# problem



## MyDogElwyn (Nov 27, 2010)

Sounds like you have a great retriever! She should join the coast guard! I really admire her care of your family...but this is definitely something that should be resolved, you are right!

Maybe you could slowly introduce her, like have one person work with her, go into the pool with her with baby steps and make a fun game out of it? Get her favorite toy and really move gently through so she can see that YOU are happy in the pool too? Start going under the water for a second and come back up in the shallow end and show her that look, youre okay!

Honestly, I really have no idea, but starting small and working up so she knows theres no alarm might be a good idea.


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## Littleknitwit (Jul 19, 2010)

She is definitely a retriever... She loves playing ball... I didn't think to "distract" her with the ball. I'll try that. 

Thanks!


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## caboodles (Jan 7, 2011)

AHHHH Winston would do the EXACT same in the beginning of last summer when he was about 7 months old and learning how to swim with me: He would go CRAZY on the sideline as I swam, and when he would swim with me, he would literally try and pull me with him to safety.

I believe it's just a natural instinct for him, since he is so attached to me, to want to protect and save me, because he thinks I am in some kind of danger.

What worked for me was to turn the whole swimming thing with him into a game. He was just a beginner at swimming so I did put him in a doggy life jacket so he was always buoyant. Anyways, I would throw some floaty balls around, and he would go and retrieve them and COMPLETELY forget about why he was swimming towards me in the first place. I would get out of the pool, and then jump back in.. just constantly showing up that I'm OK.

In terms of the sideline barking.. well for that I used Cesar Millan's techniques of the TSCH!, and quickly he came to understand that just because I am swimming, doesn't mean I am inviting him in to do the same. And that while he watches me, he needs to lie down and rest. No BARKING, no whimpering.. just be calm and quiet. And when he would reach that state of mind, I would reward him with praise and affection so he would understand that that is what I am expecting from him when I do lengths in the pool. Always just reward the GOOD behaviour you want to see.. even if it takes some time to achieve and get there, what's important is that she achieved it.


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