pup won't swim

[follow maggie]

I have a lab pup about 7 months old.  She finds birds, flushes and retrieves them.  I can't get her to swim, though.  She'll go in the water to her belly and stop.  I've tried throwing dummies and toys in the water gradually deeper, but she won't fetch them- just watch them float away.  Does anyone have pointers to help me get her to swim?  I'd like to avoid dragging her out so she has to swim, but maybe that's the only way?

[GoldTip]

Will she come out in the water to you if you are out in the water?  I would definitely not drag her into the water and force swimming on her.  Also, do you have any friends whose dogs swim, and that your dog enjoys playing with?  If so start playing fetch with your dog and the other dog, they always seem to compete when you do that, then move them both to the water and keep playing.

[zamphier]

I had the same situation with my dog.  I ended up rowing her out to a small island, dropping her off and rowing back.  The first time I did this, she was swimming before I made it back    Obviously, make sure it's not too far of a swim for her.

[Antlershed]

My GSP was like that at first, but being around a dog who loved to swim at a young age was a great thing for him. He was doing water retrieves (just the rubber dummy) at 5 months old. Like was also mentioned, if you can get out in the water, that helps too.

[follow maggie]

Thanks for the tips.  I'll put my waders on and see if she'll go in with me.

[rainshadow1]

These guys are all over it... never force a pup or you'll establish a mental barrier. Make it fun. Competition with another dog is ideal. Just another hurdle to jump over!

[Antlershed]

One of the first times my pup swam, besides having the other dog there swimming, we were at the beach and it didn't get dog swimming depth for at least 100' out. I took off running and by the time I was knee deep he was on my heels so I just kept going, and he was swimming around the rest of the day.

[tlbradford]

I always tossed them into some shallow water and about 10 feet out, at about 5-6 months of age. And when they swam back to me I tossed them back out again.  Then the next day I would start throwing stuff into the water.  It sounds like I am in the minority though.  Before you call the humane society, i don't use shock collars.

[Machias]

  Won't call the HS on you but like with all methods some are better then others.  There are alot of less stressful ways to introduce pups to swimming then thorwing them through the air into the water, IMO.  Probably one of the best ways is with another lab who "loves" the water.  Best thing is not to make a big deal about and they'll be swimming in no time.  P.S. Nothing wrong with a shock collar if used properly.

[PacificNWhunter]

I had allot of luck getting in the water myself and letting my pup follow..He was really cautious around water for the first year, now I can't keep him out...and he's a pointer.

[Shannon]

If your dog likes to fetch try buying a live duck and clip its wings and let her fetch it close to shore. I did the boat thing and the dog was following me all over the lake in no time. She swims on here own just to check things out now. I looked out at the lake the other day and she was 100 yards off shore just tooling around. Good luck.

[yelp]

I agree with shannon a live bird thrashing in the water may be the key here to break her.

[Intruder]

I've always introduced my pups at a super young age.  Put on the waders and carried them out to a depth where they could just touch bottom, pointed them toward shore and let em go.  Do that a couple times w/ alot of praise and excitement.  Then, gradually take them deeper so that when you ease em in they're floating.  They'll paddle a few times and reach bottom.  Then go deeper...... you get the idea.  Very low stress and fun for the dog.  I would say all my dogs after 1 session of doing this would freely enter the water on their own.

Not sure if this would work w/ a pup as old as yours... might be worth a try though.  I definitely agree with the other folks about getting in the water w/ em though.

[popeshawnpaul]

My dog would do anything for food.  Hold out a treat in deep water and see if she will swim to you...? 

[Wayne1]

Intruder and myself are exactly on the same page...  ande you can never over do the praise and excitement. Suprised that passer byer's never had me committed.