Teaching your dog how to swim has been one of the most desired of canine desires. Most dogs are naturally excellent swimmers and will easily get along with water even in small amounts. This is what makes dogs so great for camping or day trips. If you live somewhere where water is a regular feature, you may have already been considering how to teach your dog to swim. You can find many different resources online, in books or even at the local pet shop. These sources are useful but bear in mind that not all of them will give you the same information.
I would recommend doing a bit of research before buying any dog training tips. Most of them are going to be geared towards teaching your dog basic commands such as sit, stay, come and leave it. Swimming tips should not be discounted, since this can also help with other aspects of dog training such as obedience and health issues. I will give a few good pointers below though.
Some of the things that you need to know about these swimming lessons is that they will work best for older dogs. Puppies just learning to swim don’t work very well. They get tired and have difficulty concentrating. Older dogs are also more likely to get into the habit of taking longer training sessions which can become very frustrating.
You also have to remember that dogs love water. This means that they are more likely to want to take part in swimming training sessions. You should consider having your dog tested for swimming ability before you start your training. This will ensure that your dog is up to standard when it comes to swimming. If you have any concerns though then you can always have them checked out by a veterinarian first.
If you want to get your dog involved in a few swimming lessons then you should definitely consider bringing along their own supplies. I would highly recommend you buy some goggles just in case they get knocked off or lose their lenses in the process. It’s not only cute but they will be much more likely to take part in your training sessions if they see what you are using.
Other than goggles you should bring along some other items for your dog. Some of the most basic tips include towels, flotation devices and of course! A leash if you have one handy. I would highly recommend that you take a short collar with you too so that you can control your dog effectively.
If you are considering swimming with your dog than you should definitely consider doing so when it is in it’s puppy stages. Pups love to be able to rub themselves on you. This will encourage them to swim further. Once your pup has reached its full size, you can introduce it to swimming in the pool.
Most dogs enjoy these swimming lessons so much that they will almost do them on their own. Remember to keep a close eye on your dog while it is going through this stage. Most dogs are just as eager to learn as we are. Keep an eye on them and make sure they don’t fall into the water too deep.
Now that your dog is old enough to be swimming you should start introducing it to the water. Of course you are not going to start swimming until your dog has learned to walk on a leash properly. The reason that dogs don’t learn how to swim right away is because it takes time. You will soon see that your dog’s swimming skills will improve greatly.
Some dogs have extremely high levels of energy, so you may want to introduce it to swimming early in it’s life. This will keep your dog from getting exhausted quickly. Swimming will also help burn off all those excess calories you have been carrying around all summer. If your dog is not yet ready for swimming don’t force it.
Some dogs are born knowing how to swim. If your dog hasn’t acquired this trait, it is up to you to introduce it to your dog. Teaching your dog how to swim is not difficult if you use positive reinforcement and praise. Once your dog knows how to swim all it needs to do is take it to the pool and start swimming.
