Posted December 30, 2025
Just as many people in our country struggle with their weight, many of our canine companions face a similar battle.
Dogs that carry extra weight are more prone to arthritis, ligament tears, and metabolic diseases such as diabetes. As dogs get older, these orthopedic conditions can cause painful movements, making getting around more difficult. Keeping your pets at a healthy weight is especially important in giving them the best quality of life in their later years.
How Hydrotherapy Helps with Weight Loss in Dogs
Hydrotherapy is a great option to help dogs lose weight. As with humans, exercising in water raises metabolism and takes stress off the joints while adding resistance to their movements builds muscle (Lavoie & Montpetit, 1986; Ruoti & Al, 1997d). Because hydrotherapy is a non-weight bearing activity, this allows dogs to exercise longer, therefore burning more calories and building more muscle. These two benefits are difficult to achieve when joints are already sore and weight-bearing exercises are not an option for an extended period of time. Human use of an underwater treadmill has shown improvement in lean body mass, decreased body fat, and reduced waist to hip ratio versus using a land treadmill (Greene et al., 2009).
Case Studies: Success Stories in Weight Management
Bessie’s Story: A St. Bernard’s Journey to Health
Bessie is a 3-year-old St. Bernard who weighed 160 pounds when she first came to us. An ideal weight for a female St. Bernard about Bessie’s size is normally around 120 pounds. Bessie’s excess weight may have caused the torn cruciate in her knee, and because of her weight she was not a candidate for anesthesia. Since surgery was not a viable option for repairing her cruciate, rehabilitation with the goal of losing weight was the best place to start. While enrolled in the weight management program at Canine Rehabilitation and Conditioning Group, Bessie has lost 16 pounds over a period of 4 months. Along with losing weight, she has also built muscle that will support her knees so that when she is healthy enough to undergo anesthesia, her recovery will be faster. Bessie’s weight loss will also reduce her anesthesia risk, making undergoing surgery safer.
Bosley’s Transformation: Overcoming a CCL Tear
Bosley is a 7.5-year-old Pomeranian who came to see us for a CCL tear in his right knee. His owner was also concerned about his weight. Weighing 14 pounds when he first came to see us, Bosley’s excess weight may have made a CCL tear more possible, and made for a more difficult recovery. He started doing hydrotherapy with us in 2012, and with conservative rehabilitation was able to avoid surgery because of the combination of weight loss and muscle gain. He now weighs 11.5 pounds. Happier, healthier Bosley now visits us once a month to check in and work on new exercises to start at home.
Swimming vs. Hydrotherapy
At our facilities, recreational swimming is for healthy dogs that enjoy water and are able to swim without assistance. Hydrotherapy is used for a variety of reasons including recovery from surgery, chronic conditions such as arthritis or hip dysplasia, obesity or weight management, or sports conditioning.
When to Choose Hydrotherapy for Your Dog
The benefits of recreational swimming and hydrotherapy are both phenomenal. The important difference between the two is the state of your dog’s physical health.
Recreational Swimming: If your dog is generally healthy, by all means, get swimming! Just as with humans, staying active and keeping your muscles strong will help prevent injury in the future.
Hydrotherapy: If your dog is injured or otherwise compromised, hydrotherapy is necessary for them to get back into the game (or pool). If you need more information on deciding between recreational swimming and hydrotherapy, please give us a call.
The Benefits of Swimming for Dogs
As winter months arrive and we spend less time exercising and running outdoors, having the option of an indoor heated pool makes exercise easier and more attainable.
For a dog who could benefit from losing weight but is otherwise healthy, swimming is a great option for exercising. If your dog has excess weight and does not have any other health problems yet, this is a great time to start swimming (or exercising using other means). If your dog is not overweight, it is ideal to implement an exercise plan to promote maintaining a healthy weight and good quality of life. Swimming provides more of a full body workout than other exercises such as playing fetch or running (Zink et al., 2013). Many of us believe that feeding our dogs and giving them treats is a way of showing our love. This well-intended action has the potential to cause health problems for our pets later in life. Instead of handing out treats to spoil your pet, try showing them your love by taking time to provide them with exercise. (Secret: If your dog likes swimming, you’ll probably find that she won’t think of it as exercise, but more like a trip to Disneyland!)
How to Keep Your Dog Healthy and Fit Through Swimming
Swimming is just as good of a cardio workout as running, but because swimming is non-weight bearing, it does not put stress on the joints. Instead, the resistance of water helps build muscle. CRCG is a safe place to exercise with fewer risks of injury. In the winter months when the weather discourages outdoor activities, swimming can be an excellent option for exercise. Help keep your pup healthy and fit even when you are less active. Swimming is also convenient for owners who are unable (or don’t enjoy) to go on runs or walks with their dogs. Whether you already know that your dog loves the water or have no idea if she’ll enjoy it, consider giving swimming a try to keep your dog in shape this winter.
References:
GREENE, N.P., LAMBERT, B.S., GREENE, E.S., CARBUHN, A.F., GREEN, J.S., & CROUSE, S.F. 2009.
Comparative efficacy of water and land treadmill training for overweight or obese adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 41, 1808-1815.
LAVOIE, J.M. & MONTPETIT, R.R. 1986. Applied physiology of swimming. Sports Medicine, 3, 165-189.
ZINK, C & VAN DYKE, J.B. 2013. Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, 9, 150-161.