OK, Harvey is 8 months old and so far hasn't had an opportunity for any swimming (ankle-deep paddling only). Is there a recommended way of introducing a dog to swimming for the first time or is it just a matter of finding some water that is deep enough with a gentle approach for getting in and out? Lake/pond, slow-moving river, sea? Bonus point for identifying the quote in the thread title
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. My OH was absolutely determined to get my boy swimming in the sea when he was still a baby. It was very difficult, so I wouldn't recommend it - although it didn't put him off and he loves the sea now. I'd start with really shallow ponds if you can, and build up. Crossing small streams and so on. The real break through for us was finding other dogs that were swimming and Charlie followed them in. He loves it now. Or he did, anyway. Ah...this reminds me of last summer, trying to get my pup to swim - must dig out some pics. Fun times! Enjoy!
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Ah, found it! http://www.thelabradorsite.com/my-labrador-wont-swim/ Some good tips in here.
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. [quote author=UncleBob link=topic=5776.msg74021#msg74021 date=1399309384] Bonus point for identifying the quote in the thread title [/quote] Err, Finding Nemo? About the swimming, I'm no help as I have a water-baby lab and live on the coast- we just chucked stuff in the sea and she swam!
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Tatze is twelve months old, she loves the water but if she gets out of her depth she turns back. I took her to a doggy pool at six months old to put my mind at rest that she could swim, as we nearly always walk by water, she loved it! Should I take her again or will she swim in her own time? Here she is with her swimming teacher -
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Awwww! I should have done doggy swimming lessons! So cute! Ok, here's the Merla swim pics: I forgot, my daughter did help... But she soon got the hang of it.....
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Both of mine swim , in the sea and in rivers . Sam is a very srong swimmer but it took me the best part of 20 months to get him in deep enough : He is by nature a cautious lad, not nervous but cautious , also highly sensitive , so there was no way I was going to force the issue , its just not a big enough deal to me . He finally took the plunge last summer , from a nice shallow sandy entry into the river, now cant keep him out ;D
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. My lab is 8 months and has only gone in the sea ankle deep. When she was younger she ran into what she thought was a little puddle but in fact was a dip in the sand that had filled up and when she ran in she ended up being neck deep in freezing cold sea water bless her. She loves the water, I just assume she will eventually take the plunge. She puts her head right in the water because she likes to pick the seaweed of the bottom but as of yet no swimming. There is a dog swimming pool next to where I live, I am considering taking her there, apparently 5 min swim is the equivalent to a 5 mile run. It's £12.00 for 30 mins but for the first lesson you get 25% off- I'm not too sure yet though. Good luck and if you get any great ideas please share them :0) x
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Murphy loves swimming. Weve been going to this lake in some woods, and he spent weeks just standing ont he edge and sort of splashing with his front paws but not going all the way in, even when he friend honey would be off swimming right out to the middle. I thought he would never swim, and then one day he just swam. I may have put a video of his second time straight after on here, i cant remember. But basically he just one day did it! He now launches himself into any water he can find!
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. [quote author=Merla link=topic=5776.msg74029#msg74029 date=1399311399] Awwww! I should have done doggy swimming lessons! So cute! [/quote] The dog's quite cute too!
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. FINDING NEMO!!! Love that film! We took Penny for a walk somewhere there was a pond. We threw sticks in for her to fetch and for a while she just stood there looking at them with us going 'go on, fetch it' and stuff, and then she just jumped in and swam, no problems at all. Now I can't keep her out of the water!
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Harley accidently fell in a duck pond at around 5/6 months, then fell in a river at 7 months. The first time I had to drag her out as she couldn't get out by herself, the second time she swan. After this she would only go knee deep, then a few weeks ago her ball drifted deeper, she paced up and down the ledge a few times then launched herself into the water and hasn't looked back since
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Ooo - are we posting puppy swimming lesson pics? This was last July. Charlie was 5 months old. Ah... happy days with baby Charlie....the other dogs were the best teachers... [size=10pt]Tempting, tempting...[/size] FR2 come in it's lovely... by JulieTandCharlie, on Flickr [size=10pt]Bertie says it's fine to get your tummy wet...[/size] getting his tummy wet with Bertie by JulieTandCharlie, on Flickr [size=10pt]Bella and Tilly are pros swimmers, making Charlie "dog up" a bit...[/size] being cool with the big girls by JulieTandCharlie, on Flickr [size=10pt]Fetching his ball from water in no time. [/size] excited to see the water by JulieTandCharlie, on Flickr FR3 happy to fetch his ball by JulieTandCharlie, on Flickr By the end of the summer he was swimming like a pro.
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. What a lovely place to introduce Charlie to water, perfect. There seems to be a dearth of good water, or indeed any water round here. We do have the River Severn but I wouldn't risk that.
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. The DivaDog lives to retrieve but swimming is even better .... an absolute joy watching her launching herself into anything wet She initially needed a little encouragement but this pic was her second time and she had truly got the hang of it ....
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Thank you all for the feedback. (The film quote was too easy wasn't it? ) [quote author=Stacia link=topic=5776.msg74050#msg74050 date=1399316127]... There seems to be a dearth of good water, or indeed any water round here. We do have the River Severn but I wouldn't risk that....[/quote] That's exactly the problem. We only really see water when we're flooded! We just don't seem to have any opportunistic chances for swimming while we're out on our regular walks so I wondered whether it was worth engineering some.
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. [quote author=UncleBob link=topic=5776.msg74064#msg74064 date=1399319078] Thank you all for the feedback. (The film quote was too easy wasn't it? ) [quote author=Stacia link=topic=5776.msg74050#msg74050 date=1399316127]... There seems to be a dearth of good water, or indeed any water round here. We do have the River Severn but I wouldn't risk that....[/quote] That's exactly the problem. We only really see water when we're flooded! We just don't seem to have any opportunistic chances for swimming while we're out on our regular walks so I wondered whether it was worth engineering some. [/quote] Charlie's pics were taken on the river Fowey - a few miles down from Sam and Millie's stomping ground. We were on holiday (it was a long holiday). Any chance of using a holiday UB?
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. [quote author=JulieT link=topic=5776.msg74070#msg74070 date=1399319856]... Any chance of using a holiday UB? ...[/quote] Yes, we're off to Wales in June so will keep an eye open for any opportunities. PS: We like Fowey. Lovely little place isn't it?
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. [quote author=UncleBob link=topic=5776.msg74072#msg74072 date=1399320030] Yes, we're off to Wales in June so will keep an eye open for any opportunities. PS: We like Fowey. Lovely little place isn't it? [/quote] You are bound to find swimming in Wales! Yes, love Fowey. I live there when I don't have to earn money in London, and have a dog that can do steps. :
Re: Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Scott and scout have never been near enough water to swim. With my old lab however I didn't even think about it which after reading your posts might have been a mistake. We took him up to Scotland on holiday when he was about 10 months. We always went to the same cottage since I was a child on the side of a loch. I threw murphys ball into the loch he raced in swam, got ball, turned, swam back, dropped the ball and was ready to go again. Luck or the fact he was a Labrador and addicted to his ball. Probably a bit of each. ??? Couldn't keep him out of the water after that.
