Denver dogs get plenty of walks. What most of them never get is a swim, and that is a shame, because swimming might be the single most efficient exercise a dog can do. It works the whole body at once, it burns energy fast, and it does all of that without pounding a single joint. We built a year-round indoor pool into both of the things we do best, daycare and boarding, because once you watch a tired-but-thrilled dog climb out of the water, you get it.
This post covers what swimming actually does for a dog, which dogs benefit most, and exactly how swimming at Hobnob works, from the first supervised paddle to the post-swim shake that soaks whoever is standing closest.
What swimming does that walking cannot
On a walk, your dog’s legs carry their full weight with every stride, and on Colorado’s baked-hard summer trails, that adds up. In the water, the water carries the weight. What is left is pure work: legs driving, core engaged, heart and lungs doing the kind of steady cardio that a leash walk almost never reaches.
That combination, full effort with almost no impact, is why canine rehabilitation practices lean so heavily on water work. A few minutes of real swimming taxes a fit dog more than a long walk does, and the dog comes out of it loose instead of sore. For high-energy breeds, it is also one of the few activities that genuinely gets to the bottom of the battery. A dog who swims hard for twenty minutes goes home and sleeps like furniture.
The dogs who benefit most
The athletes. Young, driven dogs with energy to burn get conditioning and cardiovascular fitness without the repetitive strain of another mile of pavement. If your dog does agility, flyball or long trail days, swimming is cross-training.
The sore ones. For dogs with joint pain or an old injury, swimming eases aching muscles and improves flexibility. The water lets them move in ways that hurt on land. Always loop in your vet on a rehab plan, but as gentle, whole-body movement goes, it is hard to do better than water.
The seniors. Older dogs slow down, gain a little weight because they slowed down, and then their joints hurt more because of the weight. Swimming breaks that cycle: real exercise with minimal weight-bearing risk. Our pool has a ramp so older dogs walk in and out instead of jumping, and plenty of our most devoted swimmers have gray muzzles.
The overheated. From June through September, a swim is exercise your dog can do flat out without the heat risk of a midday run.
About our pool
The pool at Hobnob is 13 by 19 feet and 4 feet deep, which is big enough for the genuinely big dogs to swim, not just wade. We keep chlorine to a minimum, so the water is gentle on skin and coats, and the ramp handles the entries and exits for anyone who prefers stairs to cannonballs.
Swims come in two flavors. Recreational swims are small supervised groups, about five to seven dogs matched by size and temperament, the same way we build our daycare play groups. They run on weekday afternoons, twenty minutes of splash time with ten minutes to get in and out. Assisted swims are private swims reserved throughout the day in 20 minute sessions, and every new swimmer starts with one: a private swim where we introduce your dog to the water properly and make sure they are safe and confident before they ever join a group. That first private swim is required, for exactly the same reason the FREE trial day is required at daycare. Safety first, always.
And yes, towels are provided, including for the humans. There is a specific moment, right after a dog leaves the pool, when everyone within eight feet becomes part of the experience. Wear the apron of humility or accept your fate.
“My dog has never swum. Will they even like it?”
Most dogs take to water somewhere between instantly and eventually. Almost all breeds are physically capable of swimming, but some are built for it and some, bless them, are built like cinder blocks. Bulldogs, pugs and other heavy-chested, short-muzzled breeds need extra care around water, and our staff knows the difference. That is precisely what the first assisted swim is for: we find out, gently, in four feet of warm indoor water with a trained person right there, instead of at a lake with a current.
If your dog turns out to be a reluctant swimmer, nothing is lost. Some dogs prefer to wade on the ramp, some want two sessions before it clicks, and some would simply rather be in the play yard. We follow the dog.
Working a swim into your dog’s routine
The easiest way to try it is to add a swim to a day your dog is already here. Daycare days come in a with-swim version at both locations, and hotel guests can have swims added to their overnight stay, which turns boarding from something a dog tolerates into something they talk about, if dogs talked. Drop-in recreational swims are open too, by reservation, for dogs who have passed their private swim.
Swimmers follow the same health rules as everyone else in the building: current DPP, Bordetella and Rabies vaccinations with written proof, healthy and free of anything contagious. Puppies need to be fully vaccinated first, usually around four months depending on the breed. The details are on our FAQ page.
Come make a splash
Both locations run the same pool program: Lakewood on West Colfax, 303-233-8990, and the Denver Tech Center in Greenwood Village, 303-945-4449. Book an assisted first swim, or add a swim to your dog’s next daycare day and watch the whole thing live on the webcams. Fair warning: swimming dogs are the best content on the feed.