Dog Pools That Will Help Your Pup Beat The Summer Heat

Summer is here, and that means all the outside fun is underway: BBQs, backyard games and — you guessed it — your dog soaking up those rays with the rest of the family!

But just like with humans, too much sun and heat can lead to a bad day for your pup.

That’s where dog pools come in! These pools are small enough to fit into almost any backyard or deck, and they’re easy to set up with just enough water to let your dog cool off from all that running around chasing his favorite ball.

(Plus you can always jump in to cool yourself off, too — we won’t judge!)

The best dog pools are made with claw-resistant material that won’t pop, have foldable sides so they’re easy to set up, and feature a drain valve for mess-free cleanup (or are small enough that you can toss the water out yourself).

Before clicking “add to cart,” there are a few things you want to check to make sure your dog will have the best pool experience.

Sure, you can set up a standard blow-up kiddie pool for your pup, but thanks to his claws, it’s not going to last long. Dog pools are specifically designed with hard sides and bottoms so that their claws won’t penetrate and pop holes. This means you can buy one pool and pull it out summer after summer.

Thanks to the hard sides on dog pools, many of them fold up compactly for easy storage. There’s no deflating necessary. When buying a dog pool, make sure the listing notes that the pool has rigid, collapsible sides and can be easily folded up and stored away at the end of the season. When it’s time to pull the pool out again next summer, all you have to do is expand the sides and you’re good to fill!

Parents with bigger dogs are going to want to pay attention to the size of the pool they’re looking at. Most pools will comfortably fit small- and medium-sized dogs but barely give big dogs any space to move around. If you have a large pup, make sure you’re buying a pool that’s suited for his size.

A high-quality dog pool will have a built-in drainage cap at the bottom edge of the pool. These caps allow you to easily drain the water from your pool either into your yard or into a sewage drain if you hook up a hose (this helps you avoid muddy paw prints!). Some of these pools are much too big to try to flip to drain the water, so these caps make that process so much easier. If your pool is small, however, you should have no problems tossing the water out yourself, no drainage hole necessary.

Something else you may want to consider is if your dog would much prefer a splash pad over a dog pool. Super active dogs who love to run through sprinklers will probably fall hard for a splash pad, which features water fountains that shoot from various holes in the pad. And older dogs who have a harder time climbing in and out of pools may find it easier to interact with the water from a splash pad. Of, if your dog is more laid back and loves lounging, then he may love hanging out in a shallow dog pool. Retriever trypes may also love pools if they love playing fetch in the water!

Most dog pools are round, but there are a few rectangular pools out there that are perfect for more narrow yards. These rectangular pools take a few more steps to set up compared to their circular counterparts, but they can feature drainage holes and claw-resistant, heavy-duty material.

Here are some of the best pools we found based on customer reviews and ratings.
 

Your pup will love his new pool so much you’ll have a hard time calling him in for supper. And while he’s distracted, you might just have to sneak in a dip yourself, too!