Swimming class

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

Just signed Yogi up for an intermediate puppy/swimming class!
I'm so excited to get him in a pool. It's freezing here like so much of
the country, so this sounds like fun.

We keep our boat down on the lake, so I really want him to enjoy the water
and be comfortable in it. I was afraid by the time it's warm enough to get in the lake this summer,
he'll be 9 months old and maybe not as easily acclimated to it.

Anyone try this type of training? They also offer dock diving and agility training. I hope he
Likes it!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

If you google " injuries sustained from dock diving in dogs", a few articles come up,: http://www.examiner.com/article/dock-dogs-preventing-injuries

But nothing really address, young pups. Still looking!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Even dogs learn from pain.  Remember when as a child, we belly smacked one too many times into the pool or lake?

Spud has always enjoyed dock diving but he will not go off some docks and certainly, I don't want to encourage him as he will, out of that dog loyalty or working dog mentality,  jump off.

Having a jumper myself, I agree with Rosemary that this can be very hard on dogs.

A low lying dock is great if your dog will do a jump.  I've spent some time with DK member Ann Kendig who has three doodles and a boat load of fosters through her home.   Some dogs jump, others will not.  They all have different styles.

Her doodle, Sheba, who often has sore hips will not jump off the dock.  Does she feel pain? I dont know.  But she does enjoy a good swim. 

My thoughts are if your dog loves the water--GREAT!   May I suggest a good life jacket for your summer of swimming.   Even our best swimmers love those jackets.  So much you can do with one too.

Opps-Edit.  Ann's Sheba does dock dive. It's Duke who swims but wont jump.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Example of a low dock  at Ann Kendig's lake

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Spud would NOT go off this dock once he did it the first time.   He knew, it hurt.  I look at some of the dock levels at the shows and ...those are high!  

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Opps, this photo does not show much height, but all the same.

I could not find any info on the negatively of legs on dogs but I do read my dog's cues.  I've got to agree it can be hard.

Swimming on the other hand is Great.  Just not on the ears 

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I totally agree Joanne, I believe he is smart enough to know when he has pushed the limit of comfort. he is not a very stoic dog, so the first twinge of discomfort and he goes to lay down in a shady spot. Murph took to the water like a duck from very young. I felt it was in his genetic makeup and want him to enjoy that part of his nature. Yes there are things they do that could be potentially be harmful that are part of their nature and we are all good stewards when it comes to protecting them from harmful activity, but I just don't want to think of jumping into water as something I should have them avoid.
I would need concrete research from a medical professional to make me rethink this activity. I guess, I am willing to take the chance that with supervision, letting them be dogs can cause potential injury in the future, and deal with it should it occur. But then, i was that parent that allowed my children to climb trees and swing off monkey bars and learn to barefoot water ski and snow ski by age 6.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

:)   Love your analogy.   My sister was a pediatric nurse.  She lived with us for a time and she drove my boys crazy.

No trampoline,  no BB guns, no jumping off the couch, no nothing.  Kids should be on a couch and read a book.  AHH. My boys, to this day, make fun of her at times often imitating her words of woe.

Again, dont force the dogs is my opinion.   They will often, out of loyalty, work too much for a himan.  

If they want to jump, then Jump On!   But if not, let it be. 

Swimming though, is so great.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Oh that is funny about your sister. Your poor boys!!! If anything should follow their nature, its little boys!! Again, i agree, Murphy and Bella would jump off a ten story building if we asked him to, so loyalty could be a dangerous thing if abused.

Bella does not jump in the pool at all and we don't make her. She is taught to get in the water from the steps, swim out to us in the middle and turned around to swim back to the steps or side only. Just drowning prevention training for her. She doesn;t enjoy it so no big deal. She is happy standing at the side, barking a Murphy as he runs and jumps in all around her. So be it!
Besides, she has a coat like a thick mop so I really don't mind that she doesn't jump into the pool 5 times a day like Murphy.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Please realize, I am not saying NO jumps, leaps, etc.....just not continuous ,over and over again impact on the water for young dogs.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

We get it, Ro and we agree!   Enjoy,  but dont make it a job for these dogs.  They will in many cases over use those joints.

Spud, continuously JUMPS to catch anything.  We took away all frisbees and try to throw the ball at low levels because of his continuous jumping.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Thanks! Just wanted to clarify! Enz loves to leap from poolside. Had to scream, rant and rave one weekend because our adult son was here for dinner and he had her jumping and leaping over and over into the pool. And just like a little kid, it's no fun to wade in at the stairs!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Thanks Ro, I understand, I just wanted to be sure I wasn't doing harm by allowing the jumping and understood, and yes, some is good, but like Enzo, my Murphy would do it over and over if we encouraged it. Probably regardless of discomfort to some extent.
I find that we end up saying "That's enough" when he keeps jumping when we aren't even playing with him. Kind of like when our kids were all little and their playing around gets to that point when we yell....'That's enough". Maternal instincts carry over to dog raising too I guess. LOL