Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Doggy swimming lessons??? I didn't even know these existed! I so want a doggy pool near us. We found out our last lab could swim when she was about 5 months old when she chased some ducks into a lake!! Luckily she was a long line so I could of reeled her in if she got into trouble but she was perfectly happy and able to swim -I on the other hand was terrified!! She loved water all her life and would even lie down in a puddle if she came across one of our walks!
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Lilly fell into our pond when she was about 4 or 5 months old : Suddenly realised it was there when she stepped onto the thick layer of lillypads (of all things) and sank. She would have probably not have permanently sank but we were on hand to fish her out. Pond stayed for quite a while afterward, covered with mesh, but she never went near it again really, once was enough. Now its a circular patio - you know, once the kids have grown and the dog has more sense : : Anyway, I digress. Some time later, Lilly ended up in a watery hollow in the woods. I had NO idea how deep it was, but she came out fine. I decided then that I would rather I KNEW she could swim rather than leaving it to chance, so on a recommendation, I started taking her to swimming lessons. We started with a life-jacket and when she showed some effort, that come off. I have to say she isn't the most enthusiastic of swimmers in the pool, but we keep it up as good therapy for her hips. She loves swimming at the beach, chasing after a tennis ball - the only place she really enthusiastically retrieves. My personal suggestion would be to use a pond, which is shallow at the edges, and to enlist help from confident doggy swimmers. Sophie swimming Lilly in the pool at Doggie Paddles.
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. [quote author=charlie link=topic=5776.msg74088#msg74088 date=1399322326] Roz that's a great action picture of TheDivaDog xxx [/quote] Thankyou - I'm hugely proud of who she's become considering her first 3 years
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. I can't see Charlie or The DD yet.....iPad slow today....but I can see Lilly and Sophie ;D I'm a bit like Jen....didn't think about it I was so excited that my friend had found a sneaky bit of beach that we could take the dogs too ( we live in Dubai,the most dog unfriendly place I know!)Loco was already in,I had Dexter in a sit while I was fiddling with a long line to attach so I could haul him out if he got into trouble.......Er he wasn't in a sit for long and took a flying leap and went under....I've told this before but it was half an hour later when my friends husband finally stopped laughing at me as I ran in fully clothed after him!!!!of course Dexter popped up like a cork and merrily paddled back to shore for a shake,I lumbered out a bedraggled mess!i should have been more responsible...we have got a swimming pool in the back garden so I've always needed to know he could swim.Dexter is treated like a child ie. he's never allowed out in the back garden unsupervised but he couldn't care less about the pool.....he's a bit more interested when there are humans in there and of kids are playing with brightly colored plastic toys but we've been lucky....a quick fire 'ah ah' stops him in his tracks! His friend Oscar a spaniel jumped in one afternoon when they were having a play .....we guided him round to the steps and when he got out ,Dexter gave him a clip round the ear as if to say,' you aren't allowed to do that!' ;D
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. I can see them now and Merla looks great too x And Tatze x
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Jacqui, I LOVE that photo - you can so clearly see the big webbed paw
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Love the Diving Diva Dog, and Charlie, and Lily - oh, all of them!!! Poppy was one of those pups that just took to water naturally - here she is at five months:
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Thanks - I swam with her on that day! Gosh it was freezing cold water... But lovely.
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Glad it went ok for you, its daunting to see them in the water for the first time! Murphy went swimming for the first time Monday. Walked with our friends and their 2 year old lab along the Wey & Arun canal, Izzy was in and out of the water all the time, Murphy took a little encouragement but once in absolutely loved it.
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. [quote author=Karen link=topic=5776.msg74331#msg74331 date=1399399353] Thanks - I swam with her on that day! Gosh it was freezing cold water... But lovely. [/quote] She is so lovely. I have a little day dream of swimming with Charlie at my favourite beach on the 1st Oct. Cannot wait.
