swimming skills

Ok, so I took a look around at some of Fred's other videos (actually,
the news station's video!). Obviously, in NV, it gets unbearably hot
and pools are plentiful. I agree totally that swimming is a great way
to exercise a dog and a backyard pool is great. Unfortunately, it's
the one thing I give in to DH to, at least as far as the dogs go -
they aren't allowed in the pool.

They do have their own pool, which is a large baby pool, but it's not
exactly swimmable. I do get them out to swim whenever I can, but Rudy
has not been swimming yet due to winter :-(. He has been sloshing
around in icy water in the baby pool, and doesn't object to water in
any form.

I realize that it's not a given that every retriever will swim (and I
know many that don't), but wondering about people's approaches to
introducing dogs to water. I pretty much have a mentor-dog along, and
that has a pretty big influence, but will find a place to lead the dog
through water otherwise. My dogs have all seemed to have decent
swimming style as well - I see some dogs who are "high steppers" in
the water - very inefficient, and owners struggling to correct that.

I don't think Rudy will have any trouble getting in and swimming, but
still curious to how others approach this (or if you do at all!).
Ideally, I will get a very young puppy in water asap, but sometimes we
don't get that opportunity.

montana wildhack...

The Duchess of Doodle (a terrier mix?) had never been swimming, or
really near water in the first ten years of her life. We went up to
Chautauqua with the dogs and for the first time in her life, she felt
an interest in going on the dock. She went out on the dock because
there were ducks out there and they were hideously evil. She advanced
on the ducks, barking away, and the ducks went firther out on the dock.
She advanced further and the ducks flew away. She felt very satisfied
with ther efforts until the ducks landed in the water and swam back
towards the dock. Feeling appropriately dissed by the ducks, Doodle
began to bark at them again, getting very excited and dancing around.

She barked and danced, moving backwards, and before any of us had a
chance to do anything, she barked her way right off the dock. I know
how it sounds to say that the look on her face was priceless as solid
dock gave way to air and water, but it was hilarious. She began to
swim. I called her to the only spot where you can clamber up the shore
and she came.

Later on, I decided that since she'd already been swimming, she could
go again & she could also have a bath. She enjoyed being in the water,
but she really wanted to swim away after the eeeevil ducks. She was a
dainty swimmer and quite calm about the whole experience.

Thanks for bubbling that memory to the surface. I miss that girl...

ceb...

That was a great story -- thanks for sharing it with us.