What temp is too cold to swim/get in water?

[Laurelin]

Yesterday when we let Hank and his BFF out into the field the first thing he did was jump in the water trough. It was 45 degrees out. When do you start worrying about them being too cold to swim?

 

[teacuptiger]

For me and Roxie, I'd say 50 is the coldest I'd be comfortable letting her swim in, but she is a single coated dog with very short, tight fur and not much fat.

I don't know what would be too cold for Hank, but figuring that he's small such, 45 is probably the coldest I'd have him swimming.

 

[sassafras]

When there's snow on the ground.

 

[Beanie]

Payton takes forever to dry off so if I stick my hand in the water and the water feels cold, it's too cold.

 

[release the hounds]

as long as the ice is far enough out, they can go in They won't get hours out there, but once they're shivering too much for my liking, we're only 2 minutes from warm air anyway.

They've been in mid 50 degree water for almost an entire day walking around lake MI with air temps in the upper 40's. They're double coated though, once they shook off, they didn't seem to care much.

 

[JacksonsMom]

Jackson, by choice, often runs through the pool cover puddles when the weather is like 40-45 degrees lol. I don't stop him because obviously he's not uncomfortable but it's usually only his belly that gets wet and he can go inside and lay by the fire whenever his little heart desires.

 

[Lilyharmony]

I typically don't let my Yorkies swim in anything colder than luke warm, and I ensure the water doesn't go up any further than their bellies, but they're tiny little things, and I'm not sure how well they'd actually swim. I prefer not to take chances.

I'd imagine if you had a bigger breed of dog and a way to warm them up quickly, you should be good to do anything short of freezing.

 

[LMost]

Think type and breed would have a lot to do with it.

Mouse I don't let swim in under 55 but neighbors Newfie will jump in the pond when there is ice floating in it give the chance.

 

[Snark]

Well, the boys don't swim as much as wade (sometimes up to their necks) but Murphy likes to cool off during walks... temp was in the upper 30s and a little too warm for him. Riley will wade in on cold days but not even up to his belly. It's not like we stand around either, after a dip, the dogs are off and running and that warms them up again, too.

 

[lancerandrara]

I'm jealous of you all. There's no place for my dogs to swim around here. U_U Cries furiously. LOL

If there was though, I wouldn't let them in anything under 60. Competitive pools for humans are typically maintained at 78 degrees, going down to possibly 70 at the lowest at particularly freezing morning practices. So for my dogs with some thick fur, 10 degrees lower sounds ideal- I'd prefer to keep them from shivering!

 

[JacksonsMom]

I typically don't let my Yorkies swim in anything colder than luke warm, and I ensure the water doesn't go up any further than their bellies, but they're tiny little things, and I'm not sure how well they'd actually swim. I prefer not to take chances.

I'd imagine if you had a bigger breed of dog and a way to warm them up quickly, you should be good to do anything short of freezing.

In the summer time, yorkies would do fine in the water. Jackson swims in my dads pool when the temp of the water is 70-85 and the temps outside are 75-80F+.

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[Oko]

I try to draw the line at below freezing air temps.

 

[BostonBanker]

I just let my two choose when they want to swim, and they have both proven to be trustworthy in their decision making. Neither of mine will go in if it is too cold for their tastes - generally below about 55 or 60. Obviously that may not work so well for dogs with lower self-preservation tendencies.

Competitive pools for humans are typically maintained at 78 degrees, going down to possibly 70 at the lowest at particularly freezing morning practices.

:rofl1: Not for Vermont's outdoor competitive season. Those first early morning practices, before school let out for the year, pool temps in the lower 60s were frighteningly common. It's a wonder we all survived, although many did while blue and shivering.

 

[houlahoops]

Pippa so far has been good at deciding when it's too cold to be in the water (well…she ran out up to her belly, stopped, and then she flattened her ears and let out a long-suffering moan before running back to shore). I just kind of let her do her thing.

 

[Red.Apricot]

I let Elsie decide. She's swum with snow on the ground and didn't seem to have any issues with that.

 

[lancerandrara]

I just let my two choose when they want to swim, and they have both proven to be trustworthy in their decision making. Neither of mine will go in if it is too cold for their tastes - generally below about 55 or 60. Obviously that may not work so well for dogs with lower self-preservation tendencies.



:rofl1: Not for Vermont's outdoor competitive season. Those first early morning practices, before school let out for the year, pool temps in the lower 60s were frighteningly common. It's a wonder we all survived, although many did while blue and shivering.

Oh god 60s. LOL were you a competitive swimmer too?? High five. HAHA

I guess us Californians are spoiled. :rofl1: I have no idea how cold the pool water itself was that day, but I had a 5am practice where there was FROST on the grass next to the pool. The air temp was 40s. I thought I was going to die in the water, IT WAS SO COLD. We're basically naked in near-freezing temperatures, and I don't understand how we're alive. LMAO