Do any of your dogs swim just for fun? My two are getting to love water and always run to a stream to have a bit of a paddle. Yesterday, they had their first experience of a big lake, and we had some fun throwing cones in for them to fetch. I learnt that they were more than happy to swim when the ground gradually sloped deeper, but they were a lot more hesitant when there was a drop-off under the water. Anyhow, I digress. They absolutely loved the swimming, but wouldn't go in for no reason - it was all about fetching the cones. Which got me wondering, do any of you have dogs that swim just for the love of it, and not to retrieve something?
Yes, Charlie will but none of his pals swim just for fun - he is the only dog I know that will swim on his own without other dogs and without fetching something (but I bet some other Labs do it too). He won't swim for long without a reason though, a minute or so that's all. But he'll run to deep water and jump in for a swim with no encouragement. It's actually quite difficult to stop him.
yes, Scooby will swim for fun..In the winter, I didn't have the inclination to stand at the edge of the sea, the icy wind howling around me while I threw his Kong in, so he just went in anyway and swam around as if it was a tropical lagoon, not the the cold Irish sea. Nutter.
Holly adores swimming. This morning when we got near the pond at Mallards pike she kept running back to me for permission to get in the water. When I said "OK" she charged into the pond and swam around , waiting for me to throw her ball. We played swimmy fetch for 45 minutes. I had to put her on her lead to get her away from the pond.
After a very slow start , Sam now adores water but he doesn't swim unless sent in . Millie, on the other hand will chuck her little body in at any opportunity
Juno now adores the water and is happy to splash around in streams, not sure if she would just swim for fun though - she prefers to swim for a toy, twig, pine cone. It will be interesting on holiday o see how she reacts to different water environments as we will have sea, river and lake either in walking distance or less than 10 minutes in the car.
The first gundog training holiday I went on (and probably our first remotely serious attempt) and we went down to the river. All the dogs were on "free time" and charged towards the water. Charlie was the only Lab, the rest were HPRs. All the other dogs screeched to a stop on the bank, and only Charlie kept going....in a big happy Labrador splash.
Love that Labrador splash, it's just so full of life and fun - as long as you're not standing close of course
About 30 years ago I had a Springer spaniel who loved to swim. We lived near a river and she'd hop in the water and swim along parallel with me walking along the river bank. She could keep going for about 30 minutes. Still hoping that Molly may swim this summer when it's warm enough for me to go in.
Obi will swim for fun and to cool off. If he starts to feel the slightest bit hot (if he's run more than 50metres, regardless of the air temperature) he'll get into any water around - stopping him is the challenge.
Dex only goes in to swim if he is sent in or there is another dog to hoolie round with,he does run in and out and splash about on his own but he won't really get going unless I've thrown something for him x
Harley will initially go for a swim when she spots water, then after a few mins will come and look for her ball or a dummy to be thrown. If we let her, she would stay in the water for hours, no matter the temperature
I'd have thought with your temperatures, Dex would have been the absolute epitome of getting himself under the water!
Done it again,edited and it's deleted my post! We've got an 8 x 4 m pool in the garden and Dexter would never dream of getting in.I guess I'm 'Mean Dog Mum' but I couldn't cope with a wet lab running in and out the house all the time and our back door is open a lot in the Winter for him.When friends come round ,their dogs go in but Dex just waits on the side,poor lad! The sea is so salty ,he hates to put his face in and I've known dogs be quite poorly after retrieving in the sea here,so I don't encourage it.In the evening when we see a puddle where irrigation water has pooled,he will walk round it given the choice! Every Summer I say if I struggle to get him his excercised I'll start letting him in the pool but I've always managed and to be honest he doesn't even love his paddling pool that much...he will only lie down if I tell him....he just stands there looking a bit uncomfortable and nosing his toys around!! It was a right pain finding that paddling pool too!
