A hot tub is not a pet pool!  Loving your dog means keeping it out of hot water.

Tomorrow, Aug. 26 is National Dog Day, but a dip in the hot tub is not a treat for your pet. Even if your dog goes everywhere else with you, the spa is not a canine-friendly environment. It’s not good for the tub, and it’s not good for the pet.

For your hot tub:

• Things get hairy. The short hair that a dog sheds is likely to clog up your filters.
• Bad chemistry. Flea repellents and other treatments for your dog will wash off in the water and make the setting unpleasant for people.
• Scratch off. Most dogs don’t like the sense of being confined within four walls, and the attempt to jump out could mean toenail damage your tub’s finish.

For your dog:

• Too hot. Water at 102 degrees, the normal spa, is too hot for the animal who can’t sweat and has to pant.
• Bad chemistry. Your sanitizing chemicals can be as unpleasant for your pet as their chemicals are for the tub. Chlorine-based sanitizers can dry out the dog’s skin.
• Play safe. No shared soak is worth the risk that your dog might drown. That’s why you make sure to keep the cover on your tub when you’re not using it, too.

If you want your pet to experience the pleasures of hot tubbing, consider setting up a doggie spa with a bathtub or child’s plastic swimming pool with the right temperature and depth. Of course, your pet can always be next to you while you soak, and might enjoy a game of fetch or Frisbee.

Needless to say, hot tubbing is also not recommended for cats. We’re talking about everyday hot tubbing here with temperatures preferred by humans. If you are considering the possibility of dog rehabilitation in warm water, see our blog post “Using the Hot Tub for Canine Therapy”.

As the Romans said it, Sua cuique voluptas. Everyone has his own pleasures.

You’ll also like:

Using the Hot Tub For Canine Therapy

Hot Tubbing With Your Dog? Sorry…Not A Good Idea