Photos by Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

Avery Zuckerwar, 3, gets ready to toss a ball to Cayman.

Ashley Perry, a Virginia Tech student, coaxes her 10-month-old Saint Bernard, Bauer, down the Frog Pond slide Sunday. The activity was part of the annual pool party for dogs, an event that benefited the Humane Society of Montgomery County.

Natasha Ryan of Roanoke calls to her bikini-clad dog, Sophie.

CHRISTIANSBURG -- For public pool managers pretty much anywhere, it's the ultimate nightmare.

More than 220 dogs invaded the sanctity of chlorinated water and perfectly functioning pool filters, splashing and paddling happily for four hours on a Sunday. But for dog owners across Montgomery County -- and even county parks and recreation officials -- Sunday's event at the Frog Pond pool was a doggie's end-of-summer dream come true.

In its fifth year, the county's Gone to the Dogs event always falls the day after the county pool's last day open to humans, giving staff nine months to clean and sanitize. It's an "unusual" event, Parks and Recreation Director Mitchell Haugh allows, "but when you can raise $5,000 and the pool's closed for the season," it's all worth it.

This year's event drew 346 people who paid $5 a dog and $1 a human for the chance to mingle with other dogs and dog lovers, line up for salon services such as doggie manicures and baths featuring scented shampoos and send some uneasy-looking pooches down the frog slide.

"It's just so rewarding to see people having the time of their lives, both the people and the dogs," said Chris Brandewie, who coordinates the event as a volunteer with the Montgomery County Humane Society. It's the nonprofit's best single-day fundraising event of the year, she said.

While older dogs seemed content with wading around the pool's beach-style entry, sniffing at the endless parade of canines, others seemed unsure of this sanitized version of swimming.

"It's neat seeing all of the different dogs -- to see how they react to the water," said Bill Nestle, who was attending the event for the third time with his son and Rex, the family's 4-year-old springer spaniel.

Rex had a singular focus: leaping from the side of the pool to chase a tennis ball. "That's all it takes to make him happy," Nestle said.

For other pets, there was also a competitive event. Marc and Laura Cormier led lure races using a contraption built from a bicycle that drags a floating, furry rag across the pond. Dogs were released, one by one, at one end of the pool as Marc Cormier towed the lure across the water and Laura Cormier kept time.

By about 2 p.m., with just an hour left before closing, Laura Cormier realized that 4-year-old chocolate Labrador Juni was holding an almost Michael Phelpsian quarter-second lead over Buddy Jones III, a 7-year-old Weimaraner.

Cormier declared a "grudge match" was the only way to truly decide the winner.

Ty Hopkins, Buddy's owner, said Buddy's age made him the underdog, so to speak. "This is his last shot at the gold."

Aside from Juni's youth, it would seem the Lab's owner, Virginia Tech associate head swimming coach Braden Holloway, could also gave him an edge.

After Cormier made the call, Juni took a commanding lead. Buddy's powerful dog-paddling seemed to give him a shot at a win, but he got distracted and Juni won by a length.

Cormier wasn't so sure the race was fair, however, and gave Buddy a chance at redemption when she directed a do-over with one person holding and releasing the dogs at the same time. But once again, Juni took the lead and improved on his 20-seconds-flat time.

"We're going to have to concede the crown," Hopkins said.

Holloway seemed pleased with Juni's win, but even with his experience as a swimming coach, he shied from the comparison Cormier was all too happy to offer.

"Juni was the Michael Phelps of the day," she said.