ABOUT HYDRO-EXERCISE

Swimming is often recommended by your veterinarian for health and fitness. The physical conditioning and therapeutic value for people is already widely recognized. Swimming for dogs is finally becoming known in the United States for the same benefits as people. Canine swimming has been widely accepted in Europe for years.

Most dogs know how to swim and they just love it. The majority of the dogs who do not swim refuse because of lack of confidence. Our training pool is available to build confidence and make swimming an enjoyable experience. While we cannot guarantee that your dog will take to the water at first, we strive to make swimming a fun time for every dog.

Swimming exercises muscles, helps your dog gain strength and mobility, and improves their quality of life. Swimming improves cardio-vascular and respiratory fitness and stamina while avoiding high-impact damage to joints, ligaments and tendons. Warm water relaxes muscles and promotes healing by increasing blood and oxygen flow. The increased blood flow also helps decrease muscle spasms and eases pain. Water buoyancy supports your dog and takes all of the weight off the dog’s joints, and allows him to build and tone-up muscles and have better extension of movement in the show ring.

Swimming in warm water may benefit:
Hip/Elbow Dysplasia
Arthritis
Muscle Stiffness
Geriatrics
Stroke or Paralysis
Ligament Strain/Sprains
Pre/Post Surgical Conditioning
Cruciate Ligaments
Orthopedic Conditions
C-Section and after Whelping-tight muscles
 

Swimming may provide:
Quality of Life
Relaxation
Reduce Stress/Anxiety
Increase Strength
Increase Circulation
Cardio-vascular Conditioning
 

Swimming may help:

Obesity - Swim and Trim Program
If you have a overweight dog, swimming is a safe aerobic exercise that burns calories and help maintain your dogs' proper weight. Exercise is a very important part of weight reduction program. Swimming is particularly useful in the obese dog with chronic arthritis in which normal exercise is difficult. Obesity will shorten your dog's life. Swimming can help your pet's quality of life. Losing excess pounds and beginning an exercise program may add years to your pet's life. 

Before beginning any exercise program, talk with your pets' veterinarian.

Muscle Atrophy
After surgery or an injury, the lack of activity can allow muscles to waste away.  This phenomenon called atrophy is common in humans and dogs. Swimming can re-start muscle mass build-up sometimes in 3-4 swim sessions. Ligaments, tendons, muscles stretch out of their contracted state while they are moving in a non-weight environment. 

Dysplasia/Cruciate Ligament
Swimming increases muscle tone and strengthens tissues so further deterioration of the hip joint is reduced. Swimming is great pre or post surgery to help recovery. Your vet should always be consulted before swimming begins for any medical condition.

Show Dogs
Swimming helps balance of movement, tone-up muscles, remove excess weight, fun, relaxation, and emotional well being.

Performance Dogs
Agility, Obedience, Flyball, Freestyle, Weight Pulling. Swimming will keep them in top physical condition.

Retrieval/Field Trial Dogs
A good program is dividing swimming laps and retrieving depending on the results you would like to achieve.

Working Dogs
Rescue, police, drug enforcement, Assisted Companions, Seeing Eye, and Hearing Dogs. Taking these dogs for a swim takes the edge off their daily workday. Improves their spirit and mental well being.

Behavior Issues.
Relieves boredom and releases energy that has built up.

Owner/Dog Bonding
Since swim time is just plain fun for dogs, you too will have fun and relax while walking alongside as your faithful friend follows you while gently swimming laps around the pool. You can tell by their expressions how wonderful the warm water and stretching those legs feel. Of course, if a more robust playtime is what you two desire, we welcome retrieval type water games in our pool to strengthen the bond between you and your pet.