Swimming Lessons
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By Chris Robinson
Most dog breeds, except for those outlined in the sidebar to this story, can swim. After all, there’s a reason the simplest stroke in swimming is called a “dog paddle.” It’s often the first stroke learned by young children because it mimics the way dogs and other animals swim as it is essentially “trotting” in the water instead of on land.
But, while it may be simple and something dogs do more or less naturally, after more years than I care to admit of watching even the sporting breeds and some of the working breeds such as Newfoundlands that are driven to swim, make their first forays into the water, I can say without the slightest equivocation that any dog, no matter what the breed and that includes those that have the word “water” in their name, needs “swimming lessons.” Even some of the driven-to-water types can be complete failures as swimmers. Several years ago a friend owned a Chesapeake Bay Retriever that was a wonderful show dog with many group wins and even a few Bests in Show but the dog was a total disaster as a swimmer. He simply could not catch on to swimming and, what’s more, he didn’t particularly like the water. Another lady who owned a Portuguese Water Dog recounted to me all the things that she had done to convince her PWD that swimming was a good thing to do only to wind up as a total failure in that aspect of her dog’s development. She said her dog came unglued if he even got his feet wet in a mud puddle on the way to the show ring.
Although it was not the case with the PWD as everything about his introduction to water and swimming was done correctly, most times when a breed that is normally an excellent swimmer turns out to be a bust in the water, it is because no one bothered to take the time to properly introduce them to the water and help them figure out how to use their natural ability to swim. While my stories for The Canine Chronicle seldom fall in the category of “how-to,” mainly because there are others far more qualified to write these than I, this particular subject is an exception. I really do know how to introduce dogs to water and how to teach them to swim, because over the years I’ve received and subsequently implemented some excellent advice from professional retriever trainers and, again, because I’ve actually done it more times than I care to remember and done it successfully.
The keys to successfully turning your dog into a water baby are the patience of a saint and warm water. Ideally the introduction to water should be done sometime during the dog’s first year as puppies are eternally optimistic and, for the most part, have not yet adopted the cynical “what’s in it for me” philosophy typical of many older dogs. But, older dogs can also become good swimmers so if you failed to get this job done during puppyhood, all is not lost. It just usually takes a bit longer with an older dog.
If you have a late fall or winter pup and you live in the northern tier states, the dog’s water introduction has to wait until summer. You’ll note that the word is “summer” not “spring” because the water needs to be warm and not just sort of warmish. However, if you have a water-loving breed such as one of the retriever breeds, you may see your pup charge into and through water puddles formed by snow melt which means the water is about as frigid as it can be. This is not a significant cause for concern as a general rule because if the dog does it on his own, he’s not likely to view it as a bad experience. Besides, they usually run through it so quickly it hardly makes any impression on them at all. If they persist in playing in that icy water, you have a real water dog on your hands, and in all probability, they’ll need minimal swimming lessons.
Still, it’s wise to wait until the water is warm enough for you to swim without a wet suit before you start the formal water introduction because for most dogs cold water is a real turn-off especially when they are just beginning to swim. So, start in a shallow pond with an easy entrance or if you are as lucky as I am to have a really nice lake with a beautiful sand beach that gradually slopes into deeper water, that’s perfect. Rivers or creeks are NOT good places to introduce a dog to water because of the current. It’s also important to start the introduction on a calm day with no waves on the pond or the lake. I’ve had friends who started their dogs water intro in a kiddie pool and that works. Pick a quiet area of the pond or lake as too much noise and activity can be distracting to the dog. If you have a breed that is not a “natural” in the water, it’s a good idea to start them on leash in case they get in trouble. Unless you have a totally reliable recall on the dog, it is also a good idea to keep them on leash until you do to keep them from swimming too far out. In this case, don’t take the leash off until the dog can swim and consistently comes when they are called.
If you have other dogs that can already swim, by all means bring one or two of them along on the first intro day. Many dogs have learned to swim just by following a dog pal into the water. But, if it’s just you and the dog, wade out a few feet into the pond or the lake–I usually make the first stop when the water covers my ankles–and encourage the dog to come to you. You may need to bribe them with treats or a favorite toy. When they come to you, back off a few feet into deeper water but not so deep that their feet cannot touch the bottom. About up to their belly is far enough. Go slow to avoid freaking the dog out with this new experience and when they are comfortable standing in water up to their belly, play with them in the water. When the dog gets the idea that going in the water means fun, that they get to play with you, that’s usually enough for the first day and you should leave them with that impression.
However, if you have a really precocious pup that demonstrates a major love of water, go right ahead to the next step. This is to slowly proceed into the water with the pup until their feet no longer touch the bottom. At this point, almost every pup I’ve ever known doesn’t do the sensible dog paddle but attempts some sort of complicated overpaw stroke which whips the water to a froth and does absolutely nothing to provide any locomotion. To get them on the right track, gently lift their back end up and steer them toward the shore. You may have to repeat this several times before they get the hang of actually swimming. If your dog has learned to retrieve prior to the water introduction, there is a way to speed up this process. Carrying a large kapok dummy in their mouth or something like a DeadFowl Trainer® naturally brings a dog’s head down and if they keep their heads down, it changes the plane of their body by bringing their rear end up. Unless they are extremely flexible and athletic, keeping their head down keeps their front paws under the water. Again, though, this should be done in very shallow water so the dog only has to swim a few strokes before they can touch bottom and walk. If, at any time, the dog shows any sign of panic, get them back into shallow water where they can stand until they relax and calm down. Again, patience and taking things slowly are the key to success.
One absolute no-no is don’t EVER throw your dog into the water and especially not on their first swim. Doing something stupid like this is almost a sure guarantee that you’ll scare the dog so badly they’ll never want to enter water again. Also, if you are teaching the dog to swim in your swimming pool or in a pond with a lot of pond scum (algae) or with a very muddy bottom, it’s a good idea to give them a quick rinse with clean water to get rid of any chemicals or other junk that may be clinging to their coat.
It is also important to keep in mind that while your dog may have the physical capability to swim, they may just flat-out not like water. There are some dogs that can’t bear the idea of going out in the rain let alone actually submerging their bodies so an individual dog’s temperament is an important factor in whether that particular dog will not just learn to swim but enjoy the activity. There are also some dogs that, while they can swim, they’re no threat to be the canine version of Michael Phelps. With these dogs, you should probably consider a life jacket not only for the dog’s safety but to make the whole swimming business more pleasant both for the dog and for you since wearing a flotation vest pretty much eliminates the possibility of the dog getting in trouble in the water.
Finally, don’t forget this step even though you may think the dog had fun and a great experience in the water. Give them a lot of praise, both physical and verbal, and maybe even a treat or two after the swimming lesson. This helps reinforce the idea that swimming is fun. And that’s what it should be–both for you and for your dog.
Short URL: https://caninechronicle.com/?p=86165
Posted by ralbee
on Aug 24 2015. Filed under Current Articles, Editorial, Featured.
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