How do i lead my dog to water, and make her swim?

[J-Roc]

I have a Lab Cross that's going to be two in July. She's never been in water, but now I have a pond at the house. How do I get her comfortable with swimming?

Thanks, guys

 

[IMSICK]

Throw a stick in for her and then if she won't go get it, jump in and swim out to it yourself..... sooner or later she'll go in after you.

Or.... you can do what I did with my lab, throw the dog in. Now the little basterd won't stay out of the water, He finds water close to every lease I am on and goes swimming throughout the day.

Easier to convince her to jump in when it's hot out... once she figures out that water is a good place to cool off, she'll be good.

 

[Nate]

Jay are you serious bud? Pick her azz up and pitch her in. She'll make it or not. My bet is that she will swim just fine. Just keep throwing her in there till you feel she's comftorable. Then pick up her favorite toy and huck it in there

Its a lab..........I think they are born for water

 

[Supplicate]

Pick her azz up and pitch her in.

exactly what happened with my border collie when he was about a year old.

Now he just lays in the pond when the weather gets too hot for him.

 

[H2SNOW]

well thats easy .............take yer dog swimmin with ya ........any questions ???

 

[sled-fiend]

I started by making my Golden Retriever follow me across small creeks and work your way deeper, if all else fails just take her to a lake where other dogs are swimming, she'll get the point after awhile. Personally I wouldnt throw her in.

 

[Blu Du]

I did it to night 6 month springer and me and the boy were out in the boat to night and he said throw her in the water and see if she can swim and thats what we did

 

[mb1]

We pitched in my parents' dog when she was a pup and she hasn't gone in past her knees since then.

I want to throw my new pup in but my wife would kill me cause she knows about my parents dog. Haven't had him to the lake yet, although he did break through some ice and get a swim this winter......lol

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

Had a black lab who would stand and whine on the bank while my shepard swam all over..leashed em togeather..shepard took the lab swimmimg..after that he loved it...

 

[Wyoming T/A]

dont think i would throw it in--i've had labs for 30 years and get them wet by throwing there favorite toy not force..jmo here is my current crew

 

[Wade]

Simple, take another dog that loves the water. Play with that dog in the water, the other one will eventually go in with you. Most can't stand to be left out. It may take a couple trips.

 

[Snow Fox]

Throwing a dog in the water is not a good idea. If it is a water dog like a retriever, just let it go at its own pace. Eventually when it is by water it will be in more than out. I have a Golden Retriever, I get so frustrated when I go fishing. He is always getting in the way and swimming out to the bobbers. When he was a pup, he would never go in past chest deep. He always had to have his feet on the bottom. I tried to force him into swimming and that set him back to where he was very cautious around water. I then just backed off and let his born instincts do the work. Now he swims everywhere, sometimes he gets out so far that it makes me wonder if he will make it back. Like some of the other posts state, get him around other dogs that swim. That always helps pups, the light bulb turns on and they figure it out in a hurry.

 

[justadude]

Start shallow, make it fun and the rest will be history.

PS. you may regret this desire!!

 

[opus]

Pick her azz up and pitch her in.

Thats how my Dad taught me to swim. Wish we could have words about that now.

 

[ArcticBoy]

Gotta agree, just playing in the shallow water first with your dog and be patient the instinct will kick in.

 

[Pimp Daddy]

Well my mostly lab mix is pretty easy to get in the water. I just get her near it and she's gone. Problem is gettin her out when I'm ready to leave. She prefers swimmin to walkin and it normally takes calling her a few times and walkin away before she finally gets out.

 

[Weekday Warrior]

I always pitched sticks in the water for my labs, shallow at first then deeper and deeper..

kinda funny when it gets deep enough they reach and reach far as they can without going swimming then they reach too far and step back and wine a bit as the stick floats off.

but you want to always use the same stick, or everytime they 'loose' it they'll just grab another and you don't want that.

I get that stick back and start over, eventually they'll swim for the stick then your golden

 

[Good to Go]

Had a black lab who would stand and whine on the bank while my shepard swam all over..leashed em togeather..shepard took the lab swimmimg..after that he loved it...

Now that's funny... end result: A+, and you ain't the bad guy..