Lake Trips With Your Dog: Safe, Fun Days on the Water

How do you keep a dog safe at the lake?

A lake day is one of the best days a dog can have. Fetch in the shallows, a nap in the shade, a nose full of new smells. The safety part is a short list of habits. Build them in and the rest of the day is just fun.

Put a life jacket on them for boats and deep water

Lakes don't have surf, but boats make wake, and wake makes chop. A dog who jumps in for a stick can tire fast in rough water, and a tired dog goes quiet before they go under. A life jacket keeps them floating while you get to them. Look for one with a handle on top so you can lift them back into the boat. Put it on before you leave the dock, not after.

Skip still, scummy water

This is the one rule we'd want every dog person to know. Warm, still water can grow blue-green algae, which is dangerous for dogs that drink or swim in it. A review of U.S. cases found dogs got sick after drinking from or swimming in affected lakes and ponds, most often in the warm months (Backer et al., 2013). Look for water that moves. Skip anything with a green, blue, or brown film on the surface, and keep your dog out of warm, shallow coves where scum collects.

Bring their drinking water

Even clear lake water can carry things that upset a dog's stomach. The easy fix is to bring their own. A soft water bladder and a collapsible bowl ride in a pack or a cooler. Offer water often. A dog who's had a drink is less likely to gulp from the lake. The hot-weather rules in keeping your dog cool apply at the beach too, with shade breaks built in.

Watch for wildlife and fishing gear

Know what lives around the lake you're visiting. Water snakes, biting bugs, and nesting birds are all reasons to keep your dog close on the shore. Fishing areas add another hazard: lost hooks and line in the shallows and along the docks. A leash on the shore and a quick scan of the sand before fetch handles most of it. Our rope leashes clip to a harness and shrug off sand and water.

Pack a dry bag

Phones, keys, first-aid kit, treats, and a dry towel all go in a dry bag. It keeps everything working after a splash or a tipped kayak. Ours holds 30 liters and is sized for a day on the water. Add a tick remover and something to clean a cut, and you're set.

Dry them off and check them over

Wet fur that stays wet can leave skin sore, and wet ears can turn into sore ears. At the end of the day, rinse your dog if you can, towel them well, and dry their ears gently. Then run your hands over them: cuts on the pads, burrs in the coat, ticks behind the ears and between the toes. A bath at home washes off whatever the lake left behind. If your dog's ears often bother them after swimming, your vet can suggest a simple after-swim routine.

AlphaPak is a food, not a medicine, and nothing here replaces your vet's advice. Not sure which recipe fits your dog? Find your recipe takes about a minute, and we are happy to help.