How To Teach a Dog To Love Water and Swimming

Dogs which are potentially able to swim that have never seen a real pond should firstly be accustomed to water, so that the animal does not feel fear, but enjoys swimming. How to approach this process? How to make your pet get to the pool with pleasure?

Experts assure that the dog, once in the water, will undoubtedly begin to swim. However, this does not mean that the animal will stay afloat for a long time. Besides, the fact that your pet is swimming does not say that he likes it. 

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Preventive Measures 

So, dogs can swim by nature, so you do not need to train them to stay on the water and paddle. During swimming, the dog’s head should always be above the water, and the movements of its paws should be similar to those when walking, so the dog can quickly move forward. But this does not prevent the animal from drowning because of water fear. You should not worry about teaching your dog to swim, but about how to teach him not to be afraid of water and which place is suitable for swimming. 

So do not forget that playing in the water can be dangerous. Be sure to check the pond for strong currents or contaminated bottom. Also, do not swim in lakes near plants and factories, as they can drain waste that can adversely affect the pet's health. In any case, preventive measures must be followed, but it is essential to be aware of the risk and also think about life insurance for your animal. So you can be sure that in case of any trouble you know where to go.

Basics

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It is worth saying right away that you can practice animal swimming only when the weather is warm. Some owners mistakenly believe that since a dog has fur, it can bathe at any time of the year and does not freeze. But this is not so. Large dogs with thick fur tolerate the cold better than humans. However, after getting wet in ice water, the dog, lust like a person, can get hypothermia and die. Some dogs do not like to swim, and some are not accustomed to this activity. And in both cases, the dog should be involved in swimming exclusively by the encouraging method. Coercion or punishment is unacceptable, as well as throwing a dog into the water! If the dog is afraid of it, then with such actions, you can scare him even more, and he will never dare to approach a river or pond again.

Certain breeds are initially endowed with the ability to swim and adore water. Such breeds include, for example, spaniel and retriever. Some kinds are not adapted to water, for example, without special means - bulldogs will not stay afloat and immediately go to the bottom. Dogs with short legs will not feel comfortable in the water, but there are exceptions.

So that the pet does not feel discomfort, a life jacket should be put on it, which will keep the pet afloat. The dog needs to get used to the vest in advance if it is planned to be used, especially if the dog has not previously worn clothing. A few days before swimming training, a dog is put on a vest and allowed to walk indoors. The animal should gradually get used to it, and when it needs to swim, it will not pay attention to it.

How To Train Dogs Swimming: Steps

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First of all, find an appropriate place - a shallow area, where there is no strong current. Take your pet on a leash, run in shallow water with it, and then go a little further into the water and call it to you. Play with your dog by throwing toys and sticks into the water, asking it to bring them. 

Then, when the dog begins to feel confident in the shallow area, open to transfer the entertainment to a deeper place. Here again, play with your pet so that he gets used to new sensations and starts to enjoy what is happening, read more at this article about different outdoor activities. As soon as this happens, throw the toy to the dog, and in the meantime, go more in-depth and call the animal (at the same time, do not move away from the dog further than 2 meters). The pet will have to swim to give you a toy. Please note that some animals, not feeling support under their feet, begin to beat their paws on the water with all their strength, trying to jump out. If you see that the dog is panicking, then go up to it and support it under the chest until it calms down.

When the dog swims towards you, starts sideways, and then moves towards the shore to make an arc, it is again in shallow water. The fact that the dog in the water is tough to turn abruptly. Some animals may even fall sideways and begin to choke. So make sure that you get precisely the arc. Over time, increase the distance for a swim, and then start throwing the toy into a dark place and send the dog behind it (but do not throw it too far!). Also, gradually train your pet to swim across small ponds and rivers, the width of which is no more than 50 meters, or swim with him 10 meters from the shore, and then return according to the website.

As you can see, it is easy to train a dog to swim. However, always remember that a dog can drown as fast as a person! Therefore, do not forget about safety and keep a close eye on the pet when it is in the water.

Suppose you have friends whose pets love to swim - great! Take a walk together. Let a swimming dog set an example for your pet. Funny fact: many dogs quickly go into the water when another dog, which already knows how to swim. Thanks to this acquaintance, your pet will soon learn to swim, and most importantly, he will love this lesson!

Note to the owner:

• If your pet already knows how to swim and is always ready to go into the water, be on the alert anyway

• Do not go swimming if the dog is already tired of a long walk

• Remember that dogs in old age and pregnant ones get tired much faster

• Avoid places with fast-moving currents, steep banks, and areas where there may be sharp pitfalls so your pet might get hurt

• Start teaching your dog swimming only after he turns three months old 

After swimming in the sea, wash the dog with freshwater. After completing the water procedures, thoroughly wipe the dog and the fur dry. Remember, each pet is an individual. One dog can immediately rush into the water, even if it comes to the pond for the first time in his life, and the other will take longer to get acquainted with the water procedures. Do not force the dog to swim if it categorically does not show interest in this. Find another exciting activity - fortunately, there are a lot of them!