The Best Plastic Wading Pools for Dogs

Since dogs don’t sweat like humans, it’s particularly important to watch their body temperature in the summertime. Wading pools for dogs can provide MUCH needed relief in the summer heat.

What You Need to Know About Dog Wading Pools

The two biggest things to think about when considering a back yard wading pool for your dog are:

1. If it will survive the dog’s nails
2. If it’s big enough for your dog

Important: Most dogs LOVE the water and are good swimmers, but it’s always a good idea to supervise your dog in water – especially at first – to make sure they are safe and know how to handle themselves.

You want to avoid the blow up types of pools and instead go for a hard plastic or a foldable dog pool.

Best Large Dog Wading Pool

It can be tough to find a wading pool that’s big enough for a large dog. But the Zacro Foldable Large Dog Pool found on Amazon is a good choice. It has GREAT reviews on Amazon and works well for almost all dogs.

Because it’s a foldable dog pool, it is easy to store, and I especially like that it has a drain in the side.

Here are some of the features of this dog wading pool:

• Made of scratch resistant PVC
• Double thick bottom
• Portable
• Folds up for easy storage
• Can be used indoors for bathing your dog
• Can be used outside for bathing your dog or for play
• Drainage hole with sturdy cover
• 47 inches wide

Foldable Dog Poll Video

Here’s a video of the Zacro dog pool (found on Amazon) being set up and two large dogs enjoying it.

As you can see this is about as puncture proof as dog pools get.

Best Small Dog Wading Pool

For small dogs, the pool above works well. But you can also opt for a hard plastic pool.

Because these pools don’t collapse they are usually sold in brick and mortar stores like Walmart.

They have the BIG benefit of being extremely inexpensive. And are usually under $20.

This is a great option for a small dog that isn’t an aggressive chewer (aggressive chewers will tear this kind of pool apart).

These types of hard plastic pools are also great to create DIY dog pools from. You can sink them in the ground and create a beautiful water feature for your dog to play in.

Another way to keep your dog cool in the summer is to build him a homemade underground doghouse. The ground keeps the house temperature regulated – cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

The Bottom Line on Dog Wading Pools

From a practical standpoint, I love the foldable dog pool (you can find it on Amazon here) because it’s easy to store, durable and highly rated. Most large dogs will fit in it and it will also work for small dogs.