Swimming

[K-9Cop]

I've always had a kiddie pool for my partner/pets so that they could enjoy theirselves by laying down and playing in the water during the summer months. My Vet suggested, due to my females weight (she is over-weight ::points finger at husband and says "It's his fault"::) that she would benefit from more excercise so we bought a pool (half inground/half above 4ft deep). Both my Rotties loved water so much and never hesitated to go in the lake/ocean, I was nieve enough to think that all dogs could swim. Well, after the pool was filled, I went up the ladder and swam around for a bit...next thing I know I hear a splash, then Zane splashing frantically in the water. My husband said that he did not do a running jump....one minute he was sitting outside the pool and the next he was inside. Zane had no idea how to swim, I don't know if it's because he is all muscle and has very little bouyancy . It took me about a week to teach him how to swim (instead of flailing his front paws at the water and sinking like a rock). He really has to work all four of his legs to stay afloat. Now my female, on the other hand, can float around like a cork and effortlessly swims like a fish....I only had to supervise her. Anyone else ever hear of having to teach a dog to swim....none of the other K-9 Handlers ever heard of such a thing.

Note: I know walking is a very good exercise and Dunya does go for daily walks but sometimes (with my work schedule) it is much to humid/hot for her to go out. Swimming I was told, would not cause as much damage to her bones/joints due to her weight problem (she's lost 7 pounds when my husband was deployed for 21/2 weeks - thus I point the finger at him and his treat giving). I have taught him to say "Dunya you cannot have any of my food....not because I don't love you....but because I do":)

Thanks for your replies in advance......

[MonsterFarm]

Dogs are like people-not all can swim. Some dont like swimming, and some are better at it than others. I have a 7yr old that loves it but I dont throw his toy out into the lake very far cause he isnt the best swimmer around. My 12 month old boy is a natural, dives, floats, swims strong and fast. My moms pug is terrified of the water and doesnt swim at all-sinks like a rock, panics even while being held. Not all horses can swim either, new someone who rode hers into a lake thinking it would naturally know and it almost drowned.

[Andy's Mom]

My female, Anna, was very leery of water. Andy, my male, who just turned two, timidly went into the water. He would wade in streams (almost drowned once thinking a river was a stream he could wade through! Had my heart in my throat with that incident), but through watching other dogs who were part lab and with a float toy, he's a very good swimmer now. Well, maybe not good, maybe he needs a little work, but he enjoys it and it is very good exercise for him.

I agree it's tough to walk them when it's so hot and humid and I've found swimming tires them out much quicker than a walk anyway. I'd have to walk Andy for about an hour and a half to get the same exertion that swimming for a half hour would do. I can tell when he's getting tired though, his backside starts to sink - at the beginning, his tails almost sticking straight out of the water (that little nub is like a fin). I know it's time to go when he's having more trouble keeping his back straight in the water.

I think you're doing the right thing for the weight loss idea, though.

[CajunsMom]

This reminds me of a swimming story. We took the dogs to a gravel pit to play in the water. I had Cajun and my JRT Maia and my friend had her JRT, Mustang. Mustang bailed out of the truck the second we stopped and ran and dove into the water swimming like mad. Cajun ran down to the water's edge and "delicately" waded around. Anyway, I was in the water paddling around and decided to see what Cajun would do if I pretended I was having trouble. So I started splashing and hollering, Cajun, help me. Well he stood there looking at me like I was nuts and who came running as fast as he could and swam out to "save" me? Little 15 lb. Mustang. I thanked him but told him I didn't think he would do me much good . So I went and dragged Cajun out until he had to swim. After that he swam all over the place and thought he was pretty cool but I still think he would let me drown if it came down to it. ;)