We love our furry friends, don’t we? Pets can make for wonderful, loyal companions that will be there for us when we need them most. For that reason, it is important to keep them safe at all times and in all situations.
And while it may seem like a therapeutic dip for your pets, taking them into the hot tub is not a good idea. There are plenty of reasons for this that we will cover below but keeping them safe around the hot tub area is of the utmost importance.
A Quick Aside About Hot Tubs and Your Dog
First and foremost, having a hot tub is a great idea. Whether you build one on your own or look into the best and worst hot tubs under $500, it is a great idea. You can also check out Povverful for any tech related needs or Valuehunta for just about everything else.
There are so many benefits to having a hot tub that we can’t cover here but rest assured, owning a hot tub will be a worthwhile investment that you will be glad that you made.
When it comes to your dogs, meanwhile, it is important to work with them because they are actually quite smart. Did you know that dogs can sense lies? Understand that the simplest measures for keeping them out might not work, so you may have to go with something a bit stronger. Be safer, not sorry.
Why You Need to Keep Your Pets Safe Around the Hot Tub
We all love to see pets taking a swim, particularly on a hot day when everyone needs to cool off. It bears explaining that this is drastically different from going into the hot tub. The cool water is completely fine for dogs but there are multiple things that could wind up in disaster when your pet is involved.
The first is that the water is far too hot for them. Spa water is generally at 102 degrees. Animals like dogs and cats don’t have sweat glands. When they get hot, they pant, and this overexertion can lead to major health problems. So, taking them into the hot tub is a bad idea.
Secondly, the chemicals that you use to sanitize the hot tub are generally not a pleasant thing for animals. The chemicals are chlorine-based sanitizers; these can dry your pet’s skin out. In most cases, this is unpleasant. But if they are left in there for long enough, it can cause major health issues.
Lastly, there is always a risk of drowning. Granted, hot tubs aren’t that deep, so if you have a bigger cat or dog, the chances of them drowning are drastically reduced. But for smaller animals especially, the hot tub can create a drowning hazard. There is nothing worse than buying a hot tub for your own personal enjoyment only for it to end in tragedy.
The Negative Impacts on Your Hot Tub
Even if you ignore all of the health and safety-related issues between your pets and the hot tub, there are quite a few other issues at hand as well. Remember how those chemicals won’t do well for their skin? Well, it won’t do well with their treatments, either.
The flea and tick treatments that you put on your pet’s coat? They can wash off into the spa water and make it quite unpleasant for anyone that gets in. Not only from a smell standpoint, but it could become a potential irritant as well.
The condition of your hot tub can come into play as well. If you introduce your pets into the water, the ones that shed will likely wind up clogging the filters. This is a nasty mess that you could do to avoid by keeping them a good distance away.
Moreover, dogs in particular can panic if they feel confined without the hot tub. When they panic, they can start to lash out and scratch at their surrounds. This means potentially cutting and scratching up the finish to your hot tub and it isn’t cheap to get that repaired.
Go with a Pool
If you want enjoy some safe water-time fun with your pets, there is no beating a pool. Even better, invest in a dog or kiddie pool where you know there won’t be an issue with drowning. Hot tubbing is meant for the adults for a reason and introducing your pet to those hot waters can be a disaster waiting to happen.
Besides, is there anything cuter than taking your dog out into the yard and watching them splash around the kiddie pool? It is a cheap, safe alternative to introducing them to your hot tub or regular pool and optimize your backyard space for a pet where potential issues can arise.
Pet-Proofing
Given the hazards that owning a pet and a hot tub can present, it is always a good idea to pet-proof the area. This can be as simple as having a gate or fencing around the area or even putting a cover on it when it isn’t in use. In fact, the latter can be quite beneficial for the health and cleanliness of your hot tub in general.
Keeping your hot tub closed is one of the simplest methods for keeping your pet protected and means that you don’t have to follow them outside when they have to go.
Moreover, make sure that you keep it protected from critters. The attraction of pests like mice could be enough to entice your pet to chase them down. This can lead to them falling into the hot tub if it is left unprotected as well.
Proper maintenance and care is all you need to keep your hot tub running for a long time to come and to keep your pets safe at the same time. Even though it may seem fun to give your pet a soak, it is the last thing that you want to do for the health and safety of both the pet and your hot tub. Invest in alternative measures instead.
Article By: Peter Rossi, a professional hot tub designer and founder of ByRossi.
