Dog Swimming Lessons

Swimming develops courage, dexterity, strength. When your dog swims, its cardiovascular system and lungs will work actively and useful muscular load will increase. Beside of keeping your dog fit, swimming is good for cooling out your pet in summer.
What You Need for Dog Swimming Lessons
Dogs inherited swimming ability. You should only improve it. You will need to find a clean pond or other water reservoirs with calm water flow, flat beach and sandy bottom without sharp stones. Depth must increase gradually. There must be no people or animals around. Also you will need:

• learned out “Go!”,“Come!”, “Fetch!”, and “Sit!” commands
• retrieve article
• dog treat
• helper who is known by your dog very well

Alaskan Malamute is Sunbathing

How to Teach a Dog to Swim if It Is Afraid of Water

Some dogs rush into the water with pleasure, some are frightened with it. If your dog does not like water, take it on a short lead and walk along the beach. Go into the water from time to time trying to get your pet into it without much effort. Attract your furry friend’s attention with a dog toy ball, then go into the water, show the item to it, and give the “Come!” command. When your dog does it, praise it and say “Good boy!” or “Good girl!”.
You can also take your pet with your hands and put onto the bottom. At first, water should be at little depth, then it should be up to your dog’s chest. Praise calm reaction with treats, stroking and saying “Good boy!” or “Good girl!”. Then lead a dog to a deeper place in a game. If your dog starts beating water with its forepaws trying to stay afloat, carefully hold it under its belly and make it swim a few meters along the beach.
Do not leave your four-legged pal in water at the first dog swimming classes. After your dog stops being afraid of water and feels confident, go to the next swimming step.

Teaching a Dog to Swim with a Retrieve Item

Give the “Sit!” command to your dog. Show a retrieve item to it and through this thing into the water not far from the beach. Wait 3-5 seconds and give the “Fetch!” command pointing the pond. When the dog comes to you, take the item, give your pet its favourite treats, stroke it, and say “Good boy!” or “Good girl!”. Increase the distance of the throw up to 20-30 m (according to your dog’s physical abilities).
If you can swim well, you teach the dog to swim in the following way. Ask your helper to hold up your dog on the short lead, swim into the water at the 15-20 m distance, give the “Come!” command and tell your helper to unleash your pet. Swim towards your dog and praise it on the low water.

Doberman Is Going to Swim

 

Typical Mistakes in Swimming Lessons for Dogs

What you should not do when you teach your dog to swim:

• pull or through your dog into the water with force – your pet can get fear of water
• overload the dog sending it to retrieve a dog toy or stick too many times
• teach your pet to swim on the great depth at once
• hold the first dog swimming lessons on a water reservoir with abrupt coast or with swift water
• train the pet to swim on a dirty pond
• make the dog to swim at the long distance without considering physical shape of the pet.