Dogs take over Mayfair pool for summer swim

The dog days of summer are coming to an end with quite a few splashes.

The annual “Dog Day of Summer” swim at the Mayfair pool in Saskatoon took place on Thursday, allowing canines to have a splash before the pool closes for the season.

Jess Novicki came out with her rescued fur pal Brinx to take a dip.

“He loves to swim, so he’s having a good time,” Novicki said as her dog made new friends.

Around 200 dogs came out to cool off in the 31 C temperatures.

The first pack entered the water at 11 a.m., and were allowed to swim for an hour. A schedule throughout the afternoon was set to conclude with the last group at 6 p.m.

Some dogs were wary of the new surroundings, and needed a bit of a push.

Anita Fraser’s year-and-a-half old labrador retreiver Jake was one of them.

“He loves being in the water but is a little hesitant to jump into the deep end,” Fraser said.

“We’ve been pushing him in a couple times.”

Some dogs are hesitating while others are just jumping right on in the Mayfair pool. #yxe #CKOM #dogdaysofsummer #SPCA pic.twitter.com/Te0eMm8K1P

— Céline Grimard (@CelineGrimard) August 31, 2017

This was their first time out to the event. Fraser was surprised most dogs were more interested in each other than the pool.

A one-year-old Alaskan Klee Kai named Storm was among the dogs chasing each other around.

“She doesn’t really like the water but I thought maybe with other dogs she would go in,” her owner Kristen Nguyen said.

While the event was free to attend, proceeds from a hot dog BBQ went to the Saskatoon SPCA.