The pool at the Dartmouth YMCA was filled with puppies, not people, on September 1 for their annual “Puppy Splash” event.

Before the pool closes each year, it is opened for one morning only to dogs. This year, 37 dogs showed up to play in and around the pool.

“There’s always a really big turn out,” said Mandy Magalhaes, the YMCA’s director of programming. “It’s a nice little social event for the puppies.”

Most of the dogs were only in the pool briefly, but all seemed to enjoy running around together and exploring the area. The YMCA reduced the chlorine in the pool ahead of the event to make it more dog-friendly.

“No running by the pool!” one owner chided her dog.

Lynn Lapalme and Dave Lapalme, of Dartmouth, brought their new rescue dog, Bella, to check it out. Bella has only gone swimming once before, and after a quick dip she was more than happy to run laps around the pool and say hi to the other dogs.

“She was walking around an abandoned property in Mississippi when she was four weeks old, and now she’s hanging around the Y pool!” Dave Lapalme said.

Sara Evora, of New Bedford, brought her dog Maya, who was a little timid about the water, too.

“She looks like a little wet rat! I don’t think she likes it,” Evora said, laughing.

Despite the large number of dogs at the event, there were only a few minor scuffles and very little barking-- and the dogs definitely had fun.