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Pool floaties can be fun for both humans and dogs, but most human-grade floats can’t stand up to dog’s sharp nails. On a quest to find a great floaty for my dogs, I recently tested the SwimWays Paddle Paws Dog Pool Float. While getting my dogs to float was more challenging than expected, this sturdy pool float lived up to its good reviews.
Testing the SwimWays Paddle Paws Dog Pool Float
For me, the appeal of a dog pool float was giving my senior dogs the opportunity to spend more time outside on hot summer days. When temperatures climb in southern Arizona, it quickly becomes unsafe for my dogs to lay out in the sun or even go for a walk. Relaxing in the pool or following my kayak are both fun, active alternatives to lazing about on the sofa.
Other reasons to use a pool float include:
- Acclimating a water-shy dog to the pool or lake
- Including a dog in water adventures such as tubing, kayaking, or paddle boarding
- Pure doggy bliss
The Swimways pool float features a hammock-style design with a mesh floor surrounded by an inflatable ring. It comes in two sizes for small to medium (up to 65 pounds) and large dogs (65 pounds and up). Bright blue in color and made of heavy-duty materials to hold up to dogs’ sharp nails, the outer ring features a white paw-print pattern. Inflated, the large raft is almost 65 inches long, 43 inches wide, and 9 inches tall. Folded, it shrinks down to a fraction of that size.
On Amazon, the raft has nearly 4,000 reviews, with an overall rating of 4.3 stars out of 5. It claims to use “jet valve technology” to inflate and deflate quickly and to feature an internal spring to easily pop open and closed.
Inflating and Deflating the Pool Float
With just the outer ring to fill and the jet valve technology to help, the SwimWays dog raft should inflate easily. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The sturdy fabric and the location of the valve on the underside of the raft makes it hard to tell if you’re actually filling the chambers or just blowing air around. Several reviewers noted a similar struggle, pointing to an ineffective valve as the problem.
I did make an effort to fill the float by mouth as recommended on the box. Ultimately, though, I used a pump. In addition to minimizing the struggle, a pump gets you and your pups in the water faster. Plus, it helps to ensure that the raft is fully inflated, which means it’s better able to keep its shape in the water.
At the end of the swim, the experience was completely different. As soon as I opened the valve, the raft began to deflate. I waited no time at all before folding the raft for transport.
Taking the SwimWays Float to the Water
To test the SwimWays pool float, my dogs and I trekked to a friend’s house, where we were invited to use her pool. Three dogs spent time on the raft during our testing process: Logan, my 65-pound Labrador Retriever; Miss Bennet, a 30-pound Terrier mix, and Luna, my friend’s small Pug, exact weight unknown. Given the range of sizes to use the raft, I got the larger size.
Luna was the first dog to try out the float. Pugs are not typically good swimmers, but Luna could stand on the raft without a problem. It enabled her to be in the pool (and in the action) safely, under the close watch of a nearby human.
Logan was next to try the raft. After a lot of coaxing, I finally got him inside the inflated circle. Immediately the raft started to twist in on itself, so I added some air and tried again. The second attempt was better, but Logan quickly began shivering, with his wet hair suddenly exposed to the late-afternoon air. Between being cold and the lack of ball-chasing that can happen from a raft, Logan’s floating time was short-lived.
Of the three dogs, Miss Bennet spent the least amount of time on the SwimWays dog float. I coaxed (or rather put) her on the raft and floated her to the middle of the pool, only to watch her pop out to the pool’s edge the first chance she got.
I shouldn’t really have been surprised. Despite spending most of their days engaged in leisure, my dogs rarely settle down when invited outside of the house (it’s why they’re no longer invited to brunch). I should have considered this before testing a product that is 100% intended for relaxation. Realistically, a pool float is unlikely to work with my hyperactive seniors.
Recommendation: A Qualified Yes to the SwimWays Pool Float
Even if the floaty didn’t go as planned, I did get a sense of the raft’s potential.
Here’s what I liked about it:
- Both the mesh base and inflatable sides are thick and sturdy, promising excellent durability against dogs’ rough nails.
- The raft fills quickly (with a pump), deflates quickly, and stores well, making it quick and convenient.
- With two raft sizes available, it can accommodate both small and large dogs.
- The mesh bottom allows dogs to experience the water even while floating—perfect for those extra-hot summer days.
- Handy “inner spring” technology allows the pool float to quickly fold and pop open (even if doing it right isn’t quite as easy as it sounds).
There were also a few things I didn’t love about the raft:
- Despite the high quality of the raft, the air valve is hard to fill, difficult to close, and even harder to open again.
- There’s no built-in way to keep the folded raft closed, and the elastic band that came with the raft is likely be quickly lost.
- The packaging suggests dual air chambers, but there seems to be only one. If that chamber fails, the floaty will lose its buoyancy.
- The only connection points for a rope or tether are two gaps in the mesh on either side (intended as handles), meaning that it’s not the best option for towing.
Despite these issues, I was overall impressed with the raft’s quality and ease of use. The durable construction means that it could have a wide range of uses, from the pool to the lake. A pup could contently float in the pool or be tethered to a kayak to accompany a relaxing paddle. The lack of an intentional tether point might be a deal-breaker for some adventurous dog owners, but it shouldn’t be a problem for most people and their pets.
A Lesson Learned: Helping Your Dog to Love Floating
One of the biggest mistakes I made in introducing my dogs to floating was pushing them into it too early. Most dogs won’t feel comfortable on a floaty right away, but you can help them get used to the idea better than I did. Here are some tips I’ve since learned about getting your pets accustomed to dog floaties:
- Inflate the raft and leave it in a space they frequent, not drawing attention to it. This gets your dog comfortable with the object’s presence.
- Put the raft in shallow water, such as a kiddie pool, and encourage your dog to get on it. Depending on the size of your raft, you may need a fairly large kiddie pool!
- Slowly introduce your dog to floating in deeper water or with a current. Stay close and pay attention to your dog’s body language and reactions. If they’re scared, take it slow. Take the time they need to get comfortable.
Be sure to also reward your dog with treats throughout the process. Positive rewards create positive associations with dog floaties and the experience. This ensures that your dog sees the raft as a good thing, not something to be afraid of.
And if your dog is just not a happy floater, that’s okay too. Even in their golden years, my dogs apparently just aren’t calm enough to enjoy the finer—and slower—things in life.
SwimWays Paddle Paws Dog Pool Float
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