 Do dog know how to swim instinctively?
#206346 - 08/19/2008 05:05 PM |
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I think I remember in one of Ed's DVD's that he said something about the swimming pool and puppies "learning" to swim. Can't remember for certain what the context was, but it made me wonder - do dogs learn on their own how to swim, or do they have to be encouraged somehow? (I feel stupid even asking). The reason I'm asking is that we have a pond, and I was thinking about tossing a toy in there and letting Kodee go after it - he loves water. But wasn't sure if he needs a long-line on him or something just in case...
TIA!
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Re: Do dog know how to swim instinctively?
[Re: Kori Bigge ]
#206348 - 08/19/2008 05:15 PM |
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I think I remember in one of Ed's DVD's that he said something about the swimming pool and puppies "learning" to swim. Can't remember for certain what the context was, but it made me wonder - do dogs learn on their own how to swim, or do they have to be encouraged somehow? (I feel stupid even asking). The reason I'm asking is that we have a pond, and I was thinking about tossing a toy in there and letting Kodee go after it - he loves water. But wasn't sure if he needs a long-line on him or something just in case...
TIA!
You can't count on it, no. Some are afraid of water, although Kodee doesn't have that problem. 
In fact, I've read (somewhere; sorry that I can't give the citation) that one out of 1000 or so dogs drown every year.
There are even breeds that are don't have the body type for swimming, in fact. Heavy dogs with short legs (like a Bassett Hounds) can be terrible swimmers.
You know about pool problems, where the dog doesn't yet know the exit location. And dogs can definitely get into water too far out to swim back on their own.
Can you throw the toy along the shoreline (in water but not out into deep water) and check him out?
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Re: Do dog know how to swim instinctively?
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#206352 - 08/19/2008 05:30 PM |
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Thanks, Connie. I'm glad I asked - I almost didn't. I always just assumed dogs know how to swim ("doggie paddle"  ) without ever being taught. That's why it caught my attention when Ed said something offhand about dogs "learning" to swim.
I'll put a long-line on Kodee and throw a toy out not too far from the shoreline, and see how he does. He loves water, but I've never let him go in the pond before, although he wades in the water's edge every chance he gets. Today he gladly hopped in the bathtub for me, since my 2 yr old poured syrup all over him after breakfast and he had to have his first bath in 5 months.  Thanks again!
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Re: Do dog know how to swim instinctively?
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#206355 - 08/19/2008 05:33 PM |
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out of the four GSDs I got I had to encourage one to get in the water. No, I just didn't throw her of the end of the pier. I brought her and another dog to the pond with their toy and tossed it in when she saw the one go in after it she got the idea and went in after it. I started shallow and worked my way out
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Re: Do dog know how to swim instinctively?
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#206358 - 08/19/2008 05:36 PM |
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Dante's been swimming three times now all on a line. Twice in a built-in pool and once in a lake. All three times we were in the water with him and we didn't force him in...he followed or initiated entry himself.
I'm glad we were with him. The first time, his entire back end sunk down and he was barely able to keep his head above water, frantically dog paddling. We lightly support him under his belly while he swims around and it helps him quite a bit. He's vocal and whines every time he's swam which is odd but he sure enjoyed it and turned and went right back in on his own.
I think with a little more practice, he'll be a great swimmer but right now he's no Michael Phelps.
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Re: Do dog know how to swim instinctively?
[Re: Kori Bigge ]
#206359 - 08/19/2008 05:37 PM |
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My 9 week old GSD puppy (Abby) was terrorizing my 2 yr old GSD male (Coach), chasing him around the pool. Abby decided to take a short cut across the pool to try and catch up to Coach. When she fell in the water she did a great job of doggy paddling until I got to her. She has not been formally introduced to the pool yet because she is not big enough to exit on her own. I will pool proof her when she gets a little bigger.
Having a large in ground pool provides plenty of dog stories and lots of laughs.
Terry
Edited by Terry Devine (08/19/2008 05:39 PM)
Edit reason: spelling
Treat them like they are animals.
Train them like they are animals.
Love them like they are people. |
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Re: Do dog know how to swim instinctively?
[Re: Terry Devine ]
#206367 - 08/19/2008 06:05 PM |
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All of my dogs taught themselves to swim, but I have been incredibly lucky.
One of my Boxers learned to swim by charging down the dock, and off the end, after some ducks in the water.
She had never been in the water before, and she had no concept of what was at the end of the dock.
Thankfully, she started swimming. Not so thankfully, it was after the ducks, and I had to swim halfway across a lake to catch the stupid dog.
Danke loves water, and seems to know how to swim, but I wouldn't trust her in a strong current.
Again, I've been lucky. My grandfather's Bovier almost drowned in a river, twice.
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Re: Do dog know how to swim instinctively?
[Re: Kori Bigge ]
#206384 - 08/19/2008 07:05 PM |
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A friend of mine had a very large Burnese Mt. dog and he went of a dock. His owner thought he could swim, but he could not, he was just sinking fast. He had to be pulled out. So, he was one of those that did not know how to swim, not to mention he weighed over 100 lbs, so that didn't help.
My GSD however, learned all on her own, and went in all by herself, and we had a hard time getting her to come out!
It seems that it is different for every individual dog.
Joyce Salazar
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Re: Do dog know how to swim instinctively?
[Re: Joyce Salazar ]
#206422 - 08/20/2008 09:28 AM |
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My uncle has two working bloodhounds (prison dogs). Kayla, the female, tries to swim at the lake they live near (but isn't really able to), the other, Sandler (the male)seems to do his darnest to just keep walking on the bottom. Neither of them mind the water at all, and the male actually tries to get into the water constantly, then just starts walking. Makes it difficult to have them near large bodies of water without life jackets because no one actually knows if Sandler would be able to get back out since he walks in over his head if given the chance. Found out by accident, and he was pulled back out.
With my two, the boxer seemed to just "know" how to swim... she goes in with me nearly every day. Ivan isn't so thrilled with swimming, and he doesn't really seem very good at it either. But he will go in and just stand in the shallow end watching and wagging.
When a flower doesn't bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower. |
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Re: Do dog know how to swim instinctively?
[Re: Kori Bigge ]
#206450 - 08/20/2008 02:30 PM |
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My sister's GSD taught my Doberman to swim. The GSD is obsessed with water/swimming, so when we go to the beach he's all about the water. My Dobe, not to be outdone, tentatively tries to follow him in. He's not an enthusiastic swimmer but he can do it, especially if I throw a toy in. Of all my dogs I've only had one that didn't swim, though he'd cross a river willingly enough with a life-vest on. He was a Greyhound, and without his life-vest he'd sink like a stone. I know it's not a Greyhound problem because all of the others swam fine, including one female who went so far out into the lake so fast we needed a boat to catch her!
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