Pool Safety: Teaching Your Dog to Swim
July 1, 2009 by Paris and John
Filed under Safety, Tips
You think your dog can swim, right? But just how well does he maneuver the pool–and could he use a little swimming lesson? This week we’re featuring tips on pool safety for dogs from Stephanie M. Colman of Caninestein Dog Training. Yesterday, Stephanie shared the importance of teaching your dog to use the pool steps. Today’s tip:
Swimming Lessons Aren’t Just for People!
It’s true! Many dogs benefit from a swimming lesson or two. While all dogs know to instinctively paddle when submerged in water, their initial technique rarely wins them a spot on the Canine Olympic Swim Team!
Inexperienced swimmers often concentrate their efforts on using the front legs, forgetting to start-up the rear end! Front-end-only swimming is ineffective and uses a tremendous amount of energy. It results in the dog being near-vertical in the water, with lots of splashing. It looks a lot like our friend, Hooper! (photo, right)
Getting in the pool with the dog and supporting his back end as he swims a short distance is often a great way to prompt him to begin doing more with his back legs. As the dog gets the hang of using his front and back ends in unison, the body evens out and the splashing disappears.
The most effective swimmers can enter the pool and swim a lap without ever getting the top of their backs wet!
(Note: No Hoopers were drowned in the taking of this picture! He’s still perfecting his Butterfly Stroke, but he’s getting it!)
Tomorrow: Specific Needs of Different Breeds
Stephanie Colman shares her life with Zoie, a Whippet and Quiz, a Golden Retriever and can be reached at StephanieColman@sbcglobal.net.
Photo courtesy Stephanie Colman and Caninestein Dog Training
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