Comments on: Teaching A Golden Retriever To Swim

By: 2 Brown Dawgs

2 Brown Dawgs — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 11:10:18 +0000

The Golden we had before the Chessies was not a swimmer. He would wade in water but not really swim. He was from a show pedigree and that is not uncommon with those dogs.

I think you went about it the right way with Honey. Too many people make their dogs swim in cold water or in a pond with a drop off. We have always found that when starting a puppy (or a dog) off, it is best to swim them on a hot day in warmer water and where there is an incline into the water (rather than a drop-off). Getting them excited by chasing a ball or a toy and just tossing it to the edge where they can go in and come out and then tossing it further is a great way to get a dog used to water and eventually swim.

By: Groovy Goldendoodles

Groovy Goldendoodles — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 03:42:55 +0000

Harley’s a waddler but Jax (like Leo) loves the water. Harley would probably spend all his time on the boat with you – but Jax would be more inclined to swim along side the boat!

By: Leah

Leah — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 17:04:54 +0000

Thank you, Honey, for showing us the way!

Your story inspires me to give myself permission to take it easy on the scary stuff … to start off slow with the perfect conditions, set ourselves up for success. Why not?!

By: Emma

Emma — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 15:35:53 +0000

Bailie and I love water and swimming, we just swim naturally. Katie doesn’t like water but she can swim if she has to. Mom knows this because she fell into a deep pond as a young dog and had to swim to the edge to get back out and she did, but she avoids water normally.

By: Lauranne

Lauranne — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 12:37:44 +0000

You should have asked me! Mity (although not a retriever) will only swim in the sea, never in a river. He goes mental when we take him to the sea side, and he will run for miles to get into the waves, before running back and shaking over us all. You can’t get him to go near a river, even if you throw his toy in for him to bring back.

By: Jan K

Jan K — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 23:20:16 +0000

Sheba is a natural at swimming, and she loves it. But her litter mate Moses would not go out past his belly. I think if we had taken them more often, he would have eventually though.
Luke took to swimming immediately too, but then got scared when he and Sheba got a little too rambunctious in the water. So we’re starting him out slowly (by himself) this year. Both of our beagles also took to swimming naturally, but Kobi never did it willingly.
When we had a fishing boat, our Lab mix Maggie, who adored swimming, always waited until we told her it was OK to go in (that was a small boat where we could always watch her though).
I think you’re doing the perfect thing with Honey…knowing she can swim if she needs to, but not letting her love it TOO much.

By: Jackie Bouchard

Jackie Bouchard — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 21:21:24 +0000

None of our dogs swam until we got Rita. Rita is like Honey though. She can swim, but she chooses not to! She prefers to only get wet up to her belly. She’ll swim to get at me or the hubs while we wade/swim, but she just wants to get to us, then get us all back to shore as quick as possible! It’s so adorable though. I wish she enjoyed it!

By: Callie, Shadow, and Ducky's Mom

Callie, Shadow, and Ducky's Mom — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 17:15:17 +0000

Neither Callie nor Shadow are swimmers, but that’s because we haven’t taken them anywhere that they’d have to be. They didn’t even like the kiddie pool we used to have for them. I’d put them in it and sit in it with them and they’d climb out, shake off the water, and go lay in the grass.

By: Taryn

Taryn — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 16:13:56 +0000

With corgis, it doesn’t take much water for swimming to occur! A stream up to my knees and they must doggy-paddle. Mine have never so much as hesitated. As pups, every puddle was a source of fun, streams all the better. It helps that my guys HATE to be warm, so they quickly learned water is a great way to cool off.

By: jan

jan — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 15:50:59 +0000

Misty the alpha Poodle is one of those crazy dogs you are glad you don’t have–see water, jump into water with a big Poodle smile on her face.

Timmy growls at his water dish if it splashes him and avoids the morning dew. Breed has nothing to do with whether a dog will like water, I have found.