Teaching your dog to swim isn't all that complicated if you use a little common sense. Is it even necessary to teach a dog to swim? Not really. What you're really teaching him is that the water is nothing to fear. He will handle the swimming part all on his own.
There are two things you can do that will permanently turn your dog off to any kind of water play. If you want your dog to fear the water, carry him in to the water and plunk him down. He'll swim toward shore and prefer that you didn't come get him again. Pulling your dog into the water against his will is another good way to ensure that games on the beach are played without your dog. If he is giving you signals that he isn't ready to go in, then by all means why would forcing him make him change his mind?
Water activities can be a lot of fun with a dog that enjoys the water, the beach, and playtime that is especially set aside for romping as such. Teaching him the joys of water play is done best with two people if possible. You can have one person standing in the water to encourage him to walk in on his own. The person standing on the beach with the dog is there to help him stay calm and prevent him from running off.
Don't go in too far. Let him get used to the idea of getting his feet wet, especially if he is showing signs of hesitation. He might not swim the first time you introduce him to the water. But if you can get him to splash around a bit, chase a ball in ankle deep water, and run with you in the shallows you are doing it right. The more fun he has while he is experiencing the water the faster he will take to it and the faster he will learn that he doesn't have to be fearful.
A word of caution. Once your dog gets it he may not understand that the shoreline equals safety. Never swim with a dog if the water is past your chest. They can accidentally drown you by trying to crawl up on you. Keep your dog on a long leash in case he starts to swim a marathon in the wrong direction. He may not realize that he is swimming away from safety and out toward thousands of miles of ocean. Make sure your recall with him is good, especially if he's the type to swim after jumping fish, gulls, or pelicans. Keep him away from bottle nosed dolphins. Use common sense and naturally, follow the beach rules when it comes to when your dog can engage in fun times.
There are two things you can do that will permanently turn your dog off to any kind of water play. If you want your dog to fear the water, carry him in to the water and plunk him down. He'll swim toward shore and prefer that you didn't come get him again. Pulling your dog into the water against his will is another good way to ensure that games on the beach are played without your dog. If he is giving you signals that he isn't ready to go in, then by all means why would forcing him make him change his mind?
Water activities can be a lot of fun with a dog that enjoys the water, the beach, and playtime that is especially set aside for romping as such. Teaching him the joys of water play is done best with two people if possible. You can have one person standing in the water to encourage him to walk in on his own. The person standing on the beach with the dog is there to help him stay calm and prevent him from running off.
Don't go in too far. Let him get used to the idea of getting his feet wet, especially if he is showing signs of hesitation. He might not swim the first time you introduce him to the water. But if you can get him to splash around a bit, chase a ball in ankle deep water, and run with you in the shallows you are doing it right. The more fun he has while he is experiencing the water the faster he will take to it and the faster he will learn that he doesn't have to be fearful.
A word of caution. Once your dog gets it he may not understand that the shoreline equals safety. Never swim with a dog if the water is past your chest. They can accidentally drown you by trying to crawl up on you. Keep your dog on a long leash in case he starts to swim a marathon in the wrong direction. He may not realize that he is swimming away from safety and out toward thousands of miles of ocean. Make sure your recall with him is good, especially if he's the type to swim after jumping fish, gulls, or pelicans. Keep him away from bottle nosed dolphins. Use common sense and naturally, follow the beach rules when it comes to when your dog can engage in fun times.