A 23-year-old Hull man has opened the city’s first ever recreational swimming pool for dogs.
James Hussey, from east Hull, works part-time at Car Supermarket in Hessle. He is an experienced dog owner himself and has two pocket bullies called Nellie and Pearl and an XL Bully called Meekz, for which he has a certificate of exemption.
He got the idea when he visited a dog-friendly swimming pool in Manchester with his girlfriend, Rhiannon, and they saw potential for a similar business in Hull. James and Rhiannon opened Dunkin’ Doggies on June 4 and it’s already been flooded with bookings.
James said swimming is a great activity for dogs because it provides fitness as well as mental stimulation. “It’s good for owners to get a bond with the dogs as well,” he said. “Five minutes of swimming is equivalent to a five-mile walk it’s really good exercise for dogs and it’s non-weight-bearing so it’s good for dogs that potentially struggle with their joints and legs.”
The swimming pool in Lake Enterprise Park, near Sutton Road, has temperature-controlled water and a ramp for easy access. It can take up to three dogs at a time and has a dog dryer.
(Image: Supplied)
James added: “We are the first fun swimming place for dogs in Hull. There are a couple of hydrotherapy centres which are more like rehabilitation centres for dogs.”
“I came up with the idea because I’ve got dogs myself and I’d gone to Manchester to meet with another breeder and he had a similar set-up and I just thought, ‘This is amazing, I need to see if there’s anywhere doing this in Hull’. There was nowhere, so that’s where I got the idea from, and it’s come to light over the last year.”
“We have had 42 bookings already in the first week, so we’ve had a pretty good start. We’ve had really good feedback, every single customer we’ve had said they are going to come back.”