We are taking the pooch camping next week in Wisconsin. The park has a big lake and I'm pretty sure there will be an area or two where dogs can swim. Pooch has never been in water before. Do they just naturally know how to swim? Any tips on how to get him in there? Do I need to carry him in or hold him or anything, or just tug him in and stay nearby and let him go?
Totally unrelated, here are a couple videos of us cooling off in the hot weather. He loves the in-ground sprinkler system.
ian bunbury Webboard User Reg: 01-19-2012
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Loc: whistler bc ca
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the older dog i have now , hector , was raised on a farm that had a pond . the dogs all swam in there just as a routine activity without any outside influence ( training or commands ) . they just did it , and when i got him at 8 weeks he jumped into the first body of water he saw . on hot days now , he'll swim around for extended periods ( + 20 mins ) just because it feels good .
my first BC needed a little help , but after we literally tossed him in a few times he figured out it was pretty good fun .
the new guy , henry , is a bit shy around the water , but he has fallen out of the canoe once and fell off the dock once so i know he knows how to swim . there will be an opportunity later this summer when i'll put him in the water at the end of the dock and let him swim to shore . . . repeat as necessary .
ps . going to wisconsin ? gotta go visit leerburg . . .
Most dogs are natural swimmers but not all.
I'm not a believer in the toss and swim method.
Find a shallow area where the dog can get a feel for it. If they have a good drive to retrieve use that and don't toss it to deep till you see the dog's reaction.
Make it fun!
ian bunbury Webboard User Reg: 01-19-2012
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Loc: whistler bc ca
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yeah bob , i wouldn't have believed in that practice myself , and i certainly wouldn't try it with a dog i didn't know very well .
the challenge we had with scout was that he was the youngest of three dogs in a group . we were encouraging him and he was showing good interest , but in true BC fashion he was just darting around the perimeter , watching the others and thinking that what he was doing was swimming . not until he finally was in the water did he fully grasp what it was he was being rewarded for .
Jamie Craig Webboard User Reg: 09-01-2009
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Loc: Munroe Falls, OH
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I teach swimming...not assume that the dog will go right in an try it. I put a harness and lone line on the dog, find a quiet place with gradual drop off and slowly but firmly walk the dog in to mid-leg. Then teach sits and downs, then, if they're showing interest, encourage swimming. Both of mine took until their second times out to figure out form (Ryuk had a butt of lead, Gambit forgot he even had a butt). Both are strong confident swimmers.
It seems dogs that learn (and will still go in the water after) via the toss in method aren't as confident and are more likely to swim to and cling on to people in the water.....I can't stand that, it's dangerous and makes your swimming locations very limited (can't bring your dog to a public swimming hole if it tries to drown people). I just re-taught a few friend's dogs to swim that did this...it seemed to all come down to confidence....
Kristin Muntz Webboard User Reg: 05-09-2012
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For our little one, I simply stood in the water and floated a tug nearby, he walked out and willingly paddled to it his first time in the water. I would use something to motivate him out there if possible and not let him tire himself out the first couple of times.
thanks for the replies. i hope we can find a shallow or zero-depth spot to wade into a little at a time. he generally does not like being wet so hopefully he will get over it and enjoy a swim.
Getting wet and going swimming can be totally different things for some dogs. When I bathe my older GSD Thunder he just stands their with head and tail hanging. Go near a pond and he's in it in a flash!
My first dog did not naturally know how to swim. She wouldn't go near water for the first year, sank like a rock for the second year and one day it just all seemed to come together for her and she's been a avid swimmer ever since.
My current dog, I took for swimming lessons in a therapy pool. It only took her two lessons to figure out how to use her back legs to stay afloat. Now if she hears running water, she gets totally obsessed and completely forgets her name and all her training. So much for proofing things. *heavy sigh* And back to training we go.....
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