Sherbrooke is home to province's 1st swimming pool for dogs

The owner of a doggie daycare centre in Sherbrooke now offers a new treat for dogs: their very own swimming pool.

The facility for the Pension pour Animaux daycare is now the first place in the province with a pool where dogs learn how to swim, fetch balls and even do the long jump.

Aqua Canin owner Sébastien Lemay says he got the idea from the Salon National des Animaux de Compagnie – an animal show that makes several stops in the province.

"I knew there were no pools in Quebec, so I decided to have the only one," Lemay says.

Since opening in June, Lemay says his customers have come from different parts of the province.

"We already have people from Montreal, Quebec City and even farther than that," he says. "'The people come and they love it and they come back.''

The swimming pool is 12 metres long and  features a 10-metre long diving board.

Classes are generally offered to dogs older than four months. Long jump training is reserved for dogs that are about a year old.

Dogs overcoming fears

One of Aqua Canin's instructors, Marie-France Poulin, says her main challenge is helping dogs overcome their fears.

"They work hard," she says. "They work hard mentally and with their bodies to confront their fear of water."

Poulin says she's also dealt with owners who had second thoughts about signing up their dog. She says it's all the more reason to use a patient approach during training.

"Take your time and respect the dog," she says. "I never force a dog  to go in the pool for the first time."