By: Lynn Trafton
Swimming is great exercise for your pet. However, you must keep your pet safe and train him to be comfortable in the water and to easily find his way out of the pool. Remember, your dog should always be supervised and never have access to a pool when you are not there to watch him.
Tips for success:
To help your pet orient towards the steps, place a plant or large object near the steps as a point of reference . A dog that panics may swim around and around never finding where to get out of the pool.
Practice swimming slowly, getting him comfortable with the water. Try to keep him level. If he paddles franticly with only his front legs, his rear could sink in the water causing him to paddle more frantically as he tries to stay afloat. When he first starts paddling with all his legs, support his mid section and then release him so he is swimming on his own.
After practicing the swimming, gently guide your dog to the steps and say “steps” when his foot touches the step.
Rinse your dog off after swimming to remove chlorine, which is drying and irritating to the skin. Dry out your dog’s ears, especially if he is a floppy eared dog.
Use treats or a toy to reward the dog for paddling his legs. Always make swimming a positive experience. Never throw your dog in the water as you may traumatize him and he could panic and possibly drown.
Keep the sessions short as swimming is exerting. There is no guarantee that he won’t panic because dogs are reactionary but practice sessions will help the owner and the dog to feel more confident. If necessary, consult a professional dog trainer to help with the swimming lessons.
And, remember to have fun!
Lynn Trafton is the owner of Happy Tails Obedience Training, which provides basic obedience classes as well as puppy kindergarten and private in-home consultations. To learn more, visit Happy Tails online or call 832-687-5133. You can also email Lynn at lynn@happytailsobediencetraining.com.