Teaching Doodles to swim?

[MEA and Stella]

Stella is drawn to the water, but will not swim to get the ball/stick etc. will swimming naturally happen or do I need to do something. She was 1 year old May.

[Pat and Traveler]

Good boy, Quincy!  Love the rubber chicken...lol

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

The first time we took Luna to a doggie beach, we encouraged her to enter the water using fetch.  We threw sticks further and further out (some she could just walk to, then progressively deeper).  Eventually she decided she loved it and jumped in! She has always loved the water, but still isn't quite sure how to enter the water.  She's a very cautious dog and won't jump into pools or jump off the dock at the doggie beach..

Here is a video of her first time swimming at the doggie "beach" (it's a river, not sure if it qualifies as a beach!)

[MEA and Stella]

Thank you so much for all the comments and great videos and pictures. So it was nice and warm on Saturday in Detroit, and I thought if I had to go in the water it was as good a day as ever. So took Stella to the water. I got on the paddle board (like the comment from Lucy and Annabella's mom - to see if she would come to me)

She actually got on the board and sat for awhile, I then got up and paddled - not to far from shore so see could swim back, then sorta pushed her in. She swam to shore and then ran right back to me and tried to get on! Oh my gosh, so cute! Anyhow, when swimming she sure splashes a lot and then bites the water... and then coughed it up. So hopefully she will get more graceful with practice.