--- title: Your dog's first hydrotherapy session, step by step description: Ross walks you through a first hydrotherapy session, from the harness and the ramp to the underwater treadmill, and what to bring and tell us on the day. image: https://www.geekeri.studio/hubfs/geekify-demo/blog/blog-hydrotherapy-guide.jpeg --- [Skip to content](https://www.geekeri.studio/geekeri-blog/first-hydrotherapy-session#main-content) [![logo-geekeri](https://www.geekeri.studio/hs-fs/hubfs/logo-geekeri.png?width=100&height=100&name=logo-geekeri.png "logo-geekeri")](https://geekeri.com) - Home Get started Add a supporting line # Your dog's first hydrotherapy session, step by step [Ross](https://www.geekeri.studio/geekeri-blog/author/ross) October 14, 2026 Get started Learn more Most dogs have never been in a pool like ours, and most owners have never watched their dog try. The first session is where I spend the most time and say the least about technique. Mostly I want your dog to feel that the water is a safe place, and I want you to feel the same. Here is how the first visit goes, in the order it happens. ## Before the water We start dry. You and your dog come into the pool room and walk around the edge, and they can sniff whatever they like. I ask about your dog: their name, what they love, what worries them, and what you have noticed at home. If your vet has sent notes, I have already read them. Nobody is hurried into the water. Some dogs are in within a few minutes, and some take half the session to get to the steps. Either is fine. ## The harness and the ramp Your dog wears a snug buoyancy harness with a handle on the back, so I can support them at all times. We walk down a gentle ramp into warm, shallow water. I go in with them, and I talk the whole way down, telling them what is happening and how well they are doing. Dogs listen to tone more than words. ## Finding their own pace Once your dog is standing in the water, I keep a hand under their chest and wait. The first few minutes are about balance and trust. Some dogs paddle straight away. Others stand very still and take it in. A dog who is allowed to set the pace nearly always gets there on their own. If your dog is booked for the underwater treadmill, this is when we raise the water level slowly and start the belt at a walk. The water holds some of their weight, so a sore hip or a healing knee has less to carry. We watch their legs and their breathing, and we stop the moment they show us they are tired. ## Afterwards A first session is usually short, often fifteen to twenty minutes in the water. Then a warm rinse, a towel and a quiet sit. Most dogs sleep well that evening, so do not plan a long walk. I will tell you what I saw, and Megan will send your home exercise programme. ## What to bring and what to tell us Bring your dog's favourite treats and your vet's notes if you have them. Tell us about anything that might affect swimming: ear infections, skin trouble, wounds that have not healed, or a worry about the water. Dogs with an open wound cannot go in until your vet says it has healed. A hydrotherapist is with your dog for the whole session, and you are welcome to stay poolside and watch. If your dog is unsure, that is normal, and it is normal for you to feel unsure too. Ask us anything on the day, or [read more about hydrotherapy](https://www.geekeri.studio/geekify/hydrotherapy) before you book. 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The first session is where I spend the most time and say the least about technique. Mostly I want your dog to feel that the water is a safe place, and I want you to feel the same.", "headline" : "