There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing a dog eagerly make its way to the sea and jump into the rolling waves. However, although ‘doggy paddle’ makes it seem as though dogs were born to swim in the water, all dogs actually have to learn to swim. The process can be a tricky one as your pups may be a little timid at first and unsure of what to make of the water, so spending some valuable time training and building up their confidence can go a long way. Once they do learn, you may find it difficult to get your pups out of the water since many love it so much. Here are our tips to make your pup’s introduction to the water go swimmingly.

Check Whether Your Dog Is Suited To Water

Unfortunately, some breeds of dogs simply aren’t made to go swimming in the depths. Often this will be because they aren’t the right size or shape and don’t have the right muscles. Bulldogs, Basset Hounds, Dachshunds, Pugs, Corgis, and Greyhounds are a few of the more common breeds that may struggle in the water. You may note that a lot of these breeds have unique body shapes that break the usual mould of a dog, so even if your dog's breed isn’t listed it’s worth looking it up. If your dog suffers from other issues such as being overweight or having weak bones, it's again advisable to be careful about letting them swim.

This isn’t to say these dogs won’t enjoy splashing around in the surf on the sea edge or never be swimming in a pool, but if they do they so swim they are more likely to require some kind of buoyancy aid to help keep their heads above water. We love the union of dogs and the sea at Harbour Hounds, but if they don’t appear to love the water then running about on the beach is just as much fun.

Getting Your Dog Used To Water

If you’ve tried washing your dog before you’ll know they can get a little tricky to deal with when you’re coaxing them into the water. The best way to start off is in a shallow area of water where there aren't any waves or currents that your dog could find unsettling and a bit scary. Additionally, the location should be calm so that your pup doesn’t become overstimulated or distracted by its surroundings while being trained. A kiddie pool might be useful for the first instruction to get your pup used to the water’s temperature. To keep your dog’s attention and to reward them for good behaviour make sure to keep some of their favourite treats handy.

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Teaching Your Dog To Swim

As soon as your dog starts to feel comfortable in calm shallow water, you can move on to the next stage of their training by taking them into deeper waters, but still calm with no big waves. At this point, their paws shouldn’t be able to touch the water and they will have to start their own version of the doggy paddle to keep moving and stay afloat. To make sure they're safe it's a good idea to give them a lifejacket or a buoyancy aid, even if you’re standing right next to them. This way they can get used to the motion of swimming and how to move around. Once they’ve gotten used to this you can start to remove any assistance. Much like when a child removes the training wheels from their bike, at this point you can proudly look at them knowing they can handle themselves in the water. Lots of praise will also help and ensure your dog knows you are happy with them.

Saltwater is toxic for dogs so it’s important to ensure your dog doesn’t drink seawater as this can result in diarrhoea and vomiting. Always take fresh drinking water and a bowl for your dog to drink and try to limit any intake in the sea.

Let Them Have Fun!

At this point, you should be ready to start enjoying trips to the beach or to lakes with your pup knowing full well they can enjoy what the water has to offer. An active dog is a happy dog, but just make sure you bring along a dog-drying robe to make sure they stay warm and don’t cause a mess in the car on the way home!

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