Q + A with John

The RNLI is keen to support dog walkers in carrying out their activities safely whilst they both get the most out of it. But accidents do happen, and the RNLI is always ready to help.
Many dog owners find themselves in trouble when they try to rescue their pets.

The RNLI has a key message –

If your dog goes into the water, soft mud, or finds itself on steep ground – do not
follow it! You are far more valuable to your dog if you can get help for them as
quickly as possible, if required.

Move to somewhere safe, where your dog can get to you and call/whistle your
dog. In most cases, the dog will probably sort themselves out.

If you’re worried, dial 999/112 and ask for the Coastguard’. No one will criticise you
if your dog comes back in the meantime!

Sadly, every year, people lose their lives whilst trying to save their dogs. Dogs will often
get themselves out of dangerous situations, and going in after them puts you in danger!

Remember

• Stay back
• Take a phone
• Make it home

How can I keep my dog safe around water?

The key is keeping both you and your dog safe around water. The message is ‘know your
dog and know your patch’. Can you control your dog? Does it have a good recall? Get to
know your dog’s walking areas and their potential problems. If on holiday, seek local advice.

• Plan your route to suit the conditions, and use recognised paths and dog walks. Check the weather forecast.
• Dog walking can be a social event, a walk with a friend/group, or another dog owner.
• Many dogs enjoy the company of other dogs, and it’s good for socialisation (dogs and owners)
• Tell someone where you’ve gone and when you intend to be back. Let them know if you’ve finished and are safe, have been delayed or going elsewhere e.g., for a drink.
• Take a means of calling for help – 999/112 and ask for Coastguard (consider a locator app – Safe Trax, Life 360, What 3 Words). Make sure your phone is fully charged. It helps to take something bright to wave, day and night.
• Keep your dog on a short lead near cliff edges, fast-moving water and soft mud.
• If your dog is off-lead, ensure they have good recall.
• Know how your dog reacts to wildlife, sheep, rabbits etc. If in any doubt about them, keep on a short lead.

What products should I look for? Life jacket? Tether?

Normal dog walking accessories are fine – collar, harness with ID disc, lead (extendable if
your dog doesn’t have good recall) or short if you have potentially dangerous areas and
wildlife or livestock around you. If you use a body tether (leash), make sure it has a quick
release so you can separate from your dog if necessary.

I find a proper dog whistle handy as the dogs can hear it above the sound of the sea and
wind. Lifejackets (normally Doggy buoyancy aids) aren’t necessary unless your dog
regularly goes into deep water or is on a boat, paddleboard etc., with you. Make sure your
dog is chipped in case it becomes separated from you. Treats are always handy as a
reward for a good recall.

Where is safe to take my dog swimming? Do you have any tips on training a dog around water?

If you plan to let your dog go into the water, some places are much safer for doggy dips
than others – pick your spot carefully so you know you and your dog will be safe. Dog and
people-friendly beaches can be perfect swimming spots on sunny, calm days. Check
conditions, weather, signs, warning flags, tides, waves, and where other users are in the
water, especially locals.

Many breeds of dogs will make a beeline for water as they are attracted to it, whilst not
being aware of the dangers. It is up to you, the dog owner, to look after your dog. If in any
doubt about the conditions, put your dog on a lead. Also, be aware not all dogs like or are
good in water; many pug-faced dogs struggle to breathe in water and generally will avoid it.
If you have a new/young dog, introduce them to water slowly and in a controlled manner.
If you have an older more experienced dog, the young one will often copy the behaviour of
the older one.

If it is safe to do so (i.e. very calm and shallow), lots of dog owners paddle with their dog on
a lead and, as it gets more experienced, an extendable lead. If pulling your dog in on a lead,
do it slowly so they don’t swallow a lot of water. A lot of dogs will swim naturally, even
though the water is only up to your knees. As the dog’s confidence grows, so will yours till
you can let them ‘free swim’, remembering that the key to this is good recall! Rhyl
Lifeboat was called to rescue a dog that had swum a long way out to sea and kept going; it
didn’t seem to know how to turn round! If you play fetch ball with your dog on land, it is
sometimes useful to play ball in the water as the dog will automatically come out of the
water to return the ball to you. Don’t overextend your dog’s swimming skills by throwing
the ball to far or into moving water!

If you end up deliberately swimming with your dog, bear in mind your dog’s claws are
often extended when they swim; this can cause a nasty scratch on a swimmer’s body.

Also, lots of dog-friendly beaches are used by large numbers of people, so please pick your
dog’s poo up and dispose of it in the correct place! Dogs will only continue to be tolerated
in public areas if dog owners ‘do the right thing’!

Where should I never take my dog swimming?

When walking your dog, don’t underestimate the risks involved, such as slips, trips, falls,
cliff edges, rock groynes, weather changes, deep water, big waves, fast currents and rips,
soft mud and being cut off by the incoming tide. North Wales Lifeboats have dealt with all
of these situations in recent years.

One important point is for those of you who regularly let your dog swim in the sea or a
lake, put your dog on a lead if alongside a fast-moving estuary, river/stream. Several
incidents have happened where the dog has been swept away on entering the water and
ended up being trapped by the rocks. Should this happen, DO NOT ENTER THE WATER,
keep yourself safe, if possible, track your dog. It is natural for your dog to try to get back
to you; if you stay upstream/tide, your dog will try to swim against the current, become
exhausted and drown. Therefore, whenever your dog is in difficulty in moving water,
always try to get downstream/tide whilst calling your dog and encouraging it to go with
the flow whilst swimming down and across it to you.

If worried, do not enter the water – dial 999/112 and ask for the Coastguard or Mountain
Rescue.

Do the RNLI rescue dogs as well as people?

Yes, basically, we rescue anything/anybody who is in distress at sea or along our coastline.
Lifeboat Stations throughout the country regularly rescue dogs and many other animals.
Rhyl and Llandudno Lifeboat Stations have been featured on ‘Saving Lives at Sea’ whilst
rescuing dogs.

It is always a challenge rescuing a dog who doesn’t know you, so we have systems and
equipment in place to keep both dog and crew safe. It is also often very entertaining to
see crew members dealing with a horse, sheep or cow when they have never come
across one before!! We have a crew member known as the ‘sheep whisperer’ after one
memorable rescue of a sheep who wasn’t happy about a burly lifeboat crew member
trying to catch it and take it for a ride in a lifeboat! This rescue was featured on ‘Saving Lives at
Sea’. If the rest of the flock had watched it, they would have been in stitches!!

Walking your dog is great fun and is good for you both physically, mentally, and socially.
Most dog owners feel they or their dog/s are not in any danger of going into the water
unless it is planned.

However, accidents do happen, and figures would suggest that there is an increasing
number of incidents involving dogs and their owners near and around water.

Don’t become a statistic! On average, every year, there are nearly 200 Lifeboat launches
and Lifeguard incidents involving dog walkers, and figures are on the increase. North
Wales Lifeboats and Coastguard are dealing with an increasing number of dog-walking
incidents each year.