Nearly 200 dogs — poodle mixes, lots of Labrador retrievers, hounds, mutts of all kind and a good-natured and large pit bull named Bubba — went swimming at Mills Pool the evenings of Aug. 3 and 4.

It was Drool in the Pool, an end-of-summer tradition that's been happening in Bloomington for 17 years.

The city parks and recreation department puts on the event every year. A local business that caters to canines, Mad 4 My Dog, provides bags filled with treats and toys for winners in the Most Photogenic, Best Dog Trick and Dog-Owner Look-Alike contests.

Small and timid dogs swim in the kiddie end of the pool, while dogs more comfortable with water and swimming enter the deeper end on rubber mats floating in the water to launch from. Some dogs run and plunge right into the water from the cement deck to retrieve tennis balls their owners toss into the pool.

The event is held after the city pools close for the season, when school resumes in August. In the days after the event, the pool is drained, cleaned and made ready for colder months to come.

Contact H-T reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967.