Swimming?

[Ben Curtis]

What has been your experiences with the first time you took your Corso swimming? In another week or so Leo will be making his first trip to the lake. I am sure he will love the water, but he has never attempted to swim before. I have seen some videos on swim lessons for large breeds. They suggest holding them under the tail to try to teach them to swim horizontal. I'm just wondering what I might be in for, and I am also sure there are some funny stories out there?

Thanks, Ben

 

[Ben Curtis]

My daughter took a pic of him last night with her phone. Not the greatest resolution, but he does look a bit menacing... except he was a bit excite to have his picture taken.

 

[CeeCee]

Your boy is gorgeous!

My first dog, Lila hates water - the most she'll do is wade up to her knees so when Zeek came a long I wasn't prepared for a water dog. The first time we went hiking, he found a body of water I didn't even know was there. He jumped right in and just got to swimming. He's a strong swimmer!

He is so water obsessed, I had to train him to ask permission before jumping in.

I swear to God, if it wasn't for his guarding instinct and his damn big bark, I'd say he was a Lab.

 

[SavingGrace]

My dogs don't understand swimming - although I still have more trying to do. The first time they experienced a body of water, I took them to the doggy beach on Lake Michigan. They got in up to their bellys and proceeded to HOP HOP HOP in the water and then run out as fast as they can, with the occasional pause to roll their wet bodies in the sand (oh fun!). Their second time was near a dog park by us with a pond and they went in up to their bellys and just stood there and stared at me. The two ball I brought for them to swim after are now lost to that pond. Hopefully some other swimming dog got them There were even two swimmer dogs with them and they still didn't get it.

In a couple of weeks we'll be taking them to a lake and I'm likely going to get some doggy life jackets. My idea is to mimic how they do swimming lessons for therapy, where you hold the dog from the underneath and walk with them while they paddle.

I'm close to enrolling my CC in swim lessons as therapy to help her arthritis and hips and this is how they do it.

Let us know how it goes and good luck!!

 

[mx5055]

This is maybe going to sound weird, but in all my years of having dogs I never, ever had to teach one of my dogs to swim....they just figured it out on their own!! I did have a couple that were hesitant at first, but if I was in the water and swimming they would eventually swim to me. I did have one dog who did not like swimming, but he would always wade out as far as he could touch bottom, just hang out there...and he did love chasing sticks if we didn't throw them out too far. I had a couple that were such water nuts that at times they would have to be forced to come out and rest. Maybe it's just me, but I never even thought about having to teach a dog to swim?

 

[DennasMom]

Denna's an EM, so might be a little different... her first attempt at swimming went well, until she decided to stop paddling and shake the water out of her ears - SUNK LIKE A ROCK!
We weren't planning on getting in the lake, so we pulled her out by her leash (long rope)... she shook herself off and went in for more.

Since then, she's gotten better, but often, when we think she's swimming, she's actually walking on the bottom with her hind legs and just paddling with her front. LOL.

We did get her a life vest, which makes me stress out less - I worry she'll get overtaxed and sink when she gets tired. She swims more level and relaxed with the vest, too. I think she likes it. Or course, she's grown a bit since last summer (14 months now), so we'll need to refit her vest before we go out this year.

 

[musicdeb]

Most mastiffs sink. I would recommend a swim vest for the pup to be sure of their safety. Denna is right, dogs will swim or they won't. You shouldn't have to teach a dog to swim.

Generally, mastiffs do not swim because they sink.

 

[Ben Curtis]

I have always had labs and other water dogs that could swim before they could walk. Leo loves the water, and loves splashing around. His favorite thing to do is to drink out of our garden hose. First dog that I have ever had that figured that technique out. I am very interested to see him swim.

I would like to say that I have many times seen dogs swim with there hind ends way too deep. They tend to swim much slower. My brothers golden is swims that way. He is a very good swimmer, but no where near as efficient as my lab was. I wonder if someone early on had assisted him with keeping his hind end up while swimming, if he would have been a much better swimmer. No way to know for sure, but something to think about.

I do need to find a life vest for Leo, so if you have any recommendations I am all ears.

 

[musicdeb]

Check out these forum posts about vests.

Life Vest?

First swim of the summer.....

How do you get your pup into the pool?

Can all dogs swim?

 

[lizzymoo]

We took our 7 month old swimming for the first time a couple of days ago. She was happy to go in up to her belly, but was shy about going farther. My husband started out throwing a fetch stick right where she was comfortable, and kept inching it a little farthe with each throw. She wouldn't go too far, but eventually went deep enough to be swimming for a foot or two. We'll try again in a few days to get her comfortable going a bit deeper. Good luck!

 

[lizzymoo]

What a gorgeous pup! I'm dying to smother him in kisses.