August 26th, 2021 by Sarah Miles

Many dogs love the water, and some may even try and jump in the bath with you, given half the chance, so should you let them join in the family fun and get into the hot tub with you? The quick answer here is a resounding no, and there are several reasons why.

The reasons why dogs and hot tubs don’t mix can generally be broken down into two areas: it’s bad for your dog and it’s bad for your hot tub:

Why hot tubs are no good for dogs

There are three main reasons why hot tubs would not only not be any fun for your dog but could also actually cause them harm.

Dogs can easily overheat

Any responsible dog owner knows that you should never walk your dog when it’s too hot and it’s the same principle with hot tubs. Hot tubs tend to be heated to around 38° which is warm for us but really hot for a dog. Dogs regulate their temperatures differently from people. While our skin sweats to cool us down, a dog can only sweat through their paws due to their bodies being covered in hair. Obviously, if their paws are submerged in water, they can’t do this effectively.

They also cool themselves by panting but the effort of doing this while also staying afloat in water would tire them out very quickly which could make them unsafe and wouldn’t have any cooling effect.

Overheating can be very serious for a dog and could make them very poorly indeed.

Dogs can be affected by the chemicals

Obviously, hot tubs require a balance of chemicals to keep the water clean and safe. While they are fine for us, a dog’s eyes, skin, and ears are much more sensitive than ours and they can be irritated by the water. This can cause itching, redness, swelling, and infections.

If your dog is tempted to drink the water (and let’s face it, most will drink from muddy puddles so hot tub water may seem just fine to them!), it would not be good for them to ingest the chemicals.

It can cause your dog distress

Dogs don’t tend to languish in water as we do so wouldn’t see it as an opportunity to relax. They’re more likely to become distressed, feel uncomfortable (due to the reasons above), and panic. This is no good for them and could be very upsetting for you as well.

Why dogs are no good for hot tubs

Just as hot tubs are no good for dogs, your dog won’t do your hot tub any favours either.

Dirty water

As beloved as our dogs are, we all have to admit that they can be filthy creatures. They are close to the ground so pick up mud, critters, and debris on their fur and many of them love to roll around in the mud, jump into ponds and puddles, and even coat themselves in not-so-fragrant substances such as fox poo! However vigilant you are at grooming your pet, their fur will never be 100% clean. If you allow them in your hot tub, all those contaminants – including plenty of hair - will end up in your delicately balanced water and nobody wants to sit in that. As well as being undesirable, it will mean you having to clean, or even empty and refill, the water.

Clogged filters

Of course, your hot tub is designed to remove the majority of contaminants, but most filters would struggle with clumps of dog hair. At best, this means having to clean the filters out but at worst could lead to them becoming clogged or even causing damage to the filtration system as it has to work harder to clear them.

Damage to the hot tub

Dog claws don’t really go well with hot tubs either. The motion of swimming around or scrabbling to get out can lead to your shell or cushions being scratched.

Of course, your dog may not read this advice and think that’s it’s a good idea to try and join in the fun and jump in. They should be discouraged if you can foresee this happening but even if they do get in, just remove them as quickly as you can and there will be no harm done. Obviously don’t leave the hot tub unattended with the cover off (also an important safety measure for small children). If they really want some water to cool down in on a hot day, they’re much better off with a doggy paddling pool or a spray from the hose pipe.