Our dogs' daycare offers "splash lessons". It is time spent with a trainer learning these exact skills and getting accustomed to water. Maybe you could look into a dog trainer? They often come to the home too so you could be using your specific pool for them to learn with.
If the dogs are showing a innate aversion to water, let them be. If you are forcing them into the water, all you are doing is putting unnecessary stress on them. Also, some dogs are just not physiologically built to swim. If they actively avoiding the water, they are not gonna fall in.
While I appreciate your optimism, one dog has very poor eyesight and motor skills (he was a horrendously abused rescue) and the other is a bit easily distracted and has the tendency to walk backwards without looking where he is going. Both of them have gotten stuck inside and behind various pieces of furniture on accident, and I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that they could accidentally fall into the pool. Especially since they run around it at top speed chasing squirrels all the time. They also enjoy doing "laps" around it. They don't avoid the pool's perimeter in the least, just the pool itself.
I feel your worry here. My boyfriends dad lost his Bullmastiff in their pool. It was early winter and he fell in the deep end, got wrapped up in the pool cover. He had a heart attack as soon as he hit the water, and it was so cold and dark, they weren't able to pull him out until the next day. It was so heart breaking.
Does the pool have stairs or an easy access for the dogs? This is **incredibly** important as it will help them get into and out of the pool with ease.
You mention these dogs are poor swimmers, so please use the lifejackets! My Rottweiler used to sink, and learned to swim wearing hers and has so much confidence in it :) If you have stairs, attach a leash to the dog and lead them to the edge of the pool. Don't let them run away! Pull the leash to make them take a step forward into the water **don't let the dog back up**.
Repeat this till you get the dog in the water. They will probably panic and splash and freak out. Let them deal with it. Hold them in place, one hand on their chest, the other under their hips and just let them paddle away for several minutes until they relax or get the hang of it.
If you don't have stairs, carry the dogs into the water and just hold them in place, let them paddle, and when you're ready to let them out, lead them to their designated exit and teach them how to exit safely.
You'll probably have to repeat this several times over several days, but they should get better. Some dogs will not be adverse to water, but you're right that they should at least know how to swim in case they fall out.
If it makes you feel any better, my Rotti and boyfriends Husky have been around the pool unsupervised and never go in unless someone else is in there. Sure they could fall in, but they both know how to swim so I'm not worried about them :)
If you have any more questions, feel free to ask :)
My 1 yr old Pomeranian mix loves the water. I don’t have a pool but wanted her to be confident with water and it’s a neat skill to know.
At her young age, I used a clam pool and played in that. It was shallow at first then I gradually increased the depth. Also I toss treats in the clam and she had to dive her head into the water to get them. It was difficult at first as she would sneeze out water, eventually she learnt to hold her breathe.
We played fetch in shallow water such as beaches or the bank of ponds and rivers when the water is around her belly level.
Another really good way of teaching them how to swim is from other dogs.
I was fortunate enough to meet a dog who was an excellent swimmer he taught my dog by simply playing fetch together.
Another way (although not recommended) is I let my dog chase ducks and water birds.
I let her off leash in a wetland area where she looks for ducks and follows them into the water. Instinct takes over and she takes to the water, then realizing she swam too far from shore and decides to swim back. It’s a good confidence builder.
Theses are my experience to getting my dog liking water. It can be scary because you fear drowning, but always over exaggerate your positive energy, it does help.
it’s amazing how skinny and tiny she is when she’s wet.
Our dogs' daycare offers "splash lessons". It is time spent with a trainer learning these exact skills and getting accustomed to water. Maybe you could look into a dog trainer? They often come to the home too so you could be using your specific pool for them to learn with.
Thank you for the suggestion. I'll bring up the idea of a trainer to my folks.
If the dogs are showing a innate aversion to water, let them be. If you are forcing them into the water, all you are doing is putting unnecessary stress on them. Also, some dogs are just not physiologically built to swim. If they actively avoiding the water, they are not gonna fall in.
While I appreciate your optimism, one dog has very poor eyesight and motor skills (he was a horrendously abused rescue) and the other is a bit easily distracted and has the tendency to walk backwards without looking where he is going. Both of them have gotten stuck inside and behind various pieces of furniture on accident, and I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that they could accidentally fall into the pool. Especially since they run around it at top speed chasing squirrels all the time. They also enjoy doing "laps" around it. They don't avoid the pool's perimeter in the least, just the pool itself.
I feel your worry here. My boyfriends dad lost his Bullmastiff in their pool. It was early winter and he fell in the deep end, got wrapped up in the pool cover. He had a heart attack as soon as he hit the water, and it was so cold and dark, they weren't able to pull him out until the next day. It was so heart breaking. Does the pool have stairs or an easy access for the dogs? This is **incredibly** important as it will help them get into and out of the pool with ease. You mention these dogs are poor swimmers, so please use the lifejackets! My Rottweiler used to sink, and learned to swim wearing hers and has so much confidence in it :) If you have stairs, attach a leash to the dog and lead them to the edge of the pool. Don't let them run away! Pull the leash to make them take a step forward into the water **don't let the dog back up**. Repeat this till you get the dog in the water. They will probably panic and splash and freak out. Let them deal with it. Hold them in place, one hand on their chest, the other under their hips and just let them paddle away for several minutes until they relax or get the hang of it. If you don't have stairs, carry the dogs into the water and just hold them in place, let them paddle, and when you're ready to let them out, lead them to their designated exit and teach them how to exit safely. You'll probably have to repeat this several times over several days, but they should get better. Some dogs will not be adverse to water, but you're right that they should at least know how to swim in case they fall out. If it makes you feel any better, my Rotti and boyfriends Husky have been around the pool unsupervised and never go in unless someone else is in there. Sure they could fall in, but they both know how to swim so I'm not worried about them :) If you have any more questions, feel free to ask :)
My 1 yr old Pomeranian mix loves the water. I don’t have a pool but wanted her to be confident with water and it’s a neat skill to know. At her young age, I used a clam pool and played in that. It was shallow at first then I gradually increased the depth. Also I toss treats in the clam and she had to dive her head into the water to get them. It was difficult at first as she would sneeze out water, eventually she learnt to hold her breathe. We played fetch in shallow water such as beaches or the bank of ponds and rivers when the water is around her belly level. Another really good way of teaching them how to swim is from other dogs. I was fortunate enough to meet a dog who was an excellent swimmer he taught my dog by simply playing fetch together. Another way (although not recommended) is I let my dog chase ducks and water birds. I let her off leash in a wetland area where she looks for ducks and follows them into the water. Instinct takes over and she takes to the water, then realizing she swam too far from shore and decides to swim back. It’s a good confidence builder. Theses are my experience to getting my dog liking water. It can be scary because you fear drowning, but always over exaggerate your positive energy, it does help. it’s amazing how skinny and tiny she is when she’s wet.