Teaching a dog to swim :-)

toadfly · 08-07-2013 4:09pm #1

Hi guys,

Trying to teach/get Lexi in swimming and its going slowly but don’t know at this stage if she will ever get it. She never used to go into the water but over the weekend we went walking near a lake we were camping at and she went in voluntarily but just as far as her chest barely getting wet. After that she starts to cry and wont go any further. She isn’t in a hurry to get out but think she is a little scared to go any further. Yesterday evenng we brought her to our local lake and she’d paddle in a bit but again wont go in fully and wont jump in even off a low ledge. Took her a while to get used to picking her tennis ball up from the water too so don’t know if its just that she wants to take it showly or its never going to happen!

I would love to get her used to swimming, would be great exercise for her and we have a fab lake a few minutes drive from my house. Its the same story if I go in with her.

Any ideas? I have tried treats too but that doesn’t work!

carly_86 · 08-07-2013 4:21pm

Just throw her in

toadfly · 08-07-2013 4:24pm

carly_86 wrote: »

Just throw her in

Why didnt I think of that, thanks :rolleyes:

the_syco · 08-07-2013 4:26pm

TillyGirl wrote: »

Why didnt I think of that, thanks :rolleyes:

It's nice weather. Carry her in until you're waist deep, and let her swim about the place. Ensure she has no lead, and that there is no river current.

gimmick · 08-07-2013 4:26pm

carly_86 wrote: »

Just throw her in

Good way of making the dog hate water.

I think the softly softly approach is the only one. If you play fetch just throw the stick slightly further every time.

Some dogs are simply not fans of the water. Simple as.

Discostuy · 08-07-2013 4:27pm

Have you any friends or family with a dog that swims?
If she sees another dog jump in and swimming this would help her confidence a lot, she could then follow them in.

In my experience it works much better than trying to coax them in with treats etc.

toadfly · 08-07-2013 4:33pm

the_syco wrote: »

Carry her in until you're waist deep, and let her swim about the place. Ensure she has no lead, and that there is no river current.

Great, thanks I will try that.

gimmick wrote: »

If you play fetch just throw the stick slightly further every time.

Some dogs are simply not fans of the water. Simple as.

Ya I am thinking she is one of them, she will only go so far for her ball/stick

tk123 · 08-07-2013 4:38pm

I'd try going in with her - that's what I'm planning on doing with the puppy if she doesn't follow Bailey in! My friend's setter is the same - his confidence in the water has shot up since he's started coming to the beach with us so he'll be straight out into the water but will only go as far his chest too and stops. We usually have 2 balls - one thrown out far for Bailey and one close for Rebel

Outkast_IRE · 08-07-2013 4:43pm

I have had the same problems with my collie X, she would only go up to her chest , we overcame it by slowly throwing her ball in a bit further and further until she eventually has to swim for a few seconds to get it, then lots of praise when she gets out.

Its worth noting that many breeds aren't particularily good swimmers.

My Collie X is more than likely crossed with a lurcher/greyhound or a racing dog in the line somewhere resulting in very slender paws (not good for swimming) and a narrow enough chest(again not good for swimming).

We only throw the ball out distances we are sure she can manage.

Its great when you see a great barrel chested dog like a lab or newfoundland dive into the water, with their massive paws they look like they could swim happily all day.

nala2012 · 08-07-2013 4:45pm

Nala wont swim, she loves the water and goes into the sea most days even when its cold. I know she can swim because she's accidently swam in the river a couple of times when she went in and didn't realise how deep it was. I don't know what it is because she'll put her head under water and everything so she doesn't mind getting wet. Its funny some times she'll lie on her belly and crawl in the water like she's pretending she is swimming!

Bullseye1 · 08-07-2013 4:45pm

I just threw a stick into the water she jumped in. The water was about three feet deep swimming just came naturally to her. She had been running along the shore line for a couple of weeks prior to making he leap just to get her used to water.

jsabina · 08-07-2013 4:47pm

With Jago I've used the soft approach.
We have been going often to the beach and I've let him just do what he wanted.
He was really enjoying running in the water but he would not swim.
If other dogs were swimming he was barking at them

yesterday I went in the water with him but he didn't follow me :P
but later I've been trowing the ball a bit further and after a while he started swimming!!!

DBB · 08-07-2013 4:48pm

carly_86 wrote: »

Just throw her in

Let's try to post helpful comments only please.
Do not reply to this post on thread.
Thanks,
DBB

carly_86 · 08-07-2013 4:56pm

DBB wrote: »

Let's try to post helpful comments only please.
Do not reply to this post on thread.
Thanks,
DBB

It is helpfull it worked on my dog

gimmick · 08-07-2013 4:56pm

Luckily my fella sees water and he is gone. As long as he can walk into it. He wont jump. We never had to coerce him or anything. He did went for it.

DBB · 08-07-2013 5:06pm

carly_86 wrote: »

It is helpfull it worked on my dog

I'm not getting into a discussion about what an unkind thing it is to do, as I'm more concerned that you ignored my instruction not to reply to my post on-thread. As per the forum charter, if you want to make comment on any moderation, do so by PM.
Warning issued.
Do not reply to this post on thread.
Thanks,
DBB

tk123 · 08-07-2013 5:19pm

With Bailey it was ducks that made him swim - he took a step towards them and they moved back, then another step and they swam away next he was down the river swimming after them lol!
"OMG he's SWIMMING!!!"...."OMG come back puppy!!"

Kinzig · 08-07-2013 5:42pm

The best way to build a dogs confidence in water is to let him go at his own pace..pick a spot that has a nice sloping bank that gives the dog easy access to the water..let him find his feet and get used to being in water that doesnt cover his back, keep taking him to the same spot every chance you get and his confidence will grow each time..

If that doesnt work over a period of time then get a buddy with a good swimming dog and take both to the same spot and theres a fair chance he will follow the other dog, you could also get the swimming togs on and go out and let him follow..which also works.

But on no account rush him..just let his confidence build..

golden8 · 08-07-2013 6:18pm

Some dogs will not swim, I have two dogs one will only get wet up to chest level, the other will swim until the cows come home.

If theres water she will be swimming, generally its instinctive with a little encouragement.

SillyMangoX · 08-07-2013 6:46pm

Our dog doesn't really swim, she goes up to chin level and kind of splashes! Her mother is hilarious in the lake though, she goes in as far as her elbows then squats down to wet her tummy and then comes out again! I have no idea why she always does this

wesf · 08-07-2013 6:52pm

As pointed out, do not throw her in.
Bring her somewhere with calm water, a lake etc and coax her in with favourite toys etc, even better if you didn't leave anyone/anything on the shore to keep her there, she will follow eventually.
I have 2 dogs and they didn't like the water at first now they are straight in as soon as they see it.
One of them will just go in and swim around in circles for the craic now.

Edit: As mentioned also get a friend's dog who likes the water, that will definitely help

eirator · 08-07-2013 6:54pm

I was sort of worried that our 5 month old Newfoundland collie cross wasn't swimming when we live by a river and the sea. He'd go in up to his chest then come out but I decided NOT to force the issue and at 6 months he was in and swimming now at 7 months you can't keep him out of the water.

Even our JRT swims because if he wants a walk he has to follow me and the big dogs down across the river and its swim or stay at home.

But I only do that in the summer, during the winter we go another route over a bridge and swimming is optional. This time of year I wander over to the river with the dogs 3-4 times a day and give them the chance of cooling off.

Another water loving dog helps, the Newfoundland x ran around the bank a lot when the Czech Wolf Dog x was swimming after a floating kong toy and started by picking it up after the older dog had dropped it in the shallows unti eventually he was swimming himself.

Our neighbors have a ball mad collie that is always escaping, I was told he didn't like the water however for a family throwing a ball for him he spent a whole afternoon swimming back and forwards across the river.

Teaching a dog to swim :-)

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