Inside Scotland’s only indoor swimming pool for pets and their owners in Glasgow
DOG lovers are being given a chance to go swimming with their pooches — at Scotland’s only indoor pool for pets and owners.
Masters can make a splash with their beloved hounds at hourly sessions priced at £30.
Ryan Galbraith, owner of Red Rover Dog Day Care in Castlemilk, Glasgow, revealed the service is a hit with customers travelling hundreds of miles for a dip.
Ryan, 43, said: “Everyone is loving it. The swimming sessions allow for folk to really bond with their dogs — in a different way.
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“It’s a fun and safe environment, which is very calming and good for the well-being and health of dogs, especially their joints.
"And it’s so comforting for the owner to feel the trust the dog has in them.
“We had one client travel all the way from Aberdeen to swim with their dog. It’s unbelievable.”
The dad of three previously chauffeured music acts including Paul McCartney and Take That before setting up his firm in 2010.
He then invested in the £27,000 pool after spotting a niche in the market.
He said: “I came up with the idea after thinking about what is offered to us in a hotel. So now dogs can visit us for a clip, a wash and a swim.
BAILEY'S DIP - BY MATT BENDORIS
I’M used to dropping the kids off at the pool on a Saturday morning though never the dog.
Despite being a so-called gun dog, my German shorthaired pointer Bailey has never been the best of swimmers.
I worried he might be too feart to take a dip — but it turns out I was the one who should be afraid of getting in the water.
Red Rover owner Ryan had warned: “Please take Bailey for a poo and a pee before he comes in as accidents do happen.”
To be on the safe side I went too as apparently a “code brown” closes the pool for 24 hours. While I slipped on my trunks, Ryan strapped a doggy life vest around Bailey and we took the plunge.
At first Bailey kicked up a lot of spray but Ryan had said I should hold him close and he’d relax. And he was right, as Bailey soon began to enjoy it.
In fact we both did, and afterwards there was none of the fuss of drying and dressing children — one shake and he was done. He even got a red robe like the gowns at spa resorts and was much more chilled than when we’d arrived.
Red Rover also runs sessions for charity Bravehound which pairs dogs with veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Royal Marine Mick Cairns, 40, (PICTURED) says his sprocker Sam has helped him get over two tours of Afghanistan. The dad of five, from Saltcoats, Ayrshire, said: “Bringing the dogs for a swim is a treat. They love it in the way your kids do when you take them swimming.”
Hopefully, like the kids after a swim, Bailey will sleep well tonight.
War veterans with PTSD and children with Asperger’s and Autism also take a dip with their pets. And Ryan insists customers are getting a bargain despite the cost.
He said: “They love the absolute silence — it’s just them and their dog in the water. It may seem a little steep at £30 but it would usually cost much more.
“The sheer volume of people coming through our doors just shows it’s worth it. And the dogs leave with their tails wagging.”
Animal experts say nearly all dogs make great natural swimmers.
But pool industry professional Kevin Wood said large filters for dog hairs and careful attention to sanitisation are essential.
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He explained on his website: “An average size dog is equal to three humans in terms of the stuff they will bring with them into a pool.
“If you have more than one dog in the pool, multiply that number by three and you will soon learn why you are using more sanitizer or chlorine than normal.”
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