Training a dog to swim

[yorketransport]

So my WPG, Pepper,  is just over 1 year old and loves the water as long as it's only chest deep. She won't go in any deeper. We tried bringing toys, treats and gentle coaxing but nothing. I tried having the kids wade out with her hoping that the dog would want to follow them out but still nothing. If her toy is just out of reach and she would need to go more than chest deep to get it, she'll just cry and come back to shore.

While at the lake yesterday I watched another guy training his yellow lab. His dog started the same way as mine, just wading chest deep. He had his kids pull the dog into the water by the leash. The dog was obviously stressed and fought the whole way. After doing that a few times he took the dog to the dock and threw it in. The dog did swim to the shore, but looked panicked the whole time. They repeated this process over and over. The dog would cower at the owners feet and then he would throw the dog in again.

Is that the best way to train them? It seems a little harsh like throwing your kids off the dock to teach them to swim. I'd love to get Pepper to swim but I never would have considered throwing her off the dock to teach her.

Andrew

[Bmcox86]

Try getting her a dog life vest, it helps their confidence. My dog hated water at first but has started liking it over time with a little coaxing and tricking him a few times into deeper water. I don't think I'd throw my dog off a dock

[jackson7]

cross a small inlet at slack tide and walk away from your dog. she will have to swim to join you.

[Old Dog]

Just keep doing what you are doing, and be patient.  Having the kids go in the water is a great plan. 

The guy throwing his dog off of the dock is a *censored*, and shouldn't own a dog. 

[tbotts]

I wouldn't throw my dog off the pier to teach it to swim.  Just keep doing what you are doing.  throw the ball just past the chest deep part and your dog should eventually go after it.  Is there another owner with a dog that is already swimming, that you can meet up with and get some friendly competition chasing balls into the water with?  That would probably do the trick, might take a couple of sessions though.

[vandeman17]

I agree with the idea of finding a little area to cross where she would have to swim to keep up on your walk. I also concur to never throw your dog in to teach it to swim! 

[Johnb317]

Went swimming with my lab and taught her like with a child. 
Held her up and let her 'swim'.   Made it play time. 

Never traumatize the dog, and throwing in submerges their head.

[tmike]

I had the same deal with my lab. I crossed a slough after he was a little older and basically forced him to swim to keep up with me. It was shallow but after that I couldn't keep him out of the water. Take your time with her.

[yorketransport]

I wouldn't throw my dog off the pier to teach it to swim.  Just keep doing what you are doing.  throw the ball just past the chest deep part and your dog should eventually go after it.  Is there another owner with a dog that is already swimming, that you can meet up with and get some friendly competition chasing balls into the water with?  That would probably do the trick, might take a couple of sessions though.

When I had her down there a few weeks ago there was a lady there with an older black lab. Her lab would swim out and get the ball then bring it back to my dog. He would always stay just out of my dogs reach though. I thought that this would get her in but she wouldn't budge. It was incredibly funny, but she would just cry and try to reach the ball with her paw. The other dog eventually got bored and went to play on his own.

It sounds like I'm on the right path. I asked the other guy if that was how he always trained his dogs to swim and he said yes. I thought maybe I was just missing something. I'd rather keep my dog in the kiddie pool than throw her off the dock like that. I was joking with a buddy and told him that I just need to duck hunt in less than 8" water unless I feel like retrieving all of the birds myself.

I'll look into the life jacket for her as well. It'd be just my luck to get the one dog that sinks like a rock!

Andrew

[CAM38]

I'm teaching my dog too, found that if I wade waist deep with him on the leash, he will get his frisbee, he won't go as far or deep without it.

[buckhorn2]

We took our lab to a trainer and we saw a bunch of lab pups with water wings on and ask him what that was for and he said that some pups won't swim and it helps build there confedence so it might be a good idea to try that.

[REHJWA]

How ever you do it make it a positive experience...

[mburrows]

Dont force the issue at all and let your pup take it's time.  Assumming your dog is fetching already, gradually give it further tosses, take your time here though.

Id also suggest taking your dog around other pups that love the water.

Baby steps here, if you throw a dog in the water it will not work out in your favor.

[Waldo84]

Has your dog ever been around birds? I would suggest getting the pup amp'd up on a dead duck or pigeon. Throw it on a land, get her crazy over it and then toss it in the water only chest deep. Do that a couple of times and then throw it a bit further. I'm not a pro, but have trained with them and this is the process they have used. I would also suggesting looking at http://www.billhillmann.net/index.html . Bill offers free videos on his website and youtube. He uses a lab and a golden, but says it can be used on most all bird dog breeds. Good luck!

[Curly]

With all this hot weather, I would think it would be a good time to get her into deeper water.  Seems like she would want to cool off.

When my lab was a pup, it was hot like this and I just played with him near the shore at the lake and then waded in deeper and he didn't want to be away from me and he just started swimming. 

Even when he got older though, he hated it when I would go swimming.  If I would go into the lake swimming he would think I needed rescued for some reason and he would not be happy until I was out of the water.  He would swim out to me and circle and paw at me until I grabbed onto him and then he would drag me to shore.  I don't know why he was that way?