How was your lab's first swim. Tiger is a little over a year old now and for the longest time I have been trying to get him to love the water. The dog park I'd normally take him does not really have a pool, its just a small pond mostly for drinking purposes. I would throw his ball in but he would mostly find other ways of getting his ball without having to put his entire body inside. Today, he had his FIRST swim at a gorgeous new dog park. I suppose he got curious and there was also a floatable water toy in there. He got in and as he was peddaling his paws, he realized he was getting into the deep end, mid-way, his face sank down for a second and he kept peddaling faster to get to the other side. Of course, I cheered and applauded him the whole time. After that, he was cold so he ran around the grass and came back to the dog pool to examine each side carefully dipping his paws in and then out. I wonder if he will swim again? I wonder if this is normal for first time? How was your lab's first experience?
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? Fun fun fun! Tatze didn't swim 'till she was 12 months old 'tho her friend, Zaba has been like a seal since he was six months old. If he's with us she still doesn't bother and lets him do all the fetch work. As soon as he gets back she pinches it off him and brings it to me! All our doggy swims are in local reservoirs and lakes ;D
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? H has always been half dog half duck! He paddled in the river from an early age, it was a hot summer when he was a pup so I'd put him on a long lead so he could play in the river safely. He loves to go for a swim, sometimes annoyingly so, when I don't wish to take a wet dog home. But if he gets muddy he has a wash off in the river before going home.
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? Charlie would always paddle, but when he was younger (4 or 5 months) we took him to the beach a lot and he wouldn't go in the sea. My OH really, really wanted to swim with him in the sea and so spent a lot of time in a freezing Cornish sea trying to tempt him in. Charlie wasn't keen. At the same time, I was trying in a river but with about the same success. Then, one day, when he was a bit older, 8 months or so, he just followed some other dogs into the sea, and never looked back. Can't keep him out of water now. Actually, it's a bit of a training challenge these days, I have to watch him carefully because if we're near water, he'll leg it to jump in!
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? Harv seemed to prefer running around the water and through the shallows but he got there in the end. Harv's first swim
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? Hollys first swim was an accident. She had been charging through puddles at Caldicot Castle and suddenly found that her feet couldnt touch the bottom. She just swam across this deeper puddle and carried on. No fuss.
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? Juno had her first swim at around 14 weeks in our local lake. She was keen to splash around and zoom in and out of the water ad was keen to retrieve any pine cones that were bobbing around. As the spot we were in is quite shallow it took a few attempts to get her retrieving a cone which was out of her depth but was happy to collect the cone and didn't really realise she was out of her depth and swimming to begin with. We had her on a 10m lead as a safety precaution but she now happily puts her head under the water; on our last trip to the lake before her surgery she was trying to remove some of the plant life from lake by ducking her head under, it was more of a game than fetching the stick being thrown for her
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? [quote author=UncleBob link=topic=10350.msg152377#msg152377 date=1427443055] Harv seemed to prefer running around the water and through the shallows but he got there in the end. Harv's first swim [/quote] Hah, you don't do much by halves, Harv! ;D ;D ;D
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? Poppy's first swim was at four months old, at the very beautiful (but freezing cold) Koenigsee in Bavaria. She was desperate for me to swim with her (excuse the hat!!) Gotta support your puppy in all her endeavours: She definitely loves the water!
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? Karen, that looks so beautiful. How lucky you and Poppy are to be able to swim there.
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? I would definitely recommend it for a visit, if anyone is doing a tour of southern Germany. It is incredibly tranquil and peaceful, as no boats other than rowing boats and the electrically-powered tourist boats are allowed. The lake is almost five miles long, and almost 200 meters deep at its deepest point, which is why it is so cold!! It's really stunning: Not a bad location for your first swim!
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? Oh wow that looks incredible!! Penny always loved to paddle but it took a while for her to take the plunge! We were at Blaise Castle and found a lovely big pond. We were throwing sticks in for her to fetch in the shallows and then I threw one a bit further in. She was stood in the shallows for ages paddling the water trying to reach it but then eventually kinda went 'screw it' and went right in. Now she loves to swim! The best thing was last year when we went on holiday and found a dog friendly beach. The weather was fantastic and we got to swim in the sea together, it was lush! I love swimming with her!
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? Mine had only been in a deep puddle so far, so no actual swimming for them yet. They're always a bit hesitant around streams and rivers, but I don't blame them - it's freezing! Maybe once the snow melts... Harv's video is just brilliant and Poppy is very lucky to have had such a beautiful location for her first swim!
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? Karen those photographs are wonderful! What a really fabulous place to live Benson had his first swim at around 7/8 months old.. at one of the Severnside walks. He does love to splash around in water, but we don't have many sizeable ponds locally Here he is...looking a little anxious bless him! photobenson swimming.jpg by kate_beanwood, on Flickr
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? Mira had her first swim at 3 months. It was in the sea, but we took her to a bit where there were small deep pools being filled by the tide, but without the scary waves! She loved it but we didn't let her stay in for long as it was April and still chilly. The next time at the beach she was riding the waves and retrieving her blue bomb. She adores the water and gets in at every available opportunity, but we never forced her. Best to let them test it out at their own pace and make up their own mind as to what they are comfortable with. Firstly a bit of retrieving on dry land (the 'bomb' now almost disappears in her mouth! DSC02669 bclaremross, on Flickr Plunging in with the aid of a safety line DSC02671 by claremross, on Flickr Drying off on the café verandah while we have coffee and bacon rolls DSC02679 by claremross, on Flickr
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? On his first day home , Sam fell into our garden pond , its thankfully very easy to escape from, but the sad thing was that it created a profound fear of water . I was determined not to force the issue , Sam has always been a passionate retriever and so, at around 18 months old, he took himself into the river after his dummy , has hardly been out since
Re: Your Lab's first swim? Thoughts? At 4 or 5 months, this was as far as Charlie would go for his ball... FR3 happy to fetch his ball by JulieTandCharlie, on Flickr At two, little stops him: IMG_3834 by julieandcharlie, on Flickr And, I mean, it can be very difficult to stop him... : remember this? Charlie hunting for pebble by julieandcharlie, on Flickr
