Originally published Aug. 2, 2018; updated Sept. 3, 2018
By Patricia Hall, FairfaxFamilyFun.com
Pool time may be running out for you — and then, it all goes to the dogs! Public and community swimming pools in Northern Virginia and the DC Metro area in general tend to close after Labor Day. But if you have dogs, they are in for a treat: after the pools are closed to people, but before the pools are drained, cleaned, and closed up for the season, your four-legged friends can enjoy a swim party of their own! In fact, there are at least a dozen events of this type coming up!
At these “doggie swims,” your pets can cool off and play with other dogs. Your other kids (the human kind) can’t join in, but it’s fun to watch the dogs have a pool party all their own. See below for our annual list of upcoming doggie swims offered by Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA) water parks, Fairfax Pool, the City of Alexandria, and others, all of which are open to the general public. Please read the rules carefully and note the fees and paperwork required. Usually you will need to fill out a form and provide proof that your dog is up-to-date on vaccinations. For reasons we probably don’t need to spell out, most swims ban dogs in heat. 🙂
The dog swims announced so far for 2018 take place over a couple of weekends. We will be adding more soon. If there are any dog swims in Northern Virginia that we should add to our list, please note them in the comments below! (Please suggest only those events which are open to the public.)
DOG SWIM ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
Dog’s Day at Pirate’s Cove Water Park (NVRPA), Lorton
10 am to 2 pm; $5 per dog
Dog’s Day at Atlantis Water Park (NVRPA), Centreville
10 am to 2 pm; $5 per dog
Dog’s Day at Volcano Island Water Park (NVRPA), Sterling
10 am to 2 pm; $5 per dog
Dog’s Day at Great Waves Water Park (NVRPA), Alexandria
10 am to 2 pm; $5 per dog
Dog’s Day at Ocean Dunes Water Park (NVRPA), Arlington
10 am to 2 pm; $5 per dog
Doggie Pool Party, Ashburn Village Sports Pavilion, Ashburn
9 am to noon; $10 per dog per time slot
Broadlands Pool Pooch Party, Summerbrook Pool, Broadlands
9 am to 1 pm; $5 per dog per time slot
Annual Dog Swim at AV Symington Aquatic Center, Leesburg
10 am to 2 pm; $5 per dog
Doggie Paddle at Signal Bay, Signal Bay Water Park, Manassas
10 am to 2 pm; $5 per dog
DOG SWIM ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2018
Dog Daze and Wag Fest at the Water Mine, Reston
1 pm to 4 pm; $10 per dog suggested donation
Pooch Plunge, Veterans Memorial Park, Woodbridge
1 pm to 3 pm; $6 per dog plus a pet food donation
DOG SWIMS ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2018
Itty Bitty Doggie Dive, Alexandria (for dogs under 50 lbs.)
4 pm to 7 pm at Houston Recreation Center; free — also see the big dog swim on Sept. 15
DOG SWIMS ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2018
Big Dog Day Swim, Alexandria (for dogs 50 lbs. and up)
10 am to 1 pm at Old town Pool; free — also see the little dog swim on Sept. 14
DOG SWIMS ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2018
Doggie Splashdown, Fairfax
Gates open at 7 pm and dogs can swim from 7:00 to 7:30 pm at Fairfax Swimming Pool; $5 per dog (exact amount requested), with all proceeds benefiting the Humane Society of Fairfax County; email for more info.
DATES TBA
Dog-a-Pool-Ooza at Stonewall Park Pool, Manassas
Noon to 4 pm; $5/dog, maximum 2 dogs per handler
We will be adding more dog swims to this list… check back often!
So sweet! Wish I was there.
Love this idea! Can’t wait to hear the new locations/events
Winchester Virginia city pool has their doggy swim on September 15 from 1 PM to 3 PM 😎🐾💛
The dog swims in Alexandria were postponed from 9/14 to 9/21 (little dogs) and 9/15 to 9/22 (big dogs). See https://www.alexandriava.gov/Aquatics#AnnualDoggieDaySwim.