Dood swimming

[Robert Cartalemi]

What age do labradoodles start to swim

[Adina P]

Depends on  the labradoodle, whether it comes naturally to him, and how much exposure its had to bodies of water...no real answer, but there is no official age of swimming.

[Moe]

I brought my 9 mo old doodle to a like where there were a bunch of dogs swimming. I thought maybe she would 'learn' how to swim by watching them. At first she wouldn't even put her feet in. I did pull her in 2-3 inches of water just to get her paws wet. She did seem to enjoy that but she was not going in even up to her knees. Sometimes it is hard not to project what you think would be fun for your dog. At 9 mo mine is not a swimmer.

[Lynda Kamrath]

I found that it really varies with dogs, even in the same family.  A friend of mine had (has) two labradoodles about the same age.  She took them to the beach and one (the female) went right in the water and leaped into the waves and went the entire length of the beach delighted to be in water.  She was only about a year old.  Her brother did not want to get wet and would walk into the water, but didn't want to do any more.

My labradoodle would walk around in the water and play, but close to the shore.  My goldendoodle does the same, but my ALD loves to also jump into the waves, roll on the sand, and otherwise just enjoy the ocean beach.  He did not go out deep enough to swim so I wondered if he was a swimmer.  They have canine rehab facilities these days and they usually have a pool for the dogs to learn to swim and for their rehab.  Even though there was nothing wrong with my dear pup, I signed him up for a swimming lesson and he loved it.  He learned how to get into and out of the water using the stairs and then  learned to fetch things in the water.  After they have had a lesson with the therapist they can come for open swims on Saturdays.  Any dog who is a swimmer can sign up for a swim session.  I love it.  Here are some photos.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Oh, I wish there was something like that in my town, Lynda.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

i had to trick Cooper into swimming - throwing a stick for her closer and closer to the water, then further and further out til she swam. Now she goes straight in and loves it!

[Christine & Shelby]

Shelby started at about 6 months... first time she was near a pond - no turning back since, now she LOVES the water!

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Roo took like a duck to water at about 6-7 months.  Tigger took some coaxing, but was swimming well by 6 months.  Of course he had to keep up with big brother!