Soggy Doggies
“An
unusual aquatic centre inside a suburban Maryland strip mall has 5 narrow pools
& several swimmers of various abilities, but only one stroke: the dog
paddle.
In
2016, a canine-only swimming facility opened to fill ‘a need that people were
not aware of,’ according to owner Dominique Darcis. The K9 Aquatic Center now
has some 900 dog clients regularly booked for 30-45 minute sessions of fun,
exercise, or help with injury recovery.
‘When
we first heard about this, I thought, ‘That’s kind of ridiculous,’ ‘ said Carol
DiPace, the co-owner of 11 yr. old Ditto, a former agility competitor who a
year earlier blew out 3 discs in her back & underwent surgery that left 23
staples in her spine & 2 back legs that did not move. Then the dog’s
surgeon sent them to this place, DiPace said, & now Ditto ‘is 90% of
herself’.
…This
is not the first dog aquatics centre in the US…But the concept has taken off in
recent years as pet owners treat dogs more as family & veterinarians
increasingly undergo training for canine rehabilitation…
‘It’s a
relatively new field in veterinary medicine, but it’s one of the fastest
growing areas,’ said Jonathan Block, veterinary medicine director at Water4Dogs
in New York.
Just as
with humans, swimming or walking in water can help build muscle in injured dogs
or those recovering from orthopedic or neurological surgeries, & it can be
a low-impact workout for pooches pained by ailments such as arthritis or the
canine version of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease)…The
goal, Block said, is ‘to help keep pets comfortable, mobile, & active for
as long as possible.’
Darcis,
a former antiques dealer, started her business after tiring of ferrying her own
Labrador retrievers to a swimming facility in Virginia also used for horses…Swim
sessions start at US $30; also on offer are 60 minute ‘splashing’ birthday
parties for up to 6 dogs.
…Kelly
Coupe, head swim coach at K9 Aquatic Center, says the job sometimes feels as
therapeutic for her as it is for the dogs.”
Karin Brulliard
The Washington Post
in The Gazette, Montreal
March 15/2018
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