hi there im wondering can any one tell me at what age a puppy can first swim please as my puppy is allways going near the water hope you can help me
dave bennett

Hi Dave

I took mine in the sea for the first time on Friday, took her back on Saturday, and she couldn't wait to go swimming again...she is just over 12months...I think most of the time (and I may be wrong here) that it is instinctive for them to paddle, but I kept mine on a flexi lead just in case..

Natasha

Puppies can swim at quite an early age but it must be in a controlled environment, such as a dog swimming pool. There are quite a few of these around now. They are trained to lifesave dogs, can provide flotation belts to help buoyancy and most encourage you to go in with the pup/dog. The earliest I have seen is a Vizsla at 10 weeks, and she loved every minute of it! I wouldn't under any circumstances let a puppy, or a full grown dog for that matter, swim in an ordinary pond unless I was sure that it could already swim well and that there was nothing under the surface to catch it and pull it under. If I can't see the bottom, they don't go in. I started my own dog off that way and he is now very confident and a strong swimmer. Whatever you do DON'T throw the animal in - not only can it frighten the dog and put it off water for life, but it also learns not to trust you. Would you teach a small child to swim by throwing it in the deep end?

Jean,
Unfortunately, there have been many parents in past and present who have "thrown their children into water to teach them to swim." :( So that might not be a good question to ask someone ;) :rolleyes: Some of these kids, oddly enough, do thrive despite the 'odds' and enjoy the water.

Hate to say it but my puppy swam the second day after we bought her home, we have a small lake at the end of our garden and i turned round for one second while hanging the washing out and there she was happly swimming round and round at 8 weeks , fished her out and she was fine , i know it is not the best thing but it happened , that's Newfs for you:)

Sam

Point taken Eoghania. I probably put my point over a bit strong but I believe that more harm can be done by putting any animal (child included) into a frightening and potentially life threatening situation. If I upset anyone, my apologies. :o

Nah, not upset at all.... It's just that standards of accepted behavior vary quite widely in families :rolleyes: I wouldn't ever do it, but I've known people whose parents did it to them. They even swear by it as wonderful method to teach a child to swim :O

Personally, I really don't like being IN any body of water other than my bathtub and neither do my (smart) dogs ;) :D :D :D :D

Speaking of water: On Sunday, whilst at a Medieval Fair, I saw something really funny at one of the private encampments.
A woman had just finished giving a JRT a bath in a huge wooden wash tub. He was out of the tub, and barking at her in anticipation. She started splashing water at him and the dog went absolutely nuts jumping up in the air 6 ft + trying to catch the water. He even did somersaults!!! This went on for 15 minutes and she became tired long before he did :rolleyes:
Lovely dogs, but way too much energy for me to live with :D :D :D :D

My two would have just looked at me in disgust if I had tried the same thing ;)
toodles

Hi Dave
My puppy is a labrador and was desperate to go in the water from day one :) i posted on here with a similar question to yours and was encouraged to let him go into still (i.e. no rivers) water. The first time (Dylan was just 4 months) I got a huge pairs of fishing waders and went in with him. He absloutely loved it, and i gave him a big treat when he came out - just to let him know that it wasnt' just the water that was exciting :) Now i can't keep him out, and he seems to instinctively know how far to go

Hi Dave
We have Irish Wolfhounds and a small Black & Tan Terrier. While we were out walking round our local resevoir over the winter our terrier, Six, jumped into a large, deep puddle (following after one of the Wolfies who hadn't been looking where she was going and fell in!). She must have been about six months old then, and just as my husband was preparing to go in and get her out she started swimming around. We stood at the side calling her but she was having far too much fun, took us ages to get her out! :D Not so the IW! She jumped out almost as quickly as she'd gone in! :O
Nicky

thanx you guys thats put my mind at rest now,i might get my uncles waders and borrow them thanks a lot