My neighbor’s golden retriever, Gus, spent most of last July lying flat on the concrete patio with his tongue hanging out, looking like a melted rug. It was ninety-five degrees. They do not have a pool. Gus was suffering.

I mentioned the kiddie pool idea. My neighbor looked at me like I had suggested building a water park in the backyard. “It’s forty dollars at the hardware store,” I said. “Just try it.”

Gus now has his own pool. He will not get out of it. They have to bribe him with treats.

Why a kiddie pool works better than you think

Dogs cool down primarily through their paws and belly — not through sweating like humans. A few inches of cool water that covers their underside does more for temperature regulation than a whole sprinkler system aimed at their back.

Kiddie pools are also cheap, portable, and indestructible enough for claws. The hard plastic kind — not the inflatable one. An inflatable pool lasts approximately four seconds with a dog in it.

Setting it up the right way

1. Get a hard plastic kiddie pool — the kind that is about four feet across and eight inches deep. Under fifty dollars at most hardware stores.
2. Place it in partial shade. Full sun heats the water to bath temperature in an hour. Full shade and the water stays too cold. Half and half is perfect.
3. Fill with two to three inches of water. Enough to cover the paws and touch the belly. Not deep enough to be a drowning risk if your dog is small or old.
4. Change the water every day or two. Standing water grows algae and bacteria fast in summer heat. Dump it on your plants — it is just water.
5. Rinse the pool with a garden hose and a splash of vinegar between fills to keep slime from building up.

A few things to watch for

Do not leave your dog unattended. Even shallow water and even strong swimmers. Dogs can get disoriented, especially older ones.

Dry their ears after. Floppy-eared dogs — retrievers, spaniels, hounds — are prone to ear infections from trapped moisture. A quick towel rub inside the ear flap takes ten seconds.

If your dog drinks the pool water, do not panic. A little is fine. But if they are gulping it, pull them out — they could be overheating and desperately trying to cool down internally. That is a vet situation.