Dog drowns in pet store pool

[Catherine]

A pet store in China has a heated pool and dog owners can pay to let their dog have a swim. In this case the dog was a French Bull Dog. The owner filmed the dog while it struggled, not realizing at first that it was drowning. When she realized something was wrong she called a store staff, but they reacted too slowly and the dog died.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6911011/Dog-drowns-pet-shop-exercise-pool-unwitting-owner-films-struggling-dogs-breaths.html

I did watch the video and I thought the dog looked like it was drowning the moment it was placed in the water. It wasn't swimming, it was desperately trying to keep its head above water. It must have become too tired with the struggle to keep it up. 
The poor dog must have been scared and confused that its person did this and did nothing to help. 

The idea of a dog pool is good, but like everything, one size does not fit all. The water was a little deep for a small dog and this dog clearly could not swim. Like any good idea it needs to be regulated and refined more. I am glad the store is accepting responsibility. It won't be easy for the dog's owner. She stood and watched her dog drown. That is not going to be easy to live with.

[Tobi]

What I can't understand is why she didn't just jump in and get the dog out the instant she felt something was wrong? Why go to ask store staff??

I am sorry this happened, and sorry for what the woman must be going through. But why hesitate?

Poor little dog. Those short nosed (brachycephalic) breeds have a hard time breathing normally as it is, and are not suited to swimming at all.

[Catherine]

I can't understand the behavior of anyone in this. Why would the staff walk away when the dog was so clearly struggling. I would have expected a staff to supervise the swim or at least watch at first to make sure things were okay.

I agree, why wouldn't the woman just pull her dog from the water. You or I would have jumped in the pool and had the dog out in seconds.

People seemed so passive while the dog was dying.

Not all dogs are meant to swim. Indoor pools  should be aware of that.

[Tobi]

Poor little dog. It's so sad, bless his Soul.
If only he could have shouted "Help! I'm not swimming in a clumsy way, I'm drowning". But keeping his head above water was the only thing he could try to do.

I remember once years ago I got a dog out of the river for an old woman who could do nothing to help except shout out for help. Luckily Misty and I were within hearing distance and came running!

The poor dog was a swimmer and had been in that river many times before. But she swam too far downstream and got confused about her way back out. She was desperately trying to scramble up a steep bank, but kept falling back into the water. I could see she was utterly exhausted.

I got filthy, soaked, muddy water in every orifice but it ended as a lovely day indeed.

Every time I saw them again they remembered me and Misty. One day the old woman invited me to her house and we had tea and chocolate cake.

[Catherine]

To me the dog looked like he was drowning right from the moment he went into the water. If I had been shopping in the store I would have wanted to jump in and pull him from the water.

I can understand you and Misty running to the aid of a dog in trouble. The woman did her part when she called for help. 
You all responded the way you should have. The woman must have been so happy to see you come running. You were like a guardian angel for the dog coming to the rescue just in time.

That was sweet of her to remember you and have you in for tea. You gave her back her dog when she thought all was lost.

I just can't understand how passive they all were. I soak my various reptiles in special plastic containers. I never make the water too deep. I never leave anyone too long. I still check frequently to make sure nothing goes wrong. I have never heard of a reptile in soak drowning, but I still worry a little. What I am doing is good for them, but I still exercise caution.

Why wouldn't they have been cautious when putting a dog in a pool for the first time?

[Tobi]

They should never have put a bracycephalic dog like that into the pool in the first place. Not without an assistant in the water with them, and the dog wearing floats. It appears to be negligence/ignorance. And for a facility like that, ignorance should be no excuse legally.

[Catherine]

Quote:They should never have put a bracycephalic dog like that into the pool in the first place. Not without an assistant in the water with them, and the dog wearing floats. It appears to be negligence/ignorance. And for a facility like that, ignorance should be no excuse legally.

You are right. They should know which breeds can swim and which ones can't. 

I would have wanted a lower water level so the dog's back legs could safely touch the bottom. Floats sound like a good idea. In shallower water with floats the dog could have had a good experience. They didn't give any consideration to the dog's breed and its physical characteristics. They just took the money and dropped the dog in the water.

I hope this company and other companies with pools learn from this mistake/negligence. This should be the only dog to die in a store pool.