How to Teach a Dog to Swim

Teach a dog to swim? You must be thinking, "hellooo...where do you think the term 'dog paddle' comes from? But, believe it or not—it doesn’t always come naturally. Many dogs are fearful of water and some are thrown off by splashing. Some dogs catch on right away; some take longer and some just flat out can't swim. But for the ones that can—here are some ways to help them along.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dog treats
• Dog toys

1. 

   Start out in the shallow end of a pool or lake and stand with your dog to make him less nervous. If your dog is reluctant to get in the water, guide him along with a leash or give him a bite of something yummy such as a hot dog, and then coax him in with the rest. Most red-blooded dogs aren’t gonna let a little H2O get in the way of a weiner.

2. Reward your dog with treats and praise when she gets her feet wet.

3. 

   Bring a toy and throw it short distances to get your dog used to the water.

4. Pull your dog in deep enough (but very gradually and with a leash if necessary) to where he has to swim rather than walk. Some dogs might need support for their hindquarters. Place your hand under your dog’s belly near the back until he learns to use his legs to stay afloat.

Tips & Warnings

• A canine life jacket (vest) is helpful in teaching a dog to swim and can be worn by dogs that never catch on. Short-legged breeds such as Basset Hounds, Dachshunds and Welsh Corgis can only swim short distances. Most Bulldogs can't swim. If taking these kinds of dogs on a boat, bring a life jacket for them.
• Dogs without tails take longer to figure out how to maneuver because they are missing the “rudder” that helps propel them.
• Bring along a dog that already knows how to swim to encourage your dog.
• Guide your dog in a forward motion with the leash, not sideways. Pulling sideways can cause her to lose her balance.
• Never force a fearful dog into deep water with a sink or swim approach. This will likely cause him to remain fearful.

[mountainviewlc]

on 5/30/2009 One cool trick to getting your dog in the water is to have a hand full of milk bone brand dog treats... they float in the water and you can toss one out a few feet to where they have have to swim to get it... as it goes on you can throw them out even farther... they end up more concerned about getting the treat than they do with the fact that they are swimming

[Moparman83]

on 8/30/2008 Hey thanks for the tips they work well even for cats! lol yes I know that sounds odd but I noticed that everytime i took a shower my cat was at the edge watching the water and after I was donw would get in the tub and lick the water. Eventually it got to the point where he would race to the bathroom at the sound of running water. So the next step was to get him into deeper water without scaring him for life. Its great I wish I could show you video of him in the water its hillarious! ~MLW