Dog day afternoon

Sharon

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Staff member
PREMO Member
Local dog owners treat their pets to a dip in Hollander Pool

NEWARK -- Fifteen-week-old C.C. crept up to the shallow end of Hollander Pool on Saturday.

The chocolate Labrador pup (whose name is short for Chocolate Chip) eventually mustered just enough courage to dip a paw in the cool water, while her owner, Don Butts, encouraged her with a gentle shove.

Meanwhile, Sadie, a 21/2-year-old black Labrador who also belongs to Butts, bounded nearly 6 feet off the edge and splashed into the water to retrieve whatever her master tossed in.

That was all the encouragement C.C. needed to plunge into the pool at the first-ever Newark Dog Swim organized by the city's Parks and Recreation Department and the Homeward Bound Humane Society.

"I take them swimming all the time, but this is the first time they've been in a pool," said Butts, who breeds labs at his Brownsville home.

Graham Campbell, organizer of special events and programs for the Parks Department, said the Dog Swim provides local pet owners with entertainment geared specifically for dogs. He said he and other community members have been working on events like Saturday's Dog Swim for the last couple of years, but finally put everything together this summer.

On Saturday, Hollander Pool, which was closed for humans last week, contained low amounts of chemicals that are typically added to the water. It will be drained and shut down for the season this week, but Campbell hopes to make the one-day Dog Swim a yearly event. Homeward Bound was also on-hand to give rabies vaccinations. Owners were required to show proof of a vaccination before their dogs could swim.

Dozens of dogs of all breeds and sizes apprehensively lined the sides of the pool Saturday. Each dog who jumped in the pool seemed to give another the confidence to do the same. Some owners waded into the shallow end of the pool to coax their dogs into taking a dip.

"Some of these dogs are having a hard time doing the doggy paddle," said lifeguard Allison Schrock, as she cooed over the paddling pups. "This just cracks me up."

Schrock said she did not receive any formal training to protect pooches, but just assumed it wouldn't be any different than watching over their owners. In fact, she said the dogs were better behaved than most people.

"You never have to bench a dog," she said.

Cosmo, an 8-year-old German Shepherd, stood on his hind legs in the shallow end with his soggy front paws resting on the edge of the pool.

"He was a little scared at first, so I had to push him in," said his owner, Kermane Byers. "I've never taken him swimming, so I wanted to know if he could swim."



See pics! :yay:
 

migtig

aka Mrs. Giant
Awwww. What a great idea for folks who don't have the water access like we do. My dawg loves to swim. :biggrin:
 

Hello6

Princess of Mean
I specifically rented a vacation house that had a pool so I could take my dogs swimming with me. I can't wait to see how it goes.
 

Sharon

* * * * * * * * *
Staff member
PREMO Member
Originally posted by Hello6
I specifically rented a vacation house that had a pool so I could take my dogs swimming with me. I can't wait to see how it goes.
Make sure you bring us pics! :biggrin:
 

Hello6

Princess of Mean
I'm really looking forward to the pic of Dolly (doxie coonhound) swimming: Since her head is so big, she has this list to her, can't swim in a straight line. Swims all off kilter. My big dog will completely submerge his head and have a ball. I think I should get a life jacket for the wiener dog.
 
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