Viper, my 3 ½ year old Black German Shepherd has been coming to Ann at Hydro-Pet for a few months now after being diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia. The swimming has definitely helped him, both physically building strength in his back legs & in his confidence in the pool, even though at times he does forget to use his back legs resulting in Ann having to tickle his toes to get him moving. He is very cunning that when Ann tells him he has one more length to do he seems to know & always cuts it short to get back to the ramp.
Rogue, my 15 month Dutch Shepherd also get a swim each week but this is purely for the exercise & to try to wear him out. He is very full on & lives up to his name, Ann refers to him as my cheeky monkey as he is always trying to get the toy from her & normally ends up destroying it before the end of the session. I’ve noticed that since he started swimming he has filled out in the chest more, becoming extremely strong & his fitness levels have improved. He loves his swims so much that he launches himself into the pool whether Ann is ready for him or not & does not like having to take his rest periods between swims.
Both dogs have completed a 6 week Obedience Course followed by a 6 week Obstacle/Confidence Course run by NEK9, www.nek9.co.nz. Rogue is a natural star at Obstacles & is completing most on his own now without any assistance from me, swinging steps, balancing on seat edge, climbing ladders and many more unusual obstacles.

From Milo
Hi everyone. My name is Milo and I am a 13 month old chocolate lab. I was born with hip dysplasia so I had a big operation and my doctor removed bones in my hip. To help get me running again I needed to exercise so that all of the soft tissue around my hip got strong. My vet told us about Hydro-Pet and seen as I love the water it sounded like a great idea. We had a meeting with Ann and talked about what I needed and how she was going to help me. Ann swims with me three times a week and we play lots of games in the pool. I know that she's doing a great job because my hip doesn't get as sore now, I can put lots of weight on my leg and when Ann measures my leg the muscle growth and rotation is getting better. Sometimes my leg is a little sore or I get tired and don't want to swim but Ann encourages me to keep going and makes my exercise fun. I get very excited when I know it's swimming time and look forward to getting big cuddles from my new friends at Hydro-Pet. From Milo

From us
After hip surgery our vet suggested hydrotherapy for our 13 month lab and recommended Hydro-Pet. We met Ann and Keith at the consultation and instantly felt that they were genuinely interested in helping Milo recover from the operation. Ann works with Milo in the pool and engages with him in an energetic, loving manner which he responds to positively, ensuring that the therapy experience is fun as well as beneficial to recovery. Keith and Ann have a wonderful balance of professionalism with a personal element. It is evident that they passionate about Hydro-Pet and ensure that the facilities and program are of a high standard, while also engaging and get to know dogs and their families on a more personal level. We are very happy about the the program and work Hyrdo-Pet are doing with Milo and have no hesitation at all about recommending it to others. Antony and Nicola Eley