Make a Splash This Summer with a Pool Paw-ty for Your Dog

| CJ Silvasi

Summer is here! Everyone wants to enjoy some fun in the sun, including your pets, so celebrate the summer weather with a pet-friendly pool party.

pet pool party header

Summer is finally here! Everyone wants to enjoy some fun in the sun, including your pets, so celebrate the summer weather with a pet-friendly pool party. You can invite your friends and their pets and float into summer in a unique way.

When planning your pool paw-ty, take a moment to think about who you’re inviting to make sure your plans are accommodating to all your guests, both two and four legged. Before you send out your invitations, keep these considerations in mind so your party goes off without a hitch.

Safety Tips for a Pet-Friendly Pool Party

Many owners may take for granted that their dogs know how to swim or are good swimmers. However, the truth is that dogs are not born knowing how to swim, so keeping your furry guests safe should be your top priority. Advise your human guests to bring a life vest for any pet that isn’t a strong swimmer and let them practice before the party so everyone is comfortable in the water.

You'll also want to invite someone who is comfortable with first-aid and CPR. There are dangers in and out of the pool, and having someone who can spring into action in an emergency will give all of your guests a little peace of mind. If you don’t have a friend who is experienced in pet first-aid, consider taking a class on first-aid for pets like the one offered by the American Red Cross. 

Safety extends beyond the water too. When hosting a party for pets, it’s best if all of your furry guests have met before or are comfortable with other animals. If someone has a dog or cat that has never been around a crowd of new people or animals, they may become aggressive or a flight risk. Talk to your human guests beforehand and ensure their pet is going to be comfortable. If not, they should leave their pet home. 

What Food Should You Serve at a Pet-Friendly Pool Party?

Hosting a party for people and their pets has some unique challenges when it comes to food. Be sure that everything on the table is safe for pets as a precaution, just in case someone’s dog gets into the food. 

If you want to step up your party-food game, create a station filled with snacks for pets. Kibble, treats, and other pet-favorites are a great way to be inclusive and keep things pet-themed. If you really want to go above and beyond, consider making pupsicles from scratch so the pets can stay cool.

Who Should You Invite to a Pet-Friendly Pool Party?

Keep your invite list full of fun people and pets. When selecting your guests, focus on the animals first. Which animals get along? Which animals love to swim? The human companions for those animals should automatically be invited, because every animal present should have a person to supervise them.

If you have friends without pets or with pets who can’t attend your party, invite them anyways. It’s a great way to have fun and spend some quality time with animals. The more the merrier!

How to Select a Pool for a Pet-Friendly Pool Party

The most important part of your pet-friendly pool party is the pool. For safety and cleanliness, you’ll probably want a pool for your human guests and a separate, smaller pool for their pets. Shallow kiddie pools are a great way to keep pets away from deep water and avoid harsh chemicals.

While it is safe for your pets to swim in a chlorinated or salt-water pool, it is imperative that they do not drink the treated water. The separate kiddie pool is an easy way to avoid that issue entirely, but if you prefer to allow the dogs in a larger, treated pool, make sure you have plenty of fresh water available for them.

With the proper planning and safety precautions, your pet-friendly pool party will be the hit of the summer. Even if you don’t throw an all-out pool party, consider getting a pool for your pets to cool off and enjoy the summer. Just be sure to keep the water fresh and clean, so they can paw-ty all summer long.


Protect your dog and your wallet this summer with Accident & Illness Coverage through AKC Pet Insurance (underwritten by Independence American Insurance Company). Get a quote today and take some of the stress out of your pet's summertime slips, spills, and sick days.

CJ Silvasi

CJ has always wanted to be a writer. She even threatened to drop out after her first day of kindergarten when they weren’t immediately going to teach her to read and write. Fortunately, she stayed in school, earned her degree in Creative Writing from Christopher Newport University, and now gets to live her best life with her husband, 3 Japanese Chins, and cat writing for AKC Pet Insurance.

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