Aren’t you fed up with your dog launching into muddy ‘poodles’? The time and effort it takes to clean them up after - it’s almost not worth it. Well, what if there was a solution that saves you time, effort and allows your dog to ‘’have a ball’ without the mess. Yes, this is ‘fur-real’! Let me introduce you to a dog swimming pool…

 

We’re all well aware of the benefits swimming has for humans - well dogs can get these exact same benefits too! Owner of The White Orchid, Mandy Govier is a qualified animal hydrotherapist who has extensive training in pool water management and first aid for animals; she is ‘paw-ssionate’ about dogs. Be it arthritis, a spinal injury, ligament problems or obesity, this non-weight bearing form of exercise is ‘paw-some’ for fitness and pain relief. From doggy paddle to doggy therapy, The White Orchid works to help strengthen, train and cure pups of all ages.

 

When I say this pool is life saving, I don’t just mean it’ll save you time and effort by wearing out your dog for you - it quite literally has been transformational. “I remember one person rang me up and told me their 19 year old Collie had three days to live,” Mandy says, “this was their last chance. I carried her paralysed body in the pool with me and showed her a tennis ball… and her eyes just lit up.” It only took a few sessions - “that was it - she could walk.” After that she lived on to be nearly 22 years old, “we even had her 21st birthday in the pool!” 

 

“It all started”, Mandy remembers, “with my German Shepherd, Harvey, who had a massive disc corruption on his spine. After the operation, I was told to take him to a hydropool. He enjoyed it so much, I started taking my other dogs.” After seeing the joy it brought to her dogs, she couldn’t help but want to start up her own dog pool. “I wasn’t intending for a business,” she says, “but here I am 19 years later”. Named after Harvey’s kennel name ‘White Orchid”, in three years Mandy built it from the ground up.

 

Located in Pulborough, The White Orchid has a 9.1m x 3.7m heated swimming pool with two ramps and non-slippery surfaces to make it easy for dogs to leave and enter the pool. Dogs are monitored at all times whilst wearing special life-jackets. Be it a group session for doggy socialising, or one to one tuition, these 30 minute sessions will wear out your energetic hounds for the entire day! Customers also have their tails wagging - as you’ll see from the reviews on The White Orchid’s Facebook Page.

 

So if you’re wondering what to do for your dog's up-coming birthday ‘paw-ty’, needing special care for a poorly pup, or simply want to wear out those teething canines - if you’re not going to do some doggy swimming, you’re certainly ‘barking up the wrong tree’!