Swimming- How Much Is Too Much?

[Alouk]

Hi everyone,

As summer warms up my 10month old Border Collie and I have been swimming at the beach heaps! She will swim for as long as I do, completely out of her depth, diving over and under waves as she goes!

She swims to us for a rest sometimes, but never goes in to shore if we are out swimming- what a loyal soul! As I've been wondering about it I have kept my swims short. I wonder if at 10 months I can stop worrying about limiting her exercise or if I should be calling a stop to it as I have been?! Could I do long term damage or will the gentle movement of swimming just be helping to strengthen her joints?

Thanks so much in advance!!

Alouk :D

[SparkyTansy]

I can't see how it would cause issues as there is no impact on growing joints. The only thing you should be wary of is the fitness level. If she stays out with you I would stay out for as long as she can and then allow her to rest.

[Everythings Shiny]

Swimming is great for dogs and we always highly reccommend it. I don't think we've ever discouraged any amount of swimming.... as long as she's happy and enjoying herself, that should be all that matters. It's low joint stress excercise - If mine would swim, I'd have them swim all day!

[Alouk]

Thanks so much- that's what I have been thinking- glad it is true!

I can't believe how much she swims which is great as I am a water baby too- we were meant to be!!!

Thanks again

[piper]

Alouk, the only thing I would say is if she is swimming to you for support and rest then it is time to go to shore and give her a break. At 10 months she wont yet have the stamina and endurance that she will later.

[Alouk]

Thanks Piper- I've thought about it and have realised that she only comes to us in extreme cases (like after 'swim stalking' a seagull) and usually we call her over and make her come for a rest every few minutes. We'll stay aware of the rests while she builds more stamina Thanks!

[jacqui835]

My dog also loves swimming and leaping over waves at the beach - he too will stay in as long as we do. I've always thought it was great for him, however over the Xmas holidays I think perhaps we over did it

We spent a whole day in the pool, and Sammy swimming around with us. Now he's almost 2 and incredibly fit (resting heart rate of like 40), but the next morning, he had a droopy tail. It was like he couldn't move it, and it just kind of hung behind him (usually he holds his tail high and slightly curved over, doberman style). It was so sad, because it also seemed to affect his mood - he's normally the happiest dog around but he was just deflated, didn't want to play or do anything really. Well that day we just happened to be going to see a Doberman breeder, and she said sometimes that happens to her dogs after lots of swimming and it usually takes a couple of weeks to go back to normal. We were lucky in that by the next day Sammy's tail went back to normal, that morning, it was droopy, then I took him to see some family members he hadn't seen in a while and it went back up. It seemed to take him some effort, like it was stuck down or something but once he got it up it was fine again. And as soon as it went up again, he was back to normal personality wise as well.

I researched it on the internet and it seems to be most common in labradors, but obviously can happen in other breeds too (maybe labs are just more likely to spend lots of time in the water).

[Papillon Kisses]

The only thing I would be concerned about is that some dogs, working breeds especially, don't have much of an 'off' button and will continue exercising until heatstroke/exhaustion set in. Some dogs need their handlers to say when enough is enough, regardless of age.

[laneka]

It is called wet tail or cold tail. Google it. It apparently is quite painful for the dog. I have one who suffers from this and when she swims or gets a bath, I make sure I dry her tail as much as possible. Oh, there have been posts on here about it. Maybe do a search.