Hi All, I'm hoping to get some suggestions on how I can help My 18 mos old GSD overcome her fear of the pool. Last year when she was 6 mos old she fell in the deep end of the pool the water temp was in the low 30s and the water level was be down below the returns which is about 4' below ground level. We had just taken the cover off, thank Gawd I was outside when it happened,but was at the far end of the yard, so by the time I got to her and pulled her out she was pretty darn cold, since then she will still go to the ledge and look in it when shes by herself or if I'm standing by it so, my goal here is to teach her to swim to the ladder to get out if she falls in when no one is around or I can't pull her out because she's too heavy for me. As a rule she's not fearful of anything just the pool. Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, Elizabeth

Get her comfortable swimming in other enviroments that she doesn't have a fear of. After lots of exposure to water away from the pool she hopefully might forget her bad experience and enter on her own with some urging from you while you are in the water. Get her used to chasing a toy being thrown in the water and she might do the same when its pool time. Easing her into this will take some time. Good luck.

I agree. Try going to a beach with a nice gentle slope and not many waves or seaweed. Take your time and make it fun. Go in up to your knees and try to get her to splash around in the water. Desensitize slowly and steadily.

My dog (very much taking after her father, a red dobe) could not stand the water and was afraid of going in (especially after her rump started to float one time -- the look on her face was something special) ... I waited it out and worked on my bond with her so that she would come in with me. Slowly, ever so slowly, now (of course, after a few years since we do not have a long summer up here) she is finally not afraid of the water! Next step for me is the canoe <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> THAT should be fun <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I would work on teaching her to go up a ladder without the water -- hoping that she will recognize the ladder should she fall in before you manage to desensitize her to the water again ... oh, maybe work with a dry ladder and then slowly with a wet ladder?

Thanks all, I'm going to try to get her to the beach this week, looks like I have a long road ahead of me being that there's nothing really close to me, but if I can get her to like the water it'll be well worth it. I'll start with the ladder also she make enjoy a new task...Thanks again!!! Elizabeth