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every dog know how to swim ?

1K views 17 replies 16 participants last post by  dobedream 
#1 ·
I would like to know if every dog know how to swim.
Because Roxy was scare to go in the water and now she is going in the water slowly but i want to know if i let her to completely in the water she will be able to swim ?
 
#2 ·
She should paddle, but it may not look very graceful!

Koa is what I call a vertical swimmer...he can paddle to keep his head afloat but he doesn't know how to swim properly.

This has improved greatly since I bought him one of those dog lifejackets. It keeps him afloat and he's learning to paddle with all fours to move.
 
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#3 ·
Lol the 12 stitches in my foot is proof that Odin does not know how to swim, Odin is 10 months old. Last week I was throwing the ball for him in the lake, I forgot his life vest. He pushes the ball further out in the water and he went after it. He was trying to find the bottom with his rear legs so he was standing vertically. He started to go under so I took of my shoes and went in after him. I stepped on something and cut my foot.

So I think more time with the life vest is needed before he will know how to swim without one. I go in the water and have him follow me and phrase him every time he is fully submerged.
 
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#4 ·
Brandy does not know how to swim and will sink like a brick if she gets out too deep (I think it's all that muscle dobes have). She goes out in the water and ends up with her hind legs still on the ground "paddling" for all she's worth with the front. Hubby tried to help her by boosting her butt up and making her swim, but she did not look happy and the hackles went up! She's much happier running out up to her knees and barking at the waves coming in. :)
 
#5 ·
My last girl Tana was another "verticle swimmer" so she had to wear her (pink polka dot) life jacket, but absolutely loved to be on the boat :)
 
#6 ·
My girl Rosebud took to water like a duck. My girl Bonnyrose sunk like a brick. She actually sat on the bottom gulping water and looked up at me as if to say " Really Mom?" I grabbed her up and she was OK, I tried once again and the same think happened, she never even tried to paddle......I was shocked. I hope my new pup (when I get her) will be a swimmer so if anyone has any tips on how to encourage that please let me know.
 
#8 ·
Callie used to swim vertically- just like in the video above, until I got my butt in the water with her and supported her body until she learned to keep herself afloat with all FOUR legs going- not just the two front ones :D Shes a pretty sleek swimmer now!

She'll only go in up to her chest on her own when shes hot, but if you toss her most precious tennis ball, she'll swim.

 
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#10 ·
I have a 40' sportfish boat and we spend most weekends on it. We always have Josey in a harness with her leash in a loop on the hooks. Well I was checking the motors over when I heard the panicked yell's of Tracy that Josey fell over. Luckily the loop was on her because she was sinking fast and Tracy was about to jump in after her. Just one problem with that thou is that Tracy can't open her eyes under water! Another bad thing was she went in between the dock and the boat. Luckily by the time I bolted out of the engine room Tracy had grabbed the loop in time. She will be in a life jacket from now on. SCARY!
 
#11 ·
Never assume a dog can swim. I literally had to rescue Ripley the first time he tried. He paddled totally wrong and went under and was sinking. He wouldn't kick his back legs at all and his front legs were flailing every which way. I don't know if Keira knows how to swim or not - she doesn't want to try and I've never made her (she likes to walk into water as deep as she can touch bottom). A Toller I had for a while had trouble swimming also. She'd end up rolling onto her side somewhere and would panic. I think most dogs do know how to swim and you don't really have to worry, but there are many that don't seem to know.
 
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#13 ·
I really wanted Kyrah to like water. I played with the water hose with her since she came home. She loves the hose. I never sprayed her to make her scared of it. I always brought her by the ponds that I had access to and she would wade in but never swim. We recently purchased a boat and she loves to go riding. The other weekend we anchored. My daughter and I got off the boat, it was shallow, and were walking around. Kyrah jumped with a leap of faith to follow. Her front legs were doing simular to the video but not as bad. I lifted her rear end and we walked to where she could barely touch. She went from there to swimming and back touching. Then we went back to the boat and we did it once more. Then she whinned to get back in the water. :) I may have a water dobe!! I think she will get this swimming thing with practice.
 
#14 ·
Gin, who we think was part Lab, hated water with a passion. She would walk around a puddle. :D The deepest water we got her in was up to her elbows in the Gulf. Once. I have no idea if she could swim or not.

Actually, here on the Texas Gulf Coast, we have alligators, so I really don't want my dogs in most bodies of water.
 
#16 ·
My parents first dobe decided to give dock diving a go (without any human interference) and my dad was laughing until she didn't surface and he had to dive after her and drag her out. She never tried swimming again, but liked to stick her whole head (up to the ears) under water to fish stuff out.. didn't like wet feet though!
 
#17 ·
The good thing about living out in the country, there are alot of creeks around. I started my dogs out as pups when they want nothing more than to be close to you and dont wander far. I would cross a ankle high creek . My first girl whined and yipped a minute, I called her and eventually she plowed right in, got to me and I loved on her, praise, etc etc. then we played for awhile and crossed to go back, she didnt hesitate. Then when she started fetching, I would go to the same area and throw in her toy, a little farther every time. Eventually, she was swimming and found it was rather fun :D
 
#18 ·
Scary Swim!

My Roxy took a leap into the river behind the cottage on Sunday!
Problem is, she started "vertical swimming" and just spun in circles!
Scared to death, I waded in, up to my chest and towed her back to shore.
I learned the hard way. She will wear a life vest from now on!!! :(
 
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