CrazyCresties Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Since we moved to a place recently with a pool, I got a swim vest for the dogs and have been 'teaching' them to swim. They aren't naturals but are gaining confidence with each swim Louis makes me laugh, he looks like a little hedgehog as he swims - He just about moves his feet on his hind legs, and somehow thinks his tail will propel him through the water I'm hoping the more he does it, the more he will learn to use his back legs. Click image for video As they don't really get any off-lead runs now, I'm hoping this will be good additional exercise for them. They are only having a few minutes each at the moment, what would be a good amount to build up to for a few times a week How does your dog swim? Did its 'technique' improve with practice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravenau1 Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Love the tail action Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 That's cute I want to try Banjo with a vest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janba Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Off into the sunset then the gremlin returns - can't let them get wet as the sun sets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janba Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 (edited) or under protest He only waded out becuse I made him and you can't get your belly hair or tail wet. ETA I love Louis's swimming technique Edited November 27, 2010 by Janba Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirty Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Haha that video is so cute!! My dog couldn't swim when she was younger - she would thrash and flail around like a dying bird. But now she LOVES the water. She is a total water baby. If there is a body of water nearby, she's in - hot or cold, it doesn't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden Rules Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Louis is cute! I love his pretty vest! Do they go in the water by them selves yet? Or do they still need encouragement to get in the pool? My Paddy is now 16 weeks and can't stay out of the water, he loves swimming ...... but it's natural for his breed so he has advantage I guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyCresties Posted November 27, 2010 Author Share Posted November 27, 2010 Louis is cute! I love his pretty vest!Do they go in the water by them selves yet? Or do they still need encouragement to get in the pool? My Paddy is now 16 weeks and can't stay out of the water, he loves swimming ...... but it's natural for his breed so he has advantage I guess Unfortunately they only had pink in his size No they don't go in voluntarily, but the vest has a handle, so I lower them in over the side - I attach a long line as well so I have a hold on them, but the vest is very buoyant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mim Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 (edited) I've got two water babies who are total naturals at swimming but every now and then, Sarge finds himself going vertical so somebody has to put him back into swimming position and he's off again Louis is very cute. I love it how he barely moves his little back feet ETA pics of Daina Making ripples She enters the water very gracefully.. NOT Edited November 27, 2010 by Mim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labsrule Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 My lab youngster makes me laugh a lot when I take him swimming . He launches himself into the water by running and throwing himself in and submerging his head and then comes up spluttering and carrying on and will then start dog paddling. I kill myself laughing everytime I take him swimming as his predecessor just used to just wade into the water and start dog paddling without hardly making a splash, but not so my current youngster, he is too funny. He actually hasn't yet had a swim in a swimming pool, but I have recently found out about one that I can take him to so am planning on doing that in the near future, so it will be interesting to see what he does in a pool as opposed to the river or beach. No doubt he will have me in stitches. Here are some photos of him making a splash at the river and then finally settling into the dog paddle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stolzseinrotts Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Thank you for sharing that video, that made me laugh. I agree that more practice is needed, the lack of rear action is very funny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyCresties Posted November 27, 2010 Author Share Posted November 27, 2010 Lovely to see all the photos of dogs splashing around in the water Sarge finds himself going vertical so somebody has to put him back into swimming position and he's off again lol My lab youngster makes me laugh a lot when I take him swimming . He launches himself into the water by running and throwing himself in and submerging his head and then comes up spluttering and carrying on ;) and will then start dog paddling. I kill myself laughing everytime I take him swimming as his predecessor just used to just wade into the water and start dog paddling without hardly making a splash, but not so my current youngster, he is too funny. He actually hasn't yet had a swim in a swimming pool, but I have recently found out about one that I can take him to so am planning on doing that in the near future, so it will be interesting to see what he does in a pool as opposed to the river or beach. No doubt he will have me in stitches. It sounds like he'll be flooding the pool-side area Daisy was like that when we first put her in - swimming with front paws coming out of the water and splashing everywhere. Something clicked yesterday, and she realise it was more efficient to keep her legs IN the water when swimming ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Baggins Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Love the tail action. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bianca.a Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 love the video! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monique.c Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 My 16 week old Golden pup loves the water, at first he did the whole raise the front legs out of the water and splash a lot technique but now he is swimming much more naturally. We didn't have to coax him into the water at all, he loves it, but that is what he is bred for I guess. Here are a couple of photos, one when he was quite little and then one from today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMaddy Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 My rotty girl was hilarious when she first figured out she could actually leave the safety of the shallows in the dam! She'd go to bite the water she splashed up, then her butt would sink, so she'd start panicing and splashing with her front legs, only making it worse! Now she knows to keep her butt up. She still uses her tail as a rudder though, it's kinda funny! Her tail appears out of the water every now and then like she's steering! My male GSD has swam from day 1, although he never just wades in, he always does a big leap and then swims. My female GSD, however, just watches from the shallows, going in deeper and deeper, but not venturing out enough to have to swim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Unless you have a specific and real need for it, I don't think swimming vests for anything beyond immediate short term (eg. first couple of swims) is recommended. I'm not an expert but I think that it is something to do with the dog learning to rely on the vest and not learning to use his/her legs to propel. This might be why you're not seeing your dog use his/her hind legs so much as s/he doesn't need to do so, to keep afloat. Keep a lead on to help your dog where need be, but try without the vest, perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerraNik Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 (edited) Jedi is a natural and will swim happily by choice. But poor Soaks... She's a vertical swimmer Get me OUT of here!!!! She has since learned to swim properly with the help of the vest and now she's okay :D Edited December 18, 2010 by TerraNik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfsie Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 I think newfs just love to swim as does our Border cross goldie Annabelle had never been swimming when we got her at 14 month, but Tessa showed her and she was in and loved it Annabelle and Tessa took Katy in for a swim at 12 weeks, they stayed with her the whole time, so cute And now she retrieves her bumpber out of the Murray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 (edited) Jedi is a natural and will swim happily by choice. But poor Soaks... She's a vertical swimmer Get me OUT of here!!!! She has since learned to swim properly with the help of the vest and now she's okay :rofl: soaks facial... It took Emmy a few seconds to figure out what she was suppose to do. she swam to shore and then turn back out again... she prefer swimming without her vest now Charlie is faster in water than he is on land. But, he still need his vest to swim though or else he will sink... ETA: Pic of Emmy swimming Edited December 18, 2010 by CW EW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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