Labradoodle & Goldendoodle Forum
My husband is home for two weeks, so we are visiting his parents in Tennessee. They have an in-ground pool. EVERY TIME Brandon and I get into the pool, Brinkley loses his mind! Whimpering, circling the pool, loud and hi-pitched barking. He's never done this during our past visits. He loves to swim at the lake and the beach, where he can ease in and out-- put the pool is another story.
His few experiences with pools:
1) He goes to daycare on a regular basis. They have pools at day care. They said he won't go in. He circles it, and leans over the edge and gets on his belly to retrieve the floating balls. He's gone in three times there. Once when I was there with a doggie life vest, once when I was there without a life vest (he did fine as they have huge wooden steps to get out-- but they did have to help him find the steps); and the third time when he leaned too far and fell in. They helped him swim to safety as they are always watching. Plus there are exit stairs everywhere. Could he have learned this behavior from daycare since he circles the pool for his balls and his friends that are swimming?
2) His experience with the in-laws pool: He fell in once last winter. He ran across the covered pool and started sinking and the cover started to surround him. My husband pulled him out within seconds but he tore up his foot pads so he was hurting for awhile.
Then, he came in after my husband once but it was more like he fell in because he didn't have any intention of getting in.
The day after we arrived this week, he slowly eased his way into the pool, down the shallow end steps. They are hard for him to see because they are the same color as the liner. He then had a freak out moment, and didn't know how to go back up those same steps, so he tried to pull himself up over the edge. We pushed his butt up and helped him out.
He just freaks out every time we go into the pool now. Is he being protective because he can't save us? He's frantic. Anything we can do to help him? And it brings it to a new level if the water moves. He LOVES to swim so I wish he'd learn that the pool isn't bad.
Any advice?
Thanks, Heather
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Heather, Fudge was like this when we rented pool time at our local Doggie Daycare. She did not want to go in and did not want Vern to go in either. It was like a madhouse for me....she circled the pool, barking at Vern, and then let him have it when he got out of the pool. Hopefully, we were not on a video camera with sound :) LOL She was also far more tentative at the lake than Vern, but as time has gone on, she is gaining her confidence and actually will go in all on her own. I have life jackets on both dogs and I think that helped with their confidence level. Try a high value treat or throw a ball and see if you can gently encourage him to come in. I do know that when I swim in the lake, both dogs seem to be concerned for my safety and stay close to me....either that, or they are trying to drown me. Good luck.
At least I know I'm not alone!! He loves the beach and the lake but the pool is another story! We've tried his favorite ball-- showing it to him beforehand, and tossing it in. They he just gets REALLY mad! Gotta love our doodles!
I'm off to the pool-- so I can swim with the sweet sounds of frantic doodle barking. :)
Lola does this as well with me. She loves swimming in lakes and bays but does not like pools. She goes crazy when I am in the pool which makes it not that much fun to go in. However, if other people are in the pool, she is pretty indifferent. I am interested to hear what other people have to say and if there is a good way to stop this behavior.
Sounds like my Jake. He has no qualms at all about running into the lake or into the surf at the beach but will not go near my sisters in-ground pool. Oh well on the opposite end are the stories you hear of the doodles wanting to swim non-stop all day long in the pool:)
I am wondering if when he starts barking, he could be removed to some place else until he stops barking and once he stops, he gets to come back and keep repeating that until he figures out he cannot bark at the pool. Easier said than done, but wonder if anyone has tried this approach.
My husband came out and kept correcting the behavior. Made him sit. When Brinkley started whining, he made him lie down. He got belly rubs when he listened. It was a lot of correcting and then "good boy" but we cot through 1/2 hour of swimming with minimal freak outs. Maybe we have to keep doing this over and over until he learns we are safe.
I really think that is the perfect way to respond. I agree with correcting that unstable/barking behavior and rewarding when Brinkley relaxes while you are in the pool.
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