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Getting Puppy Into Swimming

My puppy Pepper doesn't like water, but I really want her to learn not to be afraid and be more of a swimming pup! Does anyone know how to get her in the water?

Comments for Getting Puppy Into Swimming

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Swimming
by: Debbie

My aussie just turned one and if I even touch the hose she is gone...bought her a little pool she wont go near it...so I have the same problem...I thought they loved the water.

swimming
by: Anonymous

If you have access to a lake, I would recommend starting there. Ocean waves can be overwhelming for a dog and even the drop off at the shallow end of a pool can be scary. In any case, I would also suggest a life jacket to help give her some confidence. Playing with a favorite tennis ball or other floating toy can help coax her into the water as well. We used to have an Aussie/Golden Ret. mix who couldn't swim. She didn't move her hind legs at all. After a couple of months in a life jacket, she was swimming like a pro.

Swimming
by: Norma

I have a nine month old Aussie, Jack. I really wanted him to swim in our pool just to give him another avenue for exercise. Initially my husband would pick him up and get his legs and belly in the water. He didn't like it at first, but after a few times he relaxed in his arms. Next step was getting him more are more submerged in the water (in my husbands arms). The first maybe 10 times we let him go very close to the steps, he could not swim AT ALL. But after that he began to swim on his own. At first from just a few feet to the steps, then from further and further distances. Then we started to gently throw him him from the side letting him feel the jump with his back legs. After some coxing, he started to jump in after the frisbee, of course, on his own. It also helped that we had another swimming dog in our family. Now he wants to swim after the frisbee all day and jumps great distances to get it. All this took about a month. But like you, in the beginning, I thought "this dog can't swim". Just be very patient; it needs to be a pleasant adventure.

Other Dogs
by: Anonymous

Let him play with other dogs who like the water. If his doggy friends start romping around in the water, having fun, chances are, he'll follow! (start with some shallow water, otherwise, he may get overwhelmed on his first time, and forget about his legs) We did this with our Aussie, and now, we can't get her out of the water!!!!

Aussie Swimming
by: Anonymous

Most Aussies like to swim right? Is hard to get them to swim?

Do Australian Shepards like to swim?
by: Anonymous

My puppy Penny loves to swim! She jumps right in and always takes a morning dip! We call her our little otter! i dont recall having problems with her wanting to swim or getting in but be careful of water intoxication! Dont let them drink the water or stay in too long, Penny had an experience with water intoxication last year.

Aussie swimming
by: Anonymous

I picked up my 9 week old puppy two weeks ago and the first time I took him to a sandy lake he swam all by himself in water over his head with little coaxing. I have raised a lot of puppies and never seen this before at such a young age. We have gone several times since (because I thought it was a fluke!) and he's getting further and further out in the water to fetch sticks. Anyone else have an 11 week old pup start swimming? I'm amazed!

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