Sammie is not a swimmer :cry:
So we gave it a break, but tried to get her in yesterday - again, no dice. For as much as she wants to be glued to our sides, while we were in the pool and calling her, she stayed as far away from us toward the house as she could. 
Then today, with only me in the pool, I put her collar and leash on her to pull her in. Dale had to lift her front legs in to the top step, then I pulled her the rest of the way. She swam, but obviously didn't like it. Her front legs were slapping the water, her toes were all stretched out. She didn't relax until I led her back to the steps again. We were hoping that if we did this often and carefully enough, she would learn to like swimming. We'll try a few more times, but if she still wants no part of it, so be it. Bummer.  |
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| Awww too bad! There was nothing cuter than Drez paddling around in your pool. I really hope Sammie grows to like it too. Maggie won't go in a pool but loves lakes. Do you think if she learned to swim somewhere with a shallow beach (like a pond, lake or river) she might then enjoy swimming in the pool? |
Valerie wrote: Awww too bad! There was nothing cuter than Drez paddling around in your pool. I really hope Sammie grows to like it too. Maggie won't go in a pool but loves lakes. Do you think if she learned to swim somewhere with a shallow beach (like a pond, lake or river) she might then enjoy swimming in the pool?
This would be my suggestion too...starting with somewhere shallow, where the water deepens gradually might be much less scary. My Abby is a swimmer, but my boy Bert wanted nothing to do with it at first...it was only after realizing that his best buddies (Abby and the 2 JR Terriers we go for walks with) were leaving him behind on the lake bank, that he got over it!  |
| take a step back and try to teach her.
First off use a life vest - she will feel more secure, and its all we need to turn our boy into a swim machine. At swim therapy, Marley (almost 4) WHO HATES to swim, is learning how to relax and do so. when she "egg beats" they hold the front of the vest down a little and the back up - it forces her feet into the water. and they do very short sessions ( one turn around the small pool, two, three etc.) with a rest on the bench in between (still int he water, but standing up) After two sessions i wouldn't say she likes it - but she walks closer to the shore of the lake now than she did three weeks ago  We hope she will learn to like it and be able to some of her therapy at the lake this sumemr.
You might want to consider finding a hydro therapy center and asking about having them teach her  |
| chris, as you know panda hates swimming too....however, we found out that she will happily go in if it has a sloped entrance...and then swim on her own....doesnt like steps.....in fact, hates steps.... |
| There aren't any rivers around here that I would trust her to go in - water is much to swift - I'd be afraid I wouldn't be able to hold on to the leash. Don't know anyone who has a pond or a lake either. I'll try getting her a life vest and see if that helps. We have those pool noodles (which we used to put under Drez's belly when her back-end got too weak to paddle), but of course right now we can't find where we stored them at the end of last season! I did keep my hand under her belly to buoy up her backside, and that helped somewhat.
The nearest hydro-therapy unit is about 90 miles away. I'll try her a few more times in the pool, but I won't push it if she really doesn't start acting more comfortable. |
Brie hates WET, have to push her outside if raining to make her have a potty. She wants her booties on to go across that wet icky ground and has total disgust written on her face. She would if she had her way hold on, on a wet day till the cows come home as the saying goes.  
Water baby she aint
Take it slowly with sammie and the pool, life vest is a great idea to give her more confidence and keep her bouyant.
Brie says to sammie not all of us are water babies.  |
Picture of the tortured wheatie! I wish our dogs loved the water most of them don't... Yep, bummer....... I agree Chris.. summer is much more fun when you can enjoy it with your baby! Hopefully, she will get used to it.... Lucky gal....hop in the pool! |
lisaoes wrote: Brie hates WET, have to push her outside if raining to make her have a potty. She wants her booties on to go across that wet icky ground and has total disgust written on her face.
She would if she had her way hold on, on a wet day till the cows come home as the saying goes. Water baby she aint Take it slowly with sammie and the pool, life vest is a great idea to give her more confidence and keep her bouyant. Brie says to sammie not all of us are water babies. Marley looks out the window everymorning to make sure it isn't rainig before she will deign to go out for a walk - which makes the proress she is making in swim therapy amazing and worth while- even if it's 75 miles away  |
| Chris I feel your pain!
Marley our wheaten LOVES to swim. She jumps off the pier into the lake and will swim for hours and hours if we let her. We took Rudie to the dog beach yesterday to see if he would be a swimmer (or at least a wader!) too. He HATED it. The first time I saw him run full gallop was yesterday and it was to get away from the water towards the gate. It was so pathetic. Sigh... |
| Awww...what a shame. I know how much you enjoyed having Drezzie swim with you and how much she loved it herself. I agree, I'd try a life vest and see if she likes it better.
The wigglebums aren't swimmers either, as you know. They will go into a pond or lake as long as they can touch the ground. They're not crazy about the ocean, due mostly I think, to the waves. They've never been in a pool, so I don't know how they'd react to it. |
| my boys hate the pool very scared of it but the dirty pond they love fo figure |
| Harry was unsure his first season.
Now as you know he loves it. But we haven't had a chance to go swimming this year yet.  We need an invitation to go swimming in someone's private pool. Last year he was lucky enough to get three chances before the end of season swims.
Anyway the point is - she may come around. I definitely think the vest is a great idea(they sell them at Petco and Petsmart). |
| Brick doesn't really like the water either. He'll walk into a lake up to his chest or belly and that's as far as he'll go. I guess he likes to have his paws on the ground.
A few times a carried him out where he couldn't touch ground and he just totally panics. He'll start beating at the water with his front paws until he can get them to touch ground again. One time, as I was carrying him out, he got so scared he was clawing at me trying to climb up me. My whole torso was scratched. Another time a carried him out a ways and let him go and he just sank like a rock. I had to reach under the water, grab his collar, and lift him out. So now I don't bother trying to get him to swim. Like I said, he'll go in up to his chest or belly and if he's OK with that, then so am I. I've never had Zeke by any water. Not sure what he would do. |
CamVal1 wrote: Brick doesn't really like the water either. He'll walk into a lake up to his chest or belly and that's as far as he'll go. I guess he likes to have his paws on the ground.
A few times a carried him out where he couldn't touch ground and he just totally panics. He'll start beating at the water with his front paws until he can get them to touch ground again. One time, as I was carrying him out, he got so scared he was clawing at me trying to climb up me. My whole torso was scratched. Another time a carried him out a ways and let him go and he just sank like a rock. I had to reach under the water, grab his collar, and lift him out. So now I don't bother trying to get him to swim. Like I said, he'll go in up to his chest or belly and if he's OK with that, then so am I. I've never had Zeke by any water. Not sure what he would do. well with a name like Brick I am not sure what you expected |
kerry wrote: CamVal1 wrote: Brick doesn't really like the water either. He'll walk into a lake up to his chest or belly and that's as far as he'll go. I guess he likes to have his paws on the ground. A few times a carried him out where he couldn't touch ground and he just totally panics. He'll start beating at the water with his front paws until he can get them to touch ground again. One time, as I was carrying him out, he got so scared he was clawing at me trying to climb up me. My whole torso was scratched. Another time a carried him out a ways and let him go and he just sank like a rock. I had to reach under the water, grab his collar, and lift him out. So now I don't bother trying to get him to swim. Like I said, he'll go in up to his chest or belly and if he's OK with that, then so am I. I've never had Zeke by any water. Not sure what he would do. well with a name like Brick I am not sure what you expected LOL - good one....scary thought. hate for him to live up to his name in this regard.... |
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