It’s safe to say that many dogs learn how to swim in a way that is natural and automatic. However, others may need some help getting there.  For those who need some help training your dog to swim, here are some dog training tips to help you teach your furry friend to dog paddle!

Familiarity

Dogs often find pools to be a foreign concept, and what they aren’t used to can scare them away.  Therefore, if you’re going to teach your dog how to swim, you want to have them near you while you’re swimming.  Seeing you in the pool will show them that it’s not a dangerous or scary thing, and will help them progress in their learning.

Beginning

When you’re first teaching your dog to swim, it should be in a gradually declining pool.  Start with them at the shallowest part of the pool and just let them dip their feet in.  Don’t try suspending your dog above the pool and letting them frantically paddle, because as funny as it may be to us, it’s horrifying to them and can scare them away.  put a leash on your dog and make sure to have plenty of treats with you when you begin the process.  First you want to gently walk your dog into the water.  After you’ve gone a little ways in, feed them treats and show them you love them with lots of pets and praises!  if they are comfortable doing this, grab a toy they love and try tossing it a little farther every time you throw it in the pool.  They will gradually become adapted to this and see it as a game, and they should be comfortable swimming in the pool after this.

If you are still having trouble getting your dog to swim, leave a message below or contact us at out Florida dog training center.  An additional blog on teaching your dog to swim can be found on this site also.  Come with any questions or comments, love your dog!