As a pet parent, letting your dog swim can free up your schedule from exercise tasks while cooling the dog and engaging its muscles. However, your four-legged friend’s nails pose a concern for pool liners, especially in the case of larger dogs. So, can a German Shepherd’s nails rip a pool liner?
Yes, a German Shepherd’s nails can rip pool liners as the liners are only 20-30 mil thick. That’s why experts don’t recommend vinyl pools for pets. However, if you already have a pool liner, you can follow certain protective measures to keep both your pool and dog safe.
In this article, we’ll explain the risks of dog nails and how to protect your pool.
How to Protect a Pool from Your German Shepherd’s Nails?
Here’s how to protect your pool liner from your canine friend’s nails:
1. Choose a Durable Pool Material
If you haven’t yet decided on your pool, be sure to opt for one that’s designed with durable materials.
Below are some of the most common pool types:
Vinyl Pools
Vinyl pools are convenient and soft on your German Shepherd’s limbs. However, more often than not, pool products would have liners that are less than a millimeter thick. As a result, pet claws can likely tear through this thin layer.
Concrete Pools
Concrete pools are the most durable among the three options. There’s no way those dog nails can cause noticeable damage.
However, if your German Shepherd tries to aggressively climb the concrete sides, it might hurt its joints or nails.
Fiberglass Pools
The best pool experts recommend for both pets and people is a fiberglass pool. It strikes a good balance between durability against dog nails and gentleness on their joints in case they bump into its sides.
2. Protect Your Pool’s Liner
If you already own a vinyl pool, you can purchase an additional pool liner from pool supply shops. The additional liner will act as a protective layer, preventing your dog’s claws from ripping the primary layer holding the pool in place.
However, it’s better to consider the long-term cost of replacing punctured liners compared to investing in a fiberglass pool.
Another way to protect your pool’s liner is by buying some dog boots that effectively sheath the dog’s claws. You can find these at many veterinarian clinics and pet shops.
Besides, you can make more use of this investment by choosing dog boots that can work as a protection from hot walkways and seashores.
The boots will also protect your German Shepherd’s paws from broken shells, glass, and rubble on pavements.
3. Practice Pool Training with Your German Shepherd
All dogs are impressive when it comes to jumping into a pool. However, getting out of the pool isn’t as straightforward!
The Challenge of Getting Out
If there’s no clear way out, your German Shepherd will try to climb the sides of the pool. As a result, your dog will likely rip the vinyl liner as he tries to grab onto it with his nails. The solution to this problem is to train your dog to swim to the pool’s steps to get out.
Take note, though, that ladders aren’t pet-friendly. Indeed, swimming to the steps is a crucial skill because some dogs can drown if they exhaust themselves as they hopelessly try to climb the sides.
How to Train Your German Shepherd to Swim to Pool Steps?
The simplest way to train your German Shepherd to use the pool’s steps is to demonstrate how you personally use it in front of him.
Even better, you can encourage the kids to engage in this training and make it more fun for the dog.
Here are some practical steps to follow:
- Get a new dog toy that intrigues your German Shepherd.
- Hold it in your hand and invite your dog to follow you while walking over to the pool steps.
- Sit down on the steps and play with the toy in the water to encourage your German Shepherd to step in.
- Play with him in the water for a while.
- Throw the toy outside and go fetch it using the steps out of the pool. Make sure your dog follows.
- Throw the toy to the deepest side of the pool and ask him to fetch it using the steps.
Eventually, when your German Shepherd grasps the idea, you can let him swim without supervision. Make sure to use more treats and praise as needed to deliver the message.
4. Clip Your German Shepherd’s Nails
German Shepherds were originally bred for herding other animals, so their nails adapted to continuous abrasion in the wild. This means your dog’s nails will grow fast, especially if he doesn’t spend much time outside.
As for owners, you’ll need to commit to clipping your dog’s nails as scheduled to avoid scratching yourself, your dog, and anything you own. Pools are no exception, as they’re more likely to get punctured if a German Shepherd’s nails are longer.
Additionally, the way you cut your dog’s claws can make a difference. You need to thoroughly cut the nails and keep them rounded and smooth as much as you can.
Wrapping Up
Studies have proven that water has stress-relieving benefits for people. So, it’s fair enough to approve similar needs for our dogs. After all, they’re sharing the stress of city life with us!
Can a German Shepherd’s nails rip a pool liner, though? The answer is yes, unfortunately. A German Shepherd’s nails are quite sharp and can easily rip through vinyl liners.
Although it’s better to invest in fiberglass pools, there are several ways through which you can protect a vinyl liner against your four-legged friend’s claws, as discussed in this post.
