulates the Brain; Whether your dog is retrieving a toy, jumping from the dock or learning to swim, they are having to think and exercise their brain. This mental stimulation can help to keep the minds sharp and reduce anxiety. These physical activities help to use up excess energy in a controlled and healthy way.
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3. Aids sleep; After any physical exercise such as swimming where your dog has burnt a lot of energy, it is more likely to look forward to a good night's sleep. The restorative benefits of a good night's sleep is great reason to bring your dog for a swim at Splash Doggy.
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4. Leash free; As you have full exclusive use of the pool, this can be perfect for nervous or reactive dogs as they can be off leash and allowed to swim around freely. If being off-leash is not possible when walking your dog, swimming could allow them the freedom they sometimes desire.
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