Dju Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Now that summertime has arrived, and we're getting more active outdoors, we're wanting to take Hugo on a holiday to the Gold Coast I wanted him to experience the water and swimming in it.. We only ever went to the beach once and because I was fully dressed, I never got very far out into the ocean (only knee height) and Hugo was only too happy to follow along. But he's never swam before. Is this something that dogs inherently know how to do? Do I have to teach him? Am I able to teach him now that he's not a puppy anymore? Does he need water wings or something?? Any help on the subject would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Well, not an old dog, but a young one. Amazingly, a black labrador. I know of people who adopted a guide dog failure (too friendly with any dog he saw). They had to teach him to swim. Maybe part of his training (that he had passed!) was not to be tempted by water. I don't know how they taught him. Perhaps just took him gently in little steps alongside their other (happy swimming) dog, a viszla. Genuine fun pic they took of him at his swimming lesson: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 My JRT, as soon as we opened the pool gate, she would run into the house and hide under the bed. She now steps into our swimming pool on her own. so yes you can teach an old dog to swim. Pumpit's only 4 though Patience is the key It will be easier at the beach. I had a loose lead around her neck and pulled slightly, then when she stepped forward, relaxed the lead. she eventually stepped into the pool on her own. It did take me about 6 weeks, but now the difference in her is incredible. We got to a creek also, and she walks right in and starts swimming while we are alongside her holding her lead. I think it is easier for dogs when they can just walk in. I hope you enjoy your time in Qld. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheena Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 No exactly an old dog, but a 7 month old pup. The first few times we just held him on the steps & then put him on a lead & swam him around. Now he is obsessed with swimming, so much so that last time we tried to have a swim,(without dogs) he tried almost successfully, to jump/climb over the pool fence We still havn't decide what to do with him next time we take the plunge. The older girl will go out with the board riders & body surf the waves in, but I am not too keen on this...sort of imagine her being shark bait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dju Posted October 29, 2011 Author Share Posted October 29, 2011 Well he's only a year old so not that old Just not a puppy anymore, I guess. So just gradually move him deeper in the water until instinct kicks in? I don't need a float vest or anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheena Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Well he's only a year old so not that old Just not a puppy anymore, I guess. So just gradually move him deeper in the water until instinct kicks in? I don't need a float vest or anything? Nope....it's just something that comes naturally to them once they get over any fear they might have of the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suziwong66 Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 look for a local hydrotherapy pool for dogs to teach water confidence before your holiday. Our vet has a pool and a hydrotherapy treadmill. We can buy 1/2 hour sessions just for fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esky the husky Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 I just picked Esky up, took her deep enough into the flat ocean so that she couldn't stand up and lowered her in. I made sure she was paddling then let her go, all instinct. Funny she loves water but prefers wading to swimming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaJ Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Your dog knows how to swim - no need to teach him. :D Let the dog have fun at the beach and explore, he will decide when and if he is comfortable and confident enough to swim. Placing a dog in deep water, for no good reason other than to satisfy your own curiosity to see him swim, is not a good idea , in my opinion. For some dogs it might take several months of beach visits before they decide it is time to swim and others go straight in and head off in direction of NZ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pebbles Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Yep, at the beach with a friend and dogs and her Irish Setter just went straight in and started swimming out. We had to race up the beach, find a guy with a boat who went out and rescued him. Last time he ever went on the beach without a long lead on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickyp Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 If he's having fun, he'll probably start swimming without even noticing he's doing it. One of our dogs had waded, but never swum, until we took her on a beach holiday when she was about 12 months old. We went to an area where it was very shallow for a long way out and threw the ball for her. At first she would stop when she got to the point where she needed to swim, but eventually her ball obsession won out and she ended up swimming after it. She's nearly 11 now and has loved swimming ever since. We can't go past a body of water without her wanting to jump in. The only water she won't get into is the kids' wading pool - because we've used it to bath her in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dju Posted October 30, 2011 Author Share Posted October 30, 2011 Thanks for the advice everyone! So they should be on-leash in the ocean too? I suppose that makes sense, I don't want him to get carried away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 I think you just have to let them take it at their own pace. We encourage Erik and Kivi in, but neither are big swimmers. Erik will do it, but he's not very confident and so we find quiet parts of the river without waves for him to practise in. ;) Lately he's learnt to swim out to go around behind us and then swim back through our legs and back to shore. Framing it like a trick has helped him, I think. And he likes to know he can go straight back to shore again. Kivi thinks he breathes through his belly button and I doubt we'll ever see him swimming. That's okay. He happily gets his feet wet, now. It took most of his first summer to convince him to do that. My previous dog took about 6 months of coaxing to find the courage to get her feet wet. Once she was in, that was it and she discovered she loved swimming. It was very cute. She'd go in and swim around in circles just for the joy of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atua Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Yep, at the beach with a friend and dogs and her Irish Setter just went straight in and started swimming out. We had to race up the beach, find a guy with a boat who went out and rescued him. Last time he ever went on the beach without a long lead on! lol that sounds like something my gordon would do if I didnt put a long lead on her. She loves the water and gets carried away and just keeps swimming and swimming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casima Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Anna the Border collie was adopted from the pound at 1 year old, I took her to a creek my dogs swim in and she followed them in, the expression on her face when she discovered she couldn't run on water was priceless! but she quickly discovered she can swim and has been a keen swimmer ever since! Although she or any of my dogs wont swim at the beach, only paddle, they arn't too keen on the waves, they might if I went in with them tho, will have to try it oneday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Strangely enough ALL animals can swim. It's more a case of whether they enjoy it or not. When in danger, a bushfire or such most will go into the water without hesitation to escape danger. Making it an enjoyable experience will be the key. I had a bitch once that was happy to swim in a dam, river or such, really you couldn't keep herout on a hot day but she didn't like the noise of waves when we first took her to the beach and would stand and bark at them rather than go in for a swim. Eventually she became used to the noise and didn't bark but as it was a surf beach she didn't attempt to go in but used to race along the foam snapping at the waves. We didn't think it was a good idea for her to go in anyway as she would have been dumped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Also, pick your weather. Many dogs are happy to get in the water on a HOT day, but reticent when it's cold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pie Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Some dogs don't swim naturally - my Manchester is the most hopeless swimmer - she lifts her front legs too high and doesn't move her back legs enough so she stays straight up and down! She is getting a lot better - she moves in forward motion now - and doesn't let the fact that she is a crap swimmer stop her from leaping in from the edge of the pool! My Tentie was also not great but was helped with a floaty jacket - he is a brilliant swimmer now and speeds along like a motorboat. He never used to like the water but has improved over the last three years and will now jump in off the edge to get his ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 A friend of mines dog just walked into a lake and kept walking along the bottom, owner had to go in and pull him out when the dog disappeared under the surface. Some dogs do seem to benefit from a floatation device while they are learning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Well my old DObe was the most hopeless swimmer EVER. Her front legs would splash - a lot, then she would try and swim with only one front leg, then would tip sideways and sink. Did not take her very often and always made sure we were in with her to hold her the right way up. She tried hard but was hopeless. When I got LEwis he loved running on the beach but would actually do a handstand if a wave came up towards him without him realising. Then we got an I-squeak ball. He was that addicted to it that I threw it right near the edge, then further and further until he all of a sudden he was right out there and I am not sure if he realised!! We had a slight set back when he went to step in a couple fo steps to retrieve his ball and the tide was out and it dropped off steeply.....He was extremely unimpressed with his whole body dunking and we lost the ball as it got blown out to sea. All is good now though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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