Does your dog love water?

Yay! Summer is back and we’re having tons and tons of water fun again. Zara is one big water obsessed pup! She absolutely loves any water, be it the pool, the sprinkler, the bath or shower-with us in it! She loves nothing more than getting her fur soaked and having a bit of fun.

When we got Zara there were two things I insisted on, one was proper puppy training which she still does two years later. And the second was she would not be scared of water. Our perseverance paid off, and now she is a total water baby.

Not all doggo’s love water, Oscar was one of them! He hated having a bath even though I bathed him from a tiny pup. I would also take him into the pool and hold him tight so he could get used to it but he absolutely hated it and that never changed. He would sit and watch from a distance as Zara would behave like a complete loon with the sprinkler. He would watch her swim in the pool while he lay on a beach towel soaking up the sun instead. She would try and get him to join her but he was having none of it-haha!!

If your pup hates water but you would like to try and get him used to it here are some simple tips for you to try, but remember do not push your pup too hard. It could have the total opposite effect, so tread carefully….

Start small

Fill a kidies pool with a small amount of water to start off with and gently encourage your pup to climb in. Reward them with a treat and or some praise for any interest in the pool he might have. Never splash the water at your pup or make loud demonstrative moves. The aim is to show your pooch there is nothing to fear here. As your pooch gets more comfortable you can fill the pool with more and more water.

Make it fun

Make water fun by adding in his favourite toys. Because Zara is so food driven, I added chopped up apple pieces to Zara’s little pool. They were floating treats teasing her as they moved around. She soon got the idea that she would have to put her head in slightly to get the treat. She learnt and its because of that, that she now submerges her whole head to get a pool toy! She has even learnt to blow bubbles through her nose so the water doesn’t go in. One clever pup I tell you 🙂

Moving to a bigger pool

Once your pup is comfortable playing around and splashing in a small amount of water, it’s time to move them up to a bigger pool or lake. If your pup cannot stand comfortably in your pool then it’s a very good idea to invest in a doggy life jacket! (Click here to shop) Our pool is a steel structure and canvas pool so luckily Zara is able to stand in it. Gently bring your pup into the water and continually praise him for being so brave. Encourage him to swim, with you right beside him holding his under belly. Show him that swimming can be fun. Slowly build up his confidence as you did with the small pool.

Swim together

Once your pup is totally confident you can both enjoy swimming together. You can swim out and ask him to come to you or even throw his favourite toy or ball and ask him to bring it back for you. It’s important to continue to praise your pooch for doing so well. The more you praise and make swimming fun, the easier he will understand that it’s not that scary after all.

When it comes to swimming, your pups safety should be your top priority. Never push your pup too hard. Keep the lessons short and sweet, any progress is great progress. Take breaks and keep it fun. Our pups love having fun with us. Never leave your pooch unattended near the water, no matter how well they’re doing. Your pooch can panic if left in the water and you leave his sight.