Ok, call it a rant, or maybe even a lecture, but one thing is certain: Dogs are bad for your pool.

Besides the fact that they leave hair behind, which gets into everything by the way, they also carrie with them a bunch of dirt, feces, and the like. There have been studies that show dogs leave as much dirt in the water as 30 people. Yikes! What happens with all this dirt? Well, first the chlorine burns up trying to “digest” it, which means there is little to no chlorine left to actually keep the water safe. Then the remains get deposited into your filter, which in turn requires more frequent cleaning.

The dog hair issue can be a problem as well. The hair gets trapped in the skimmer, the pool sweep, the pool sweep filter, the pump strainer basket, and the pool filtration system. All of that hair can really cause the circulation of your pool to decrease, which can then promote algae growth.

So, I know your dog LOVES the pool. And taking an occasional dip is probably ok, but allowing your dog to swim in the pool frequently can not only cause problems with your equipment, but can also create health concerns for the human inhabitants.