# Swimming



## dale (Apr 26, 2013)

I can't tell if my dog likes water or not. In the bath he will willingly get in but he doesn't like it when you touch his front legs with water. Also I brought him to a lake recently and he would go in to fetch his ball but only if he didn't have to swim for it (he tried that once but forgot to keep swimming when he grabbed it and his face went under). I got a kitty pool for the dogs and he went in once but the rest I made him go in because it was super hot. He is 16months. 

Did your standard poodle like swimming from the beginning or did they warm up to it? How can I get him to love water? My past beagle loved water and it was a great way for him to get exercise and I want the same for my baby


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## Cdnjennga (Jul 30, 2009)

My miniature poodle LOVES swimming, but hates the bath.

I would suggest starting your boy off in a life jacket. It builds confidence and gets the dog over that initial fear of going into a depth of water. It also helps keep their body straighten (a lot of dogs look like they're drowning when they're first starting to swim). My family has always had Portuguese Water Dogs, and even though the word water is in the name, they often need help with getting started with swimming. We started using life jackets a few years ago and found it makes a world of difference.

Exposure to swimming / opportunities to swim and building up confidence with a life jacket should have your dog paddling away in no time!


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

It took 3 days to coax Racer into the kiddie pool last year at around 9 months old. I started visiting a friend who lives on a small lake. It took about 3 times with her dogs swimming around me eating cookies for him to decide he wanted cookies too so he swam out. Make it a positive experience with no forcing & he will catch on. This year he has gotten his feet wet in a pool & pond but hasn't gotten in. Guess I need to get in with cookies again lol He loves to splash in the kiddie pool now 

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