Dog Swim Event Ends Summer Season at Neighborhood Pool

Wet dogs were in abundance Tuesday in Fenton as the Romaine Spring Estates Homeowners Association closed its summer swimming season at the community pool by turning it over to the neighborhood pooches for a dog swim event.

There were a variety of dog breeds that took to the water, some tentatively, some with more gusto. And although there was a lot of sniffing around and some apprehensive encounters as the neighborhood pooches got to know one another, the pool party provided plenty of distractions, as various rubber toys were "fetched" from the pool. For some of the dogs it was their first time in the water, but the dog paddle stroke was a popular technique for staying afloat. The biggest hazard was to dog owners who needed to stay attentive to their charges and to the leashes which always threatened to become entangled.It also was a challenge to avoid a  dog that was just emerging from the water and to the resulting spray as it shook itself off.  All in all, the dog swim event was a friendly affair reminiscent of an a children's party with parents watching their children playing with their friends. One big difference. The dogs didn't wear water wings. or use those plastic floaty things.