Teaching Puppy to Swim

[makka619]

Is it safe to teach at 8 months?

He has a wading pool and he is fine in that.

We just bought a small above ground pool (fenced in) and I was hoping for a bit of advice that I should consider before introducing him to it.

Thanks

 

[Herschel]

What breed? Watch him VERY closely! I'm not really familiar with this subject, but I thought that water retrievers were trained to swim from 8 weeks or maybe even younger.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Oh yeah! Have fun!

Hubby had to actually get in the water toshow Buddy that it was okay... not we' can't get him out of it. He sees water and it's like a magnetic forcefield is attracting them! But.. ALWAYS, keep an eye on them.. they get tired fast!

He can never get there fast enough, lol...

A natural I tell ya...

 

[MafiaPrincess]

Cider couldn't swim only thrash.. I'd get in the pool with her and have her swim like a foot to me. She never got better, It was all about saving her life..

I got her a life jacket, and after a year with it, she can swim on her own like a 'normal' dog.

 

[makka619]

Thanks guys. Thanks for the pics BP.

He’s a Beagle. I remember reading somewhere that Beagles are quite resistant to swimming. It did take a lot of encouragement with the wading pool, but now he loves it. I will let him observe others in the pool for a few days before I bring him in.

Don’t worry, I will be extremely careful and watch him like a hawk. We are going to look for or build some type of ledge to go inside the pool and that will be the first thing I teach him to swim to.

Mafia: did Cider take long to get used to the life jacket? If he has troubles I might invest in one, sounds like a good idea.

 

[girlbuffalo1]

swimming

I would say when Wrigley was around 5 months we just threw him in! LOL--I thought all dogs knew how to swim? We took him to a local pond stood on the edge and threw him in around 2 feet and he swam right back--I was prepared to jump in if I had to--

 

[MafiaPrincess]

I did lightly toss Cider in a creek when she was younger, she was pretty upset and it was a life saving action for her to get to shore, I felt awful.

She wears her life jacket willingly. She's not always amused to be in the pool though, she needs to be occupied and she won't ever just float, her legs paddle unless she's standing on something stable (like you). We often play fetch in the pool so she's got something she would like to do.

We wentto a friends cottage this past summer and we swam off the dock together and such.. They have a pricate beach.. I was playing fetch with her and I threw the ball too far, she actually kept going and swam after it, I was a proud mom, she evidentially learned a different motion with her paw and leg position being supported in the life jacket

 

[Tracer Tong]

I have an Egyptian mutt that hates water.

I'm going to have to figure out this swimming thing.

 

[bubbatd]

I would never toss a puppy in . The only way to do it , to me , is to start at a shallow pond or lake , you go in a little way and coax the pup to wade out to you . When confidence is built ... keep backing out farther until after a while the dog finally has to swim . Go slowly !!!!

 

[DrewG]

Our Yorkies will always hit the pool with us at my grandmother's during the summer. Especially Max, he will follow that green ball to hell if you could throw it there I am afraid.

 

[makka619]

Thanks guys. I agree with bubbatd, not all dogs are confident to jump in right away. Some are more natural, but others need coaxing/encouragement. From my understanding, it is best to introduce pups gradually; throwing them in could freak them out. A bad experience like this could turn them off of swimming.

I am racking my brain right now trying to think of something I can make a ledge out of to (that sits inside the pool).

Any ideas? I might just use a crate and cover it with a non slip bath mat, and put some type of weight so it doesn't float to the surface.

 

[Barley'sMom]

Another good trick is to "borrow" a friend's dog that DOES swim. We did that with Barley, and he got jealous that my brother's dog was retrieving all the sticks, so he followed the older dog right into the water.

 

[makka619]

ooo great idea and I know the perfect two labs. Our pool is too small for them so I will have to organise a swim date around at their place.

He came for a dip with me, he clang on tight, I couldn't get my arms underneath to cradle him because he kept climbing on top of me. I came out covered in scratches. By the second dip he was more relaxed, but I think letting him see other dogs swimming will really help.

 

[Doberluv]

I would never toss a puppy in . The only way to do it , to me , is to start at a shallow pond or lake , you go in a little way and coax the pup to wade out to you . When confidence is built ... keep backing out farther until after a while the dog finally has to swim . Go slowly !!!!

I agree with Grammy. Gradual is the word so they don't get scared and learn to hate the water. Even my Lab, when she was a pup had to be introduced slowly and then like Grammy's Goldens, you couldn't keep her out of any body of water and she was a beautiful swimmer. Boy could she cover the distance with very little effort. My GSD took a while till he figured out to keep horizontal. LOL. My Doberman won't go past his elbows and the Chihuahuas aren't thrilled with going swimming but have and the first time they went in, they were great little swimmers.

Dogs instinctively know how to swim. Some do better than others. Some start out flailing around but will usually level off and figure it out. Some dogs aren't built for it, are too heavy and don't have the legs...I think Bulldogs. (?) Anyhow, most dogs will swim instinctively. Just make sure he can get out of the pool...stairs or something. I heard of two little dogs who got into an above ground pool and couldn't get out and they drowned. So sad. Nothing though can replace supervision.