Thread: Teaching a dog to swim

So headed out for a wander the other day up a river by turangi and it was the first time my boy had been in deep water. To say it was hilarious is a under statement as there was more splashing than swimming with front legs coming high into the air.

He loves water so wasn't hesitant to follow but it certainly wasn't done with grace. To my surprise he also retrieved two sticks I'd thrown for him.

Anyway was wondering if there is some good ways to teach a dog how to swim? My bro in law said they used a dog life jacket as it holds the dog horizontal in a better swimming position. Any other ideas?

Constant exposure to water, he will work it out on his own

My pup is like that. Follows my lab cross into the water. She will swim but there is a lot of thrashing.

"So how do you teach a dog to swim?"
"Same as my dad taught me to swim!"
"How was that?"
"Well every morning my dad would row me out the middle of the lake and throw me overboard and I would need to flounder my way back home"
"Was that not a bit hard and dangerous?"
"Nah was a piece of cake ... only hard part was getting out of the weighted sack to start with....

My pup is like that. Follows my lab cross into the water. She will swim but there is a lot of thrashing.

If you are close to the sea estuaries are good places to go as usually the water gradually deepens. messing about here with them on usually helps just make sure the currents are not too strong!

Some dogs get it and others not so much.
Our departed male pointer was a water "thrasher" his whole life but he did love the water as long as it was not flat. My old girl loved swimming in the surf at Delaware bay where as our current young dog is part "seal" in anything bigger than a puddle.

Originally Posted by muzza

play around in shallow water , move gently into deeper water and before long the mutt will be swimming.

Worst thing you can do is throw him in deep water......

Ha. To late for that he threw himself in

One other thing I would suggest if he is going to be a hunting dog, especially waterfowl.

Teach him to get in the water quietly, while leaping of a high bank at speed looks spectacular there can be things in the water that are nasty. You don't want your mate skewered on a branch or old waratah or such (it happens).

Losing a dog to old age is bad enough and really sucks but losing them thru an accident early is even tougher

all great advice so far...gradual sloping banks are best as dog will be walking then find them selves swimming without sudden change...yes the life jackets are AWESOME as dog will float horizontal as the bum end doesnt sink so much...but dog needs to learn naked first up.
fun times and if dog has already done two retrieves from water you are ahead of the game before you have begun...fun times indeed.

Be patient. Mine thrashed every time for a few weeks as soon as he got out of depth. We left it for a while and when he went back in, all sorted.

I think young pups are not a good idea - I left mine till about ten months old before introducing to deeper water

My old boy would splash through the water stomping his front feet making a big splash, but once deep enough to swim would go "normal"
As mentioned a gradual slope into the water, and go in front of him and play around the depth where he's almost floating and lead him into swimming mode. Good chance he will still splash his front legs for a few times, but make sure when he comes back into the shallows you lead him back to the deep part again. After a few goes he should build his confidence.
The most important part for me is worrying about the first time out of their depth, and them not knowing how to turn around while swimming. Not much of a problem on a small river but the ocean goes out a fair way.

It is just some dogs.
I had huntaways you thought might drown, heading dogs that swam like bloody crocodiles.
Springers were pretty good. Weimaraner just about checked water with a thermometer but could swim.
Then you had the ones that when arm deep fixing a trough ballcock mid winter would jump in because they could and didn't care.
But just play with them in the water they learn.
If you leave them behind crossing a creek or river they seem to learn quick too.

I haven't had any trouble with the labs, just walk em through a couple of shallow creeks or back waters and they are away
My Wirehair wouldn't go out over his chest for along time
One day I just waded through and kept going on the other side up a track eventually he must have taken the plunge 'cause he turned up beside me, after that you couldn't keep him out of the water,
Guess they are all different, as kids are.

Thanks for the input guys. Will just keep at it and see if he improves.

Just took our dogs down to the lake. The young one was definitely getting more comfortable. Still not there yet but by the end of summer she should be all good.