I just wanted to know peoples thoughts on swimming in the winter.(not us,the dogs).Alfie loves to swim but I’m not sure if it’s too cold at this time of year. I’m on the south coast of England where the temperature has just started to go down to 1-2 degrees,so pretty cold for us. I’m sure he just go in after the ball but is it safe for him?
My friend's old Lab would frequently break the ice to go for a swim. He had a proper double coat and it didn't bother him. Willow and Shadow have thinner coats and aren't interested in going more than toe-deep when it's cold. I am yet to see what Luna thinks! I think, as long as you can get him dried off quickly enough and he's not standing around getting cold, then let him if he wants to, but don't push him if he doesn't.
I’m on the south coast of England too and the sea temperature is still over 12c, even though the air temperature is lower. I have owned spaniels in the past and they both chose to swim in the winter and seemed fine. My Lab wasn’t so keen when it was cold so I didn’t encourage him. Molly doesn’t swim but loves to splash and is still opting to do that.
Ripple did some water retrieves in the reservoir last week with our gundog trainer. He didn't seem fazed by the temperature. I only let him do a few retrieves though as I was worried about him getting tired quickly in the cold, (also he swallows a lot of water when retrieving and I end up taking him out for a wee every hour if he's in the water too much).
It’s the streams in the forest that I’m concerned about as that water seems much colder than the sea. He was breaking through the ice on puddles this morning and paddling in them but he didn’t hang around in it!
Alfie does have the double coat. I think you’re right,I’ll just play it by ear and see what he wants to do.
I think I’ll follow his lead and if he wants to go in I’ll let him but only for a few retrieves. I’d not thought about him getting tired more quickly with the cold but of course that makes sense.
Just go careful that he doesn't get frozen tail as that can be painful. It can happen if they get too cold or doing something strenuous when they've not been warmed up and it's cold.
Holly likes a splash or a swim all year round. Like you, we're concerned about her getting too cold so we have a couple of rules: 1. We stay away from water that's icy. It's never been thick enough for her to get trapped but one day it might be! 2. We always do any water play at the end of the walk so she's not cold and wet for too long. We dry her and put on her towel robe as soon as she gets back to the car/home.
My dogs swim all year round and like all working gundogs have to retrieve from very cold water in the middle of winter. If he is adult, not underweight, or unwell, and he wants to go in it would be perfectly reasonable of you to let him . I second the comments about ice though. Too dangerous.
Last winter the dog pond in Richmond park was frozen over. Then someone threw a ball into, or rather onto the pond... Homer the ice breaker dived straight in while the other dogs look on from the bank. I learnt a lesson that day of how careful I need to be. If the ice was thicker it could have become dangerous.
Remember what they were bred for. Originally helping fisherman retrieve nets and fish off Newfoundland and then retrieving water fowl from rivers and lakes in the fall and winter. Tilly does not have a particularly heavy coat, compared to Cooper, but I have seen her jump into a 1/2 frozen lake, climb up the snow bank and then jump back in the lake again. This was just her wanting to go for a swim, not retrieving or anything. I'm sure if she lay down to sleep then she would have been cold, but as long as she was running around on the snow she was fine.
In winter here all our morning walks are subzero. Obi still swims, every chance he gets. He also crawls along on his tummy on the frozen, heavily frosted grass. A Labrador with a proper double coat won’t get wet to the skin. A shake off and a run around is all they need. We do dry the last of the water off with a towel when we get home or before getting in the car (but that’s partly just to spare the upholstery!).
I find it quite amazing at the beach, Ripple swims out for retrieves several times and appears to be very wet, then he has a roll round in the sand and is virtually dry! Very clever system .
That’s what I usually do,make sure the swimming is at the end of the walk. A towel robe sounds brilliant.
Alfie is 20 months old so I suppose not really an adult yet but he’s a very muscular dog and like most Labradors has a lot of energy. I’ll play it by ear and see what he wants to do but will definitely keep away from any ice. Thank you for answering my question. x
That’s true,and that’s why I thought that if any breed could still be in the water in the winter it’s the Labrador.Alfie does love the water and keeps running constantly so I’m pretty sure he’s not getting cold but I dry him off with a towel before he gets in the car.
Alfie does have the double coat and is constantly on the run. Like you I dry him with a towel before getting in the car. It’s so good to hear what others are doing with their dogs. I feel much better now.
