Why Teddy, Bear, and Summer Wear Life Jackets in the Pool

Teddy, Bear, and Summer are more than just pets—they’re family. Jim and I understand the importance of ensuring the safety of all our family members, including our dogs, especially when they’re around water. This sense of responsibility and care is why we believe life jackets are a crucial part of pool time, and here’s why.

The Benefits of Life-Jackets for Dogs

Added Protection

Life jackets provide an extra layer of security that can significantly reduce the risk of drowning, regardless of your dog’s size or swimming abilities. Even the most enthusiastic swimmers can encounter difficulties, and having that added buoyancy can make all the difference.

Increased Buoyancy

One of the key benefits of a life jacket is that it helps dogs stay afloat, making it easier for them to paddle around without getting exhausted. This is particularly useful for older dogs or breeds that aren’t natural swimmers.

Personal Experience

Teddy, Bear, and Summer are Golden Retrievers, a breed known to be strong swimmers. Summer is a strong swimmer, but Teddy and Bear are not so much. In fact, Bear displays high anxiety, if not terror, at times. Dogs are individuals like people, and even though the Golden retriever breed is recognized as strong swimmers, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some golden retrievers like Bear that are not excellent swimmers.

This is the first time we have had a pool and Teddy and Bear’s water exposure was minimal before this. The only opportunity they had to play in the water was in livestock watering troughs, which were very shallow, and they never experienced a need to swim. Some people grow up without learning to swim because they didn’t spend much time around water? Well, the same goes for dogs! If a dog hasn’t had much contact with water, especially during their early puppy days, they might grow somewhat wary of it. That is true for both Teddy and Bear. But they are learning! I am much more comfortable with them wearing life jackets.