At the Park and Recreation's lively summertime conclusion, a collection of canines transformed the once still Memorial Pool into a frenzy of smiles and splashed chlorine.
Hot Dippity Dog, an annual event sponsored by the Jefferson City Parks and Recreation department, hosted dogs and their owners for a swim Tuesday night to complete the swimming season.
In a commotion of splashes and barks, a wide variety of dogs joined their owners in the pool and even down slides on one end of the complex.
"It's hilarious to see them come off of waterslides," said Laurie Herzing, recreation supervisor. "It looks kind of crazy. It looks like chaos."
Though the event may boast the appearance of bedlam, she said Hot Dippity Dog offers owners a more controlled environment to get in and play with their dog, compared to a lake or river.
The event represents the near familial relationships between dogs and their owners, Herzing said. "It's bonding time," she said.
For Kim Connor and her daughters, Hot Dippity Dog is a family affair.
Connor and her daughters, Sami and Camryn, brought their two dogs to the - Zoey, a two-year-old pug/beagle mix, and Tucker, a chihuahua rat terrier.
She adopted both dogs from the Stover Animal Shelter, and her family enjoys taking the dogs for walks.
Though none of her dogs like water, Connor views the event as a "great opportunity for dogs to enjoy the water and be physically active."
As a lover of both dogs and swimming, Hot Dippity Dog for Brekka Ellis represents a perfect combination.
Though she has attended the event in the past with friends, Ellis attended the event this year with her dog, a eight-month-old Boston terrier named Munchi. She recently received her ninth birthday.
"I have taken other dogs that have cooperated more (than Munchi)," Ellis said.
While swimming is a favorite pastime of Ellis, Muchi did not feel similarly about playing in the pool. "She made me drag her here," Ellis said.
For Jamie Conner, Hot Dippity Dog proved to be an enjoyable outing for her and her neopolitan mastiff, Delilah.
At nine weeks old, Delilah arrived recently from a breeder in Michigan, and Conner characterized the canine event as a positive experience.
"There's great dogs out here, and they're all getting along," she said.