Just wanted to ask -
sounds a really silly question but I am bit of a worrier so here goes ....
do all dogs naturally know how to swim , or is it just that some dogs are keener than others ?
Reason I ask is that we are going to take Gus (aged 5 months) on a walk with a friends dog and there is a small pond on the way . Rex who is also 5 months loves to swim about (he is a GSD) but Gus has never been about water before ( except his bath) .
Would it be wise to let him go in if he fancys it ?
Have visions of standing at the edge of the pond with my fishing net :D
Lel

I'd let him go in if he wants to... always better to get em used to incase of any accidents in the future! :)

Thanks Chloe
told you I was a worrier :)
I will let him decide if he wants to go in then !!!
But I will pack the fishing net just incase :D
Lel

Mine will just paddle - and then only if they can see the bottom! They won't go into dirty water! :rolleyes:

JeanGenie
I have a feeling he wont go in - he is a bit of a nancy boy until he gets used to things and then theres no stopping him .
Supposed I am worried incase he starts diving in . ( not literally mind you - he's a great pup but not that clever!!! :D )
Lel

We have a stream about 100 yds from our house that we pass every day, several times. Pup loves paddling in it - it is often only about 12 inches deep. The first time that we had had a very heavy rainfall, the stream had swollen to about 4 foot deep and had a fast current. Pup jumped straight in - the look on her face when she realised that she couldn't touch the bottom was comical :) However, although she started to be dragged down to the bridge, she soon learnt how to swim fast enough to get back to the bank. Now I have no worries and she goes in at least once a day whatever the weather.

Daisy

Daisy
Fancy not warning Pup first about the deeper water! :D
Steph

Bad Mum, I know :D

Daisy

LOL ... I have a Golden Retriever and NOTHING can keep her from water. On the driest days she still manages to find some body of water. :)
It's pretty funny hearing about dogs that don't like water! :D
As far as your question - dogs have a good sense of judgment. If he wants to go in, he'll be fine. He knows what he can do and what he can't.

GoldenGirl :)

Admin: URL snipped

Admin - just curious...why was my link deleted? It was a picture of my Golden. Did I do something wrong? Is that not allowed? Please let me know if I violated something - I didn't mean too and want to know for future. Thank you!!

GoldenGirl :)

GG , If you read the Terms of Service that you agreed to when you joined the Forum you will see that :

Members may post links to informational sites (commercial or otherwise) which are relevant to the topic subject matter. However you may not post a link to a site with which you are affiliated. The Champdogs administrators reserve the right to remove any link they deem inappropriate

You can always add the url to your profile though , as long as you don't then post *Look at my site * type posts ;)

HTH

Melody :)

Ahhh! I get it...hmmm... I don't remember ever reading any Terms of Service. Where was that? I will definatly read it now. :)
Now I feel really bad. :( :(

I'M SORRY!! :( Forgive me, please?

Thanks Melody, so much!

GoldenGirl :)

No problem ..you might also like to have a look at this All Things Forum. It contains all sorts of useful info for the newer user :) Including a link to the Terms of Service

HTH

Melody :)

After all my fussing and worrying Gus wouldnt go anywhere near the water .
His friend Rex jumped in and loved it , splashing about and swimming but Gus just teetered near the edge looking on in sheer horror as though to say " what ARE you doing " :D He waseven disgusted at the mud at the edge of the pond
He even ran off when Rex attempted to shake himself dry.
All my worrying was for nothing :)
Lel

That sounds just like a dog! They always do what you least expect!! :rolleyes: :D

The day after I collected Anna I was out in the garden and I heard a splash come from the direction of the fish pond. Looking, and there was an 8 week old Anna happily swimming in 30 inches of water! I pulled her out and explained to her that swimming in the fish pond was out!

Some months later I decided it was time she started retrieving from water. She ran to the edge and stood watching the dummy drift away! It took me a while to explain to her that there are places she is not supposed to swim but others where I want her to!

Now, a fifty to seventy five yard swim is all in a days work for her. But remember, a dog swimming is using a different set of muscles to the usual running ones so don't encourage a dog to swim too far to start with.

Regards, John