New member's Toy Poo won't swim

[otto san]

Hello, I've got a 17-mo old male. He's best dog in the world. He's been to obedience & agility and loves to learn. He's been retrieving since he was 12 wks old. I didn't get the opportunity to introduce him to the lake/river last summer so I'm trying this year. No luck. He is deathly afraid. He will sit on my lap when I'm in the lake but he is on edge and is most happy to be on dry land. Anyone out there have any ideas (short of throwing him in the lake??). Thanks! Otto-San's Mom.

[britishbandit]

Well definately don't try throwing him in the lake! That will only make him even more terrified of the water.
You can try coaxing him into the shallows, have treats and toys for him, and try and get him interested. Show him how much fun it is for you and he may gain interest. Some dogs just don't like water.....simple as that. Don't push it, let him decide if/when he wants to try this. Start small, and keep to the shallow water where he can still feel some solid ground under his feet.

[mulroony]

I would work them out slowly into the water making it a great fun experience. Also try getting in the water w/ your dog. Here is you standing on land telling them to jump in to something they are unsure of. If you get out there and make it lots of fun they should be willing to come out after you. (The first time I did this I came out bleeding from the scratches so be careful)

Maybe think about getting a new toy (that floats) that your dog is crazy about. Associate that toy w/ going in the water and it should help. We have a "chuck it" that we only use at the lake and the dogs know when it goes in the water they go and get it. It is a bit of a competition to see who can get if first (always Shelby but Jackson keeps trying).

Just keep it up, and make it fun and soon you will have a hard time keeping your dog out of the water

[rmci]

Although the poodle was originally a water dog, some don't like water. Forcing him could only make it worse. Let him play on the shore and enter the water only if he wants to.
Is it that important to you that he swim?

[IceyBlueSibes]

Does your poodle have any doggy buddies that like to swim? Sometimes when a dog sees the other dog jumping into the water and having a great time, it helps them as well. My puppy Kelso was unsure of the waves at our beach, but he saw Lilly jump in and start to swim. He was still a little hesitant and when he saw me calling him and talking happily, he dove in and swam right to me.

I can only echo what everyone else has said as well. Make it fun and enjoyable...

OH, if your dog isn't afraid, you could maybe try buying a raft for him to sit on. My boxer/GSD wasn't too fond of swimming, but he would if I asked him to. I put him on a raft one day and that's usually what he enjoyed doing while I and the other dogs swam. Just a thought

[otto san]

Thanks for all the ideas - It isn't important that he swim but he needs to be comfortable near water - we like to canoe trip in the summer (and I'd like to actually use the lifejacket I bought him!). I've done the splashing a float toy in the water (all he does is drink the giardia- infested water raking up another vet bill!), and I've been in the water at shore and that's when he actually wants to get the hell out of there-he runs up to the cottage like his pants are on fire! I've sat on the dock while my husband went in the water and he scrambles to hide his head in my arm pit - he doesn't seem to want to see anyone in the water. However, I will try the raft idea. He's too smart for the cookie bribe, but I'll try that as well. Thanks again! Otto's mom.

[poodlesmom]

Some dogs take a little while to become confident of actually swimming. I have 2 standard poodles. Farley was immediately like a fish in water from the 1st time I took him to the lake. Chloe, on the other hand, was quite unsure and preferred to not go any further than getting her paws wet. What I did the 1st year was keep her on her leash and I just went out a short ways where I could actually sit in the water and she could just barely still touch. I let her find her comfort level and she eventually would come out to join me and she'd end up more or less in my lap. Slowly I would inch backwards while moving into a kneel position all the while actually supporting her. After a moment or two of her dogpaddling nervously I would turn her towards shore & let her paddle til she was touching. Lesson would then be over for the day and I'd let her off lead so she could run & play with Farley. That whole 1st summer she got braver & would go out farther on her own but never to the point that she'd be required to swim. The next summer I let her do it all on her own and within just a few walks to the lake she was gladly joining Farley on the mad dash into the lake for a swim. It is now almost 5 yrs later and while she won't swim out as far as Farley she will swim. I think the main thing is to not make a big deal of it, don't force the issue where it is really obvious to them & give them the support they need.

[FurryAngel33]

I have a 16 mo. toy poodle I haven't had the opportunity to untroduce him to a lake yet, but I think what i'll do is just go walk out into the lake and coax him in with me...

[Barrett]

We just let our dogs go in on their own. My husband and I would walk out to our waist and soon the dogs followed. Lucy and Harley love to swim and Bailey prefers to stay on shore most of the time. We take them fishing and never catch a thing because Lucy is jumping, splashing and swimming all over the place.