Only some dogs can swim from birth. How to teach a dog to swim
Although a lot of people believe that all dogs can swim from birth, this is a myth. Teaching dogs to swim should be done gradually, without throwing the puppy into the water.
Many people believe that all dogs can swim from birth, but this is a myth. Dogs need to be taught to swim, and this should be done gradually, without throwing the puppy into the water.
Some dogs do have a strong instinct for self-preservation, which causes them to move their legs and seek the shore when they are in the water. In addition, dog breeds that have been historically bred to work in water will swim naturally.
But this is a small fraction of the more than 400 dog breeds that we can say are born swimmers. Most dogs have pretty high respect for water. There are dog breeds that don't even like puddles. There are dog breeds that come from the north, where there is only snow, that would not even like to be in the water in cold latitudes.
If you take a puppy, remember that, like a child, it must be taught to behave properly around water and taught to swim.
There is a trend at the moment for very many dogs to have no instinct for self-preservation, they just go into the water without realizing the danger. As a result of selection, some dogs do not understand that it is dangerous.
On the other hand, if a dog has a strong fear of water, it is mostly the fault of the owner who throws or carries the puppy into the water at an early age. If the dog has an instinct for self-preservation, he will not run into the water anyway; he will first get to know the place, smell the environment, feel it with his feet and then decide whether or not to go into the water.
The problem is with the owners who do not allow the dog to go through this period of exploration, they think it is normal to pick up a puppy and throw it straight into the water.
A dog swims properly when all four legs are working underwater, only the head and a small part of the dorsal line are above water, and there is no splashing with the forepaws. To teach your dog to swim properly, it is recommended that you buy and use a swimming vest.
A swim vest teaches a dog to swim properly because by keeping the dog's body close to the surface, it can start to use its hind legs, which it often does not do when it is swimming frantically.
In hot weather, the dog should not be allowed to jump from the car into the cool water, as the body temperature changes dramatically and the dog's heart may stop.
The right thing to do is to put the dog on a lead after getting out of the car, walk with it in the shade, give it a drink, then, still on the lead, allow it to swim one or two small circles in the water so that it slowly gets wet, its body temperature evens out, and then it can be allowed to swim without a lead.
After swimming, the dog should be dried to prevent skin problems such as wet dermatitis. When we bathe the dog, we know clearly that we are going to leave soon, and we do not let the dog go into the water again. We take him off the lead again, if it is windy, it is wonderful to go for a walk again.
