Has anyone here tried this by any chance? I was thinking given how expensive it is to do "properly", could a homemade version be concocted with reasonable success?

I came across this product: http://www.plastor.co.uk/content/ref-rm100t-100-gallon-tank-455-litres-1370-x-775-x-670mm which looks it might be sufficient depth for 13"-15" dog (height in withers), unless a deeper version would be required?

The initial idea is just for extra exercise as my dogs don't swim during walks, so this could be introduced couple of times a week for general fitness and health reasons. And then of course should swimming become necessary for a dog in recovery after injury, or an older dog with joint issues, this would come handy as well.

Found this youtube video as well, but I was thinking staying with the dog while it is swimming rather than leaving it tied up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SAAHWUWyHE

I typed out such a long, boring reply to this but it was so preachy.

All I will say is... as a hydrotherapist... please don’t do this for a dog with a condition you are trying to rehabilitate. There is a reason you pay good money to professionals. Lots of reasons, actually. It’s not as simple as sticking them in water.

Yes of course, and as a rule of thumb this might even be preferable on the whole. After all people are different with different intelligence levels. But don't blame me to take this with a pinch of salt personally, because the very job of the hydrotherapist depends on people bringing their dogs to them.

However, I would not like to turn this topic into a debate as to whether to go to a hydrotherapist or do it at home; do start a separate topic on this if you wish. Here I'm asking if anyone has or is swimming their dog at home, if so what tub do you use, what size of the tub did you find comfortable compared to your dog's size and so on.

I can assure you I am speaking in a professional capacity as someone experienced in the field, and familiar with the good, the bad and the ugly, and not for fear of losing business. It’s actually pretty offensive to suggest that.

Not meant to be offensive at all. It's a simple matter of fact.

I would imagine the majority of people just don't have the room to do it.  If I did, I would go and get qualified myself first so I wasn't risking doing further damage.

The closest I would get currently is what I've been pondering doing for a while, which is half-filling the bath with very warm water and standing River in it for a bit.  She has very arthritic feet and not much helps them, but I know how much hot water helps mine so I may give it a go.  I've also seen how much just the heat from a hydro pool helped with Saffi's arthritis and she wasn't moving!

Yes the available space is an issue! During summer months we have a large inflatable pool which goes up in the garden, two humans and a dog fit in comfortably! But in winter this has to be done indoors and that's why I thought that plastic tub might do the trick - in theory (!) it should be relatively lightweight to move about, so a determined person could keep it in the shed or garage and take it out for the procedure (even if it goes in the middle of living room, well dog's rule our households don't they!)

I plan to read on it definitely, but I wouldn't worry about a qualification paper. However many people are in the situation where their dog requires water sessions weekly/few times a week etc, due to amazing difference it makes to the dog's quality of life (mostly older doggies etc). These people would have attended a professional hydrotherapy a number of times, may well have grasped what is going on and in many cases they would be able to continue the regime at home had their have the facilities.

I'm about to phone those plastic people and order the tub, and see how it goes! Worst case scenario it will come handy for pimms

> may well have grasped what is going on and in many cases they would be able to continue the regime at home had their have the facilities.

Not necessarily as in most pools, the owners are not allowed in with the dogs, so won't get hands-on experience; and the therapists have been trained in the physio side, how to identify problems early, musculature etc.  And the dog's needs change over time as muscle tone develops or the original problem perhaps changes.  I cannot thing of a single instance in which it would be appropriate or safe for a client with a dog needing hydrotherapy for a medical reason to continue it at home.

> I cannot thing of a single instance in which it would be appropriate or safe for a client with a dog needing hydrotherapy for a medical reason to continue it at home.

I can But as I've already asked, let's not turn this topic into a debate. I posted it to learn, to share experiences, not to argue "you can't do it because you don't have qualifications".

Let's get back on track! I'll report once the tub arrives and we've tried swimming our four. We've got the life jacket already, and water heater to top up the temperature between the dogs.

I'm sure you can, because you're determined to do it no matter what anyone says.  I'm not going to waste any more time on it.  Tectona has said it best already anyway:

> All I will say is... as a hydrotherapist... please don’t do this for a dog with a condition you are trying to rehabilitate. There is a reason you pay good money to professionals. Lots of reasons, actually. It’s not as simple as sticking them in water.

For someone who wants to give their dog some more exersize but doesn't have access to a pool or river fine I guess, but for someone who's dog has been going to hydrotherapy for a medical issue to do this just to save money I'd say not a good idea. There will be more to it an just sticking a dog in water that the majority of normal owners wouldn't be capable of. Thus risking the heath of their dog over their wallet.

Have you actually looked whats invloved in a hydrotherapy course. It's very intensive and not just about swimming or holding a leg here and there.
You can do more harm and damage by not being qualified and working with a dog in a hydro pool.

It's like an untrained/unqualified behaviourist working with a dog with aggression issues.
Or someone trying physio on a human who is untrained. You just wouldn't do it.

Each to their own but why would you put your own dog at risk of further or new damage without getting the training first and that's in a pool and water treadmill

Update, as we've been away on a hiking trip and in the meantime some changes were introduced in our home

The tub which I linked to in the original post turned out to be not suitable. When I phoned to purchase it the company were very helpful, and they explained that the tub could only be filled half-way up, due to not very strong plastic it is made of (if it is filled more, the sides would begin to bow out).

So that idea had to be scrapped, but I already knew what I was looking for - a Japanese deep bathtub. In our house the garage adjoining the house is converted to make a dogs' bedroom, and there is a utility space next to it where we've had a small bathtub installed for washing the dogs after walks and similar things. So we decided to replace it with the Japanese version, which suited the available space perfectly as these baths are relatively small but very deep.

While we were away the tub was delivered and installed, and we have swam our four beasts in it already. It absolutely works, our dogs each had about 5 minutes of swimming session (to start with as it was their first) using the harness and me supporting the dog in the middle of the bathtub. The dogs seem quite happy about it once they realised it was for fun (nicely warm water and using their favourite toys helped).

Once we swam the first dog though it became clear that my earlier thought of "putting a tub in the middle of one's living room" was not a very good idea, as there were splashes and splashes of water all around. Therefore utility room with moppable floor or similar is necessary.

Overall I couldn't be happier as this turned out to be the perfect solution to introduce a swimming exercise for our dogs every now and then, and in all weathers