This weekend I am going on a 'survival' trip where we will be hiking and bushwhacking 12-15k on Saturday including some water crossings where we will have to swim - 3 in total including our trip out Sunday. The water crossings are from 50-150m.

The basic idea of the trip is that you 'get lost' on a day hike and have to use your survival skills with the things you have in your daypack.

Luc can come (Neb is getting treatment for some ear issues so no swimming for him) BUT - he is scared of the water.

He has improved from when I first got him and I had to carry him across shallow streams. However, he is not a swimmer and I suspect will panic if put in the water.

I used to take Teagan to a dog pool in the winter so she could swim (she had hip dysplasia) and I brought Luc along a few times to teach him to swim. Basically he gets in and starts to panic and swims along the top of the water. A staff member at the dog pool showed me how to pull him down so he is swimming through the water rather than trying to swim on top of it.

He doesn't really like it though this method (bringing him down into the water) appears to calm him somewhat.

I would LOVE for him to be on this trip - aside from the water crossings I think he'd have a blast!

I was thinking to get him a dog lifejacket, as I thought it might help him feel calmer.

None of the crossings are that long but with a upset dog they could feel longer. Keeping in mind I'll also have my pack to contend with as we swim.

Am I a fool for hoping to bring him on this? If I do, any suggestions if I do? I was thinking lots of positivity, keep him down in the water, and just stay calm.

Thoughts?

Tough call, I definitely see your dilemma! So many positives for a dog on a trip like this, seems such a shame for him to miss out.

Have you swam with him for any distance? Any way you could get out to a swimming hole and give it a try before you leave for the trip - maybe try out a life jacket if you get one? You really need to know whether you can keep him on a leash and swim to an objective, since that's what you'd have to do on your trip. The other dogs are there as role models, chugging along - hopefully he'd come out of the red panic zone and catch on quickly. If he could tackle the first crossing or two successfully, you'd likely cure his hesitance.

Life jacket on early, far before you hit the water. Dog on leash - probably a harness would work best if you have one, and just march in and go with zero talking, encouraging, whatever, just like you expect he'll swim like an Olympian. Be calm but firm with him just as you would if you were stuck in a busy street and had to get to a sidewalk quickly during a break in traffic.

If you can't try it out beforehand to your satisfaction, there is obviously more risk in taking him. I personally would lean toward including him, but that's me. Others will differ and offer equally valid opinions the other way.

How tolerant are your hiking partners? What kind of timeline are you on? Could someone else take the other dogs just ahead of you?

Sounds like a cool opporunity for you regardless.

You might pm Kiersten Lippman, a member here on Leerburg - she's done lots of wilderness excursions with her pack. I'll bet she's faced this one before.

Good luck!

Thanks Rob.

I haven't swam him for any distance. The dog pool was small; I've gotten him into lakes but not deeply and he is not enamoured with it.

He is a veteran of many backcountry trips, and can now cross streams and rivers getting wet calmly.

Because he's improved for river crossings, I am thinking I could get him calmer with the lake crossings, especially with a lifejacket on.

The difference with this is he's used to backcountry on or off trail, but not swimming as part of the route.

He will be the only dog on the trip but there are other dog people there and they will be patient with him.

We can't test out beforehand but I am also leaning towards taking him. He learnt to cross rivers simply by having to as part of trips, and now he doesn't think about it - I just had him do it and made a fuss when he did - so maybe having him swim with similar treatment will go okay.

I would keep the leash on his collar so that I can help bring him down into the water if he tries to swim above it - but I might do a dual leash and have one on his harness as well.

I would think that if you don't have a dog that loves the water & will jump in anywhere, anytime & is used to swiming a distance comfortably in any type of water environment (pond,lake stream beach etc) in a relaxed 'home' envirenment...I think that you are asking for trouble doing a 'forced march' where there will be a cerain amount of stress just because of the situation & that he HAS to cross the water no matter what. It will be like 'flooding' this dog, (pun not intended) in a gotta get it done deal. Just not something that I would want to do to my dog & our relationship. But that's just me. I don't know you dog. I think that you could loose all the progess & confidance that the dog has made if you meet an impass & have to force him to do this.

I hope that your trip goes as planned.

If I couldn't test it beforehand and the dog was going to have to do it, period ... I have to say that I wouldn't take him.

"We can't test out beforehand but I am also leaning towards taking him. He learnt to cross rivers simply by having to as part of trips, and now he doesn't think about it - I just had him do it and made a fuss when he did - so maybe having him swim with similar treatment will go okay."

"Maybe" wouldn't be enough for me. I understand that it may go great, but the downside of it NOT going great seems to me to be huge, including a freaked-out dog and a ruined trip.

JMO, of course. I know you want honest opinions.

You guys have good points.

I get caught up in wanting him on the trip because he's my big guy and he generally comes on all my trips, well, him and Neb both.

But you guys are right that if he does flood and completely freak out - it will be a really negative thing.

He's done better around lakes lately but not to the point of going in past one foot.

I talked to my partner about this and he is with you guys, he doesn't want Luc on the trip because of the swimming.

I concede the point....I just wanted him to come, wanted to see if there was a way I could make him comfortable.

But he'll stay home.

If for no other reason we have a couple of difficult trips in September and I want him to be in good shape for those, I also don't want him to associate going into the bush with something terrifying.

....I wish Neb didn't have the ear thing. He can't get his ear wet right now so he can't come.

I know that you are disappointed...but if you keep up the work with him...by next years trips (if not sooner) he will most likely be a happy 'whatever comes his way' companion.

IMHO it's just not worth pushing him too soon & loosing all the progress that you have both worked so hard to achieve.

We do a couple of small trips every month and a few longer trips a year.

We've just never traveled by swimming across lakes Once he became comfortable with crossing rivers I've never pushed him to swim in lakes.

Something to work on for future trips though, you are right!