# Dogs & the Ocean / Salt water



## chicagojosh (Jun 22, 2010)

For you ocean dwellers, 

How do you keep your dog from drinking ocean water? How sick do they get from a swim in the ocean?

I'm going on a vacation soon and I know my thirsty dog will take a drink immediately. if he hates the taste, that could be the end of that, but he's such a big lug sometimes I could see him slurping it up.

any thoughts?

thanks


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

Mine ocean swim alot, sometimes she will slug the water so far no problems..I did have another gsd who really slugged salt water and would vomit it up

I do hose Masi down after a salt water swim, just like us, they tend to get sticky if the water is really salty.


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## chicagojosh (Jun 22, 2010)

thank you very much Jakoda. Cody will be the dummy puking it up LOL

I'm assuming to make sure he re-hydrates afterward


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

When I took my Golden to the beach in Maine, she kept trying to lap up the water (she'd give a slurp and then stop, but then she'd try again a little later). I just kept telling her to "leave it" and eventually she caught on that it tasted bad. However after we were done swimming she did throw up once. I just made sure she had plenty of fresh water to drink.


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## chicagojosh (Jun 22, 2010)

Thanks Chicago Canine. he is good with leave it.

how far out do you let them get? with undertoe (spell?) and tides I'm leary. I'll be out there with him, but I'm not even very confident of a swimmer in the ocean...


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Yeah I was worried about that too... I ended up finding a beach that was basically like a giant tide pool when the tide was out, it was protected from the ocean proper except when the tide came in, so there was no undertow (plus that meant the water was warmer!) We left when the tide started coming in (the water temp went down so I could tell.) She mostly stayed right near me, and the water didn't go up past my chest. Some beaches stay shallow for a long distance from the shore so that might be good to find.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I also tend to like going at low tide and if I think the surf is to rough, (mostly high tide) I won't let her go in..


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## chicagojosh (Jun 22, 2010)

good thought on the tide pool if i can find one. sounds like you guys had fun


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Yes we had lots of fun! Ginger (my Golden) was totally in love with the ocean. That trip was the only time I think she ever saw or swam in the ocean, although we do have the "mini ocean" (lake Michigan) here.

You can see photos of her from that trip here if you're interested:
Ginger's Golden Playground


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## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

Wolfie spends most of the spring and the entire summer with me on the beach. He eats the sand like a nut and drinks the water. I try to stop him, but he keeps doing it. He gets home, I hose him off, and then the next morning he has diarrhea.


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## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

JakodaCD OA said:


> I also tend to like going at low tide and if I think the surf is to rough, (mostly high tide) I won't let her go in..


Low tide is the best for them. Wolfie won't even go near the water at high tide, unless I am going in the water, then he tries to pull me out.


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## tonkatuff81 (Jul 13, 2010)

My guy is a water lover and will swim right out into a rough surf. *Can't keep him out of the water.*

He does not drink salt water.

But even though he's not drinking it, he does ingest a lot, especially if fetching a waterborne object. Invariably, his next stool will be very loose after a salt water swim.

Other than that, No harm at all.

However, we're talking about the ocean. Tidal pools and marshes often contain unacceptable levels of e-coli at low tide due to waterfowl populations. Drainage outfalls contain other contaminants such as e-coli from pet droppings, nitrogen, hydrocarbons, and salts.

Obviously, you would want to stay away from areas that accept municipal sewage treatment, landfills, industrial, and agricultural outfalls.

On second thought, maybe I'll just get a kiddie pool.

IMO, the open ocean (ie: approved for human recreation) is the best bet.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

My dogs love to swim, usually in the SF Bay, but sometimes we take them to the ocean. They do occasionally drink the water, but usually puke it back up if they have too much of it. Also, the loose stool that others have mentioned - we call that the "saltwater ****s". 

Before you let him swim in the ocean I'd make sure he's a very strong swimmer in calm water. My dogs were swimming like fish in the bay before they ventured into the waves. If the surf is up, we are careful not to throw the ball very far, so they're along the edge of the water or just a few feet in. If there aren't big waves, we'll throw it out farther. My dogs are very conditioned to chase balls and bring them back, on land or in the water, so I'm not too worried that they'll get into trouble as long as we're prudent about it. If we don't throw the ball in the water they'll just splash around in the shallows, they only swim out if there's a toy to retrieve.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I just prefer low tide because it's more manageable for me and I don't stress as much

However, Masi would jump off a bridge to get in the water, she doesn't care how deep, how rough, how cold, she is a big time water rat


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

Molly is at the beach a lot and EVERY TIME she will drink and drink. She will always vomit, so now I wait until she has before she gets in the car...RAW back up is not pretty on the seats! I also take fresh water for her but she prefers saltwater


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## jkscandi50 (Nov 17, 2010)

I would also be on the lookout for Man-o-War - maybe they don't have them on the panhandle - but down here on the eastcoast they are everywhere this time of year - Easily seen (you'll know if they're around) -and they really do sting - they look like blue baggies with LONG tentacles - the tentacles are the baddies on 'em.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

I get to take the dogs for the occasional swim. When we go to the LI Sound (North Shore) there is no rip tide, the south shore there is a strong rip tide. I prefer to keep a long line on them. I am the over protective mom. I try to discourage the drinking, but they do manage to get some I haven't had a problem.
Now I really have spring fever thinking about the beach already!


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

I took my dogs to the Gulf of Mexico one year. They spent the first day drinking all the water they wanted and it came right out the other end in liquid form. They got smart and didn't drink any the next day. But, not all dogs will "get smart". I sure does clean them out.


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## chicagojosh (Jun 22, 2010)

thanks everyone! I'll keep my eyes out for man o war or jelly fish. 

Both are dogs will great in lakes and Cody has swam in rivers and even fought the current at one point. clearly the ocean is far more dangerous though so i wont be throwing the ball out very far. depending on the tide i might keep them on a long line too...

I'll be prepared for some vomitting and "saltwater $*@&#" lol


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

My neighbor trained her Husky to stop drinking the ocean water by constantly saying "leave it" and offering a bowl of fresh water on the spot. The dog is almost 2yrs old now and does not drink ocean water nor any puddles after it rains.

Our dog runs down the beach with her mouth wide open like a shovel scooping up the ocean water. If she starts to drink to much we take her home. Be sure to hose your dog off after a swim so their skin won't get irritated.


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## chicagojosh (Jun 22, 2010)

thanks gretchen!


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## VegasResident (Oct 4, 2006)

Our lab went in ocean..did not throw it up, but it came out the other end really really fast on way back to car


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