Dozens of dogs make a splash at annual Spokane ‘Doggie Dip’

Rebecca Danon had been looking forward to Sunday at Comstock Pool on Spokane’s South Hill for months.

When she and her husband moved from the coastal city of Sitka, Alaska, on Baranof Island a few months ago, the couple knew access to large bodies of water for their dog to swim in would be a bit limited. So the thought of a dogs-only day at the pool naturally piqued her interest.

As for Jasper, the 1-year-old English golden retriever tugging on his leash and staring longingly at the blue water, there probably aren’t enough superlatives in the dictionary to describe the level of excitement he exhibited Sunday afternoon.

“He just loves water,” Danon said, with her 3-year-old son Finley strapped to her chest. “It’s a combination of his favorite things: dogs, people and water.”

Jasper wasn’t alone. Surrounded by dozens of other “man’s best friends,” he swam, played and barked for an hour and a half during Doggie Dip – a yearly event that brings hundreds of dogs to city pools for the last days of the summer swimming season. After Sunday, Comstock staff will converge on the pool to shut it down for the next nine months.

But not before Jasper and his friends had their fill. As people and pets arrived, they were quickly greeted with the familiar smell of wet dog, the sound of splashing water and the faint murmur of excited whimpering.

As might be expected, the presence of dozens of excited canines necessarily led to the occasional “accident,” necessitating periodic pool cleanings. Lifeguards would quickly call all of the dogs out of the water – no doubt adding to their desire to go back in – and busily clean for 10 minutes or so.

Not every aqua-loving pooch proved equally compliant, however. Oliver, a 9-year-old black Labrador, had other plans. Despite the pleas of his owners, he continued to do laps around the deep end of the pool, slapping the water with his paws and chomping at the cascading crystal-clear ribbons.

“He’s trying to drink the whole thing,” said Steve Ince. “Oliver – code brown. Get out of the pool.”

Steve’s ex-wife, Lindsay Ince, said her dog clearly loves to swim, and she forgave his lack of obedience, since this was the first time he’d been in a public pool. When he had free run of the place, she said, it was no wonder it took several minutes for people to coax him out.

“Oliver, you stink like wet dog,” the pair’s 9-year-old daughter Audrey said, pinching her nose.

Sponsored by the Spokane Parks and Recreation and in partnership with SpokAnimal C.A.R.E., the event raised funds for the High Bridge Dog Park. Other city pools will have Doggie Dip events throughout the week.

Others in attendance were Doggie Dip regulars. Hannah Crisp and her husband Christopher have attended the past four years, each time with their dogs Maci, a 4-year-old German shepherd, and Ollie, a 5-year-old German shepherd and husky mix.

Maci was afraid to dip her paws, but Ollie was a natural. He’d dive in and swim to the other side to greet Christopher. On the sidelines, Maci whimpered in frustration.

“She likes to swim, but only if we’re in there,” Hannah Crisp said. “Still, both dogs love it.”