How To Stop A Dog From Drinking Pool Water (Dangers of Chlorine For Dogs)

A backyard pool is an essential for any garden during the warmer seasons, they are easy to set up, can clean out the water themselves and provide a fun space for you and your family, and that includes your dog! 

Before we get into how to stop your dog from drinking pool water, let’s acknowledge that dogs love jumping in pools and it’s a great way for them to exercise and enjoy themselves at the same time, meaning you can continue sunbathing without worrying about walking them for the day.

Aside from swimming in it however, when it comes to water dogs (and especially puppies) can’t help but drink it regardless of where it is or what’s in it. Also dogs obviously don’t know the dangers of drinking chlorine water.

This can mean many dogs see a backyard pool as one giant water bowl set up specifically for their thirsty needs. 

Pool water possesses many chemicals that can be incredibly dangerous for a dog to consume over time however, so it is better to get your dog out of the habit sooner than later before they become seriously unwell.

To help you know how to stop your dog drinking from the swimming pool and picking up any nasty side effects, we have listed some of the most popular and best options to consider to help your canine companion enjoy their swim, but also know where the fresh water bowl is when it’s time to drink. First, however, lets go over why pool water is bad for drinking and how bad it is.

How Bad Is Pool Water For Dogs?

When it comes to drinking from the pool, chlorine and algae are the main dangers to our dogs when ingested that are within swimming pool water.

While they are great long term pool cleaners, both include aluminum sulfate, copper carbonate and ethanol amine which can seriously disturb a dogs digestive system or give them trouble breathing and mouth ulcerations from inhaling concentrated chlorine.

Lapping up such a large amount of water from a pool can also cause water intoxication where a dog can get severe cases of diarrhea or vomiting due to there being too much water for the body to process fast enough, which is the main reason most people want to know how to stop a dog from drinking pool water.

The high salt intake in pool water can also give a dog an upset stomach and vomiting as it is more than their usual diet requires. 

Aside from the chemicals in pool water every owner should also be fully aware of their dogs allergies as some dogs could have nasty reactions to the chemicals used in particular pool water which may require you to keep them away from the pool entirely to keep them safe. We recommend also referring to our guide on how to store pool chemicals safely as well.

The odd lick of pool water will not be life threatening, however dogs should know not to make this a dangerous habit or to ingest large amounts of chlorine-filled pool water, and to ensure this below we have listed the most efficient and easy ways to dissuade your dog from seeing the pool as his personal water fountain. 

Fresh Water Bowls

By far the easiest, quickest and cheapest method is simply just placing a fresh water bowl near the pool for when you’re using it.

We sometimes forget to provide our pets with fresh water during more energetic activities, however it is incredibly important, and if you don’t have a fresh bowl prepared a dog will quickly run to the pool for a drink.

Leaving a dogs filled up bowl next to a pool gives them easy access to a bowl they are already familiar with, you could even consider buying several or slightly bigger bowls to make them seem even more appetizing.

Training Methods For Your Dog

Another easy method is teaching a dog the rights and wrongs of a pool, similar to a child.

An effective way to do this is watch your dogs movements when they go outside, if they approach the pool for a drink tell them ‘No’ and gesture towards their own bowl. 

This way they can quickly pick up on what they should be drinking out of, and should stay far from the pool entirely by a few weeks.

Another way is having regular water breaks while outside where every half hour or few minutes, you take your dog for a short stroll to a freshwater source, and you can even leave a treat for them there as a surprise. We recommend getting one of the best dog pool ramps to help them be able to enter and exit your swimming pool easily.

This way dogs will become accustomed to the route and will know they could be rewarded if they visit their bowl more often.

Pool Alternatives To Chlorine

If you really struggle to tear your dog away from the pool or maybe you can’t always be there to watch him, another good option can be finding an pool cleaning alternative to chlorine which is the most dangerous chemical to dogs that present in swimming pool water. 

Bromine is the most popular alternative, it has a less pungent smell, and causes much less irritation to eyes and skin and is overall safer if your dog is prone to the occasional drink now and again.

Bromine is however more expensive and less stable in sunlight, so always keep this in mind. Some people have even used bleach in swimming pools, although bleach is not usually our first recommendation. Another option, rather than switching totally away from chlorine, is to limit the amount. This can be done with UV and Ozone generators which are easy to set up and can create a 90% reduction in annual chlorine used in a pool.

While it requires more maintenance you could even consider a natural swimming pool where none of the water has any nasty chemicals for your dog to consume, you would just need to make sure you manually clean the pool regularly. 

This can be done quite easily by using baking soda, borax, muriatic acid and bleach to cleanse the pool of parasites and algae every now and again. 

Dogs Drinking Pool Water While Swimming

Another common problem for dog and pool owners is rather than drinking from beside the pool, dogs tend to inhale many gulps while swimming inside the pool, this is especially common when teaching your dog how to swim in a pool, however there are a few nifty workarounds to help your dog stay safe while they enjoy themselves.

1. Dog vests are the most popular option, coming in an array of sizes and bright colors, they provide padding and buoyancy to keep a dog afloat and avoid gulping any of the water. 

2. Always check the buoyancy to ensure it matches the weight of your dog and that there is no danger of them sinking.

3. Harnesses also work very well in a similar fashion being very durable and waterproof, and keeping your dog high above water level.

Our Conclusion On Dogs Drinking Swimming Pool Water

So, there you have it, the dangers of dogs drinking pool water, some alternatives to chlorine to make it more safe, and some tactics to keep your dog hydrated without ingesting chlorine-filled swimming pool water.

In short, it is generally ok for dogs to drink small, minor amounts of pool water, but you never want them treating your pool like a giant water bowl or ingesting too much at one time.

Hopefully, this guide helped you figure out a way to stop your doggo from drinking pool water. You may also consider getting a quality dog swimming pool, in addition to your main pool, swimming pools for dogs are a great alternative for your pup and can be easily filled with chlorine-free water from your garden hose, making it safe for them to drink out of.

More info on what is not safe for dogs drinking pool water, as well as signs your dog has ingested too much pool water in the video below.