FB Rescue_Adoption Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Hi, I always thought that every dog could swim, that it was a survival instinct but today we were at the Park and there's a lake close by. I threw the stick and stella went after it before realising it she'd jumped into the lake after the stick. I watched her grab the stick, then drop it as she realised she was in deep water for the first time. A look of sheer terror came over her and then she panicked and froze She started sinking before moving her arms and legs again but her body was vertical and she kept bobbing up and down, I was frantically calling her to me and was just about to jump in to get her when she lunged forward and made it onto a ledge where she was able to jump out. Can't every dog swim??? Is it just mine? She scared me half to death and now I feel nervous about it every time she goes near the lake I get worried. Any suggestions? Anyone else have problems with their puppies/young dogs (staffy 12 mths) not being able to swim? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
db_sampson Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 (edited) this has got to be a first, staffies generally love water and have no trouble swimming, like you said she freaked out and her panicking wouldnt of helped her being able to swim, id suggest next time not through the stick in so deep that she cant touch and working her up to deeper depths.. i have no real idea though, im taking my amstaff for her first swim this weekend so hopefully all goes well, the dogs i had as a kid had no issue at all with water and went straight into the middle first go, oskkar our golden retreiver boy broke leads all the time to get to the water.. Edited January 21, 2009 by db_sampson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Fox 001 Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 You can get life vests/jackets for them which might help relieve her anxiety about going under the water while she gets her arms and legs co-ordinated to actually swim I must say I have never used one but they look pretty groovy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacklabrador Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 This happened to me last week too. I had to jump in and save the little bugger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fainty_girl Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 (edited) My brother's ex had a Border Terrier puppy that used to spend quite a lot of time at my house visiting. My brother asked if I could look after him one day, and I told him that I was busy studying and didn't have time, my brother insisted and said he'd be fine and left him. When I was studying in my room, I heard a soft splash coming from our pool, so I followed my instincts and thought I better check where the puppy was. Well he was in the deep end of our pool, really struggling and could have sunk like a stone any minute . I had to drag him out of the water. He definitely would have drowned if I hadn't heard the splash. So not all dogs can swim! My dog Jessie chooses not to swim, but she is able to. Luckily, my 10 month old pup Tilly is a strong swimmer and absolutely loves swimming. When we first got our dogs, we did nudge them into our pool so we could show them where the steps are, in case they accidentally fell in one day and panicked. Neither of them like our pool though! If Stella wants to swim, then maybe you could wade through the water with her, so you can help her if need be. Edited January 21, 2009 by fainty_girl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smooch Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 We had a red kelpie a few years ago that couldn't swim. She would go into the water, put her head under it to get stones out. Than one day down on the creek her ball fell into the creek and she wouldn't go in and get it so threw her into the creek which wasn't very deep but deep enough that she couldn't touch the bottom, she managed to get to the side before I was able to walk out to get her. Smooch will only go to the edge of the dam, lay in the edge and come out, I don't think he can swim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kymbo Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 A poodle x I owned couldnt swim...we only found that out when he chased a duck into our dam and then just went vertical and started going under etc...hubby had to jump and and drag him out thru the clay...to make it worse, when we got back to the house, the power had gone off so he couldnt even shower ( we are on tank etc and have pumps) By the time the power came on, he had dried and cracked lol. The dog was fine as I used the horse trough water to get him a bit clay free.. We also had a duckling that sank, lol. We called her Minnow, after Gilligans boat that sunk. She never did learn to float... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FB Rescue_Adoption Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 Yes, I've been thinking about how to help her with this. I think I'll take her down to the dog beach at brighton and get in the water with her, she likes being close to me so I'd be surprised if she didn't follow me in. Life jackets for dogs too funny! I guess it's not only Stella that has had problems swimming then if someone has spent the time creating a life jacket for them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trishalouise Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 We had a similar incident with our Mini Poodle this week. We were at the beach and she was chasing a seagull - went straight into the water but after a metre or so the sand dropped away to about 1.5 metres deep. Noodle went under, part of her came up - but not her head as she struggled to work out which way to go. She did eventually work out how to get out but it was pretty scary for a few seconds. So, I don't really know the answer as perhaps she would be able to swim if she didn't fall in and panic!! Pretty scary though. Trish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FB Rescue_Adoption Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 A poodle x I owned couldnt swim...we only found that out when he chased a duck into our dam and then just went vertical and started going under etc...hubby had to jump and and drag him out thru the clay...to make it worse, when we got back to the house, the power had gone off so he couldnt even shower ( we are on tank etc and have pumps)By the time the power came on, he had dried and cracked lol. The dog was fine as I used the horse trough water to get him a bit clay free.. We also had a duckling that sank, lol. We called her Minnow, after Gilligans boat that sunk. She never did learn to float... OMG a DUCK that can't float!! What the *&^^!! I can't believe that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I never thought a dog couldn't swim. I will have to keep an eye on my boy and take it easy with him. I've seen those life jackets for dogs and i think they are cute lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VJB Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 What a scary experience. I've heard that not all dogs can swim and that some need to learn. I would never throw a dog into the water though, I think they need to experience water in a positive sense otherwise they could end up fearing the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretel Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I never thought a dog couldn't swim. I will have to keep an eye on my boy and take it easy with him. I've seen those life jackets for dogs and i think they are cute lol Raven I would be very surprised if your boy couldn't swim. Newfies adore the water. I had a girl many years ago when my kids were young. She swam over to my son and I think she was trying to 'save' him but pushed him under Poor boy but he did see the funny side. I also had a GSP and my then boyfriend decided she should swim. She did not want to go in so he threw her in And it was quite cold in the water when he had to jump in and rescue her. Apparently he thought all dogs could swim too but she was drifting down the river just barely keeping her head above water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Maybe if you take her swimming again try using a light weight long lead ... that way if she gets into trouble you can reel her back in. Just until she becomes more confident and you are more confident with her swimming ability. I have to lave a long line on my GSD otherwise he just keeps swimming and swimming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dogsnight Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I had a cattle dog that could not swim took her to Shorncliffe with a friend, one held a long lead and encouraged while the other supported her, took a few lessons but eventually she learnt to swim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerraNik Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 My keeshond knew how to swim immediately, so it was hilarious when we watched my lapphund try to swim for the first time... A 'vertical swimmer' is what you'd call it - trying to swim UP not FORWARD!! The splashing and the look of terror on her face... We were at the lake and Jedi has a life jacket for when he goes out on the boat with us and so I put it on her and I went out a few metres from shore with her and put her in the water. After about 5 goes of swimming to the shore her technique was just as good as Jedi's. I don't think she would have done it without the life jacket - it certainly built her confidence right up! http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=faKz2yQo5bA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monah Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 My cattle dog was a ''vertical' swimmer too!! None of our dogs are allowed near the pool (fenced of course!!) without supervision even though they are excellent swimmers. Our old cattle dog however fell in a couple of times (hated water) while we were swimming with the other dogs, and she sank like a stone! Had to be rescued both times. Yes scary, but you just watch them all the time and usually if they dont llike to swim they will avoid the water at all costs (beach, lakes etc), otherwise, yes, life jacket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavmad Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I wondered this too so my husband and I took them to a shallow lake where the water eventually got up to our waists. We kept them both on lead and gradually led them out deeper and deeper until they realised 'oh, we have to paddle now'. At first, Cooper looked like he was struggling just trying to keep his head above water and his little heart was pounding a million miles an hour but we have done it so many times now that he has got the jist of it. We mainly do it as they both have dodgy legs so its good exercise. The water at the lake is really flat and still as opposed the the beach so its a good place to experiment. I would suggest maybe doing what we did before you take her somewhere where the water is deeper, even if its just for your own piece of mind (which is pretty much why I did it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmay Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 (edited) I remember being told alot of staffies cant swim because their back legs are so wide set... Or something.. Edited January 21, 2009 by Jimmay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartok Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 My Lab swims like Ian Thorpe and he could go forever. My Rotti swims like he is having a seizure. He does it and loves it but I watch him like a hawk as he has lead in his arse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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