News Hound Ady & Flo www.sunlive.co.nz

Move over Bear Grylls, the new adventurers are in town.

We can scale any mountain, swim any lake and even launch ourselves into warm therapeutic waters of an indoor pooch pool.

Ady and I packed our water wings for an aquatic excursion this week, to test drive Jane Pordon's new canine hydrotherapy pool at Te Puke.

Okay, so maybe it wasn't as challenging as Mr Grylls' outings and there was a convenient ladder and a dog ramp. But it seemed a bit strange and daunting at first! We're used to swimming al fresco – in the harbour, lakes and rivers. We usually skinny dip, but for this mission, we were kitted up in flotation for our session in Jane's pool.

This is designed and imported from the UK. There is not another one in the Bay of Plenty region. It helps rehabilitate from surgery, assist in weight loss, provides non-impact exercise for those elderly dogs with arthritis or dysplasia and can be sheer fun!

Jane also teaches dogs to swim. Not all dogs can, despite what people say!

The hydrotherapy pool is a few clicks up No.2 Road, in a lovely rural setting.

Weightless exercise

Fully equipped with flotation jackets with handles, I was first to be suited up and encouraged up the ramp and into the 30°C water. Normally it's hard to keep a Labrador out of the water, but this was a bit strange. I must have looked apprehensive for while, but after a few laps of the pool with Jane saying soothing words, I soon got the hang of it.

This would be wonderful, gentle exercise for any dog with an injury or arthritis or any medical condition requiring exercise, while weightless. (I was thinking, while doing my laps, that this would be good treatment for a couple of cats in our neighbourhood. Two to a sack would work for me.)

Jane says the hydrotherapy is ideal to build fitness before an operation, and to recover from surgery after. If a dog has been for a session or two before the surgery, it will go back into the pool with ease after the operation. Overweight dogs can regain fitness and tone without the impact with their body weight supported. Swimming is good exercise, too.

Senior and arthritic dogs enjoy the warmth on sore joints. They can exercise with their body weight supported, to avoid over-stressing arthritic joints. The warmth encourages greater range and freedom of movement. Jane says the therapy is good for dogs of all sizes, ages, including puppies and the privacy is good for dogs that are socially challenged.

After the session, Jane showered me and dried me off. It all felt good.

At ease

Then it was Ady's turn. She looked even more apprehensive than me. Jane did a wonderful job of putting Ady at ease in the pool. Once I saw she was in the pool, I decided to jump back in, despite just being nicely washed and dried – and did I care that Jane usually only has one dog at a time? Not likely.

Being ever so helpful, I leaped and thrashed around in the pool, without a jacket, while Jane was trying to give Ady some meaningful attention. There were balls and toys to retrieve and I made a complete nuisance of myself until it was time for everyone to get out.

Bomber time

The boss decided my pool time was up when I started doing bombs from the side.

This is a great asset for dog owners of the western Bay and well worth a visit, especially if your dog is recovering from injury or surgery or is an old timer who deserves some special treatment.

Thanks to Jane for having us and putting up with the over-enthusiastic ones in the group.

It was great to meet her two massive Leonberger dogs, Rosie and Tawa.
And, just to dispel the rumours, we did not chase Jane's sheep. We just followed to see where they were running to. Turns out only as far as the big cows with no sense of humour. At which point our curiosity was satisfied and we ran back to the car. Quickly.

For more on 4WetPaws see the information on this page or phone Jane 573 5833.

- Flo.