[Bodhers]

My 1 year old male has only been to the river twice and only stood in the shallow area. Today, I took him to a saltwater pool and had a life vest on him. He just won't get in. I want to teach him to swim so we can go swimming this summer at the lake and pool but it's so difficult to even get him in the water. I threw his favorite toys in but that didn't work.
how did you get your dog to jump in the pool?

 

[Apex1]

I started with a lake. Threw a toy inches into the water enough to get his feet wet. As he got comfortable went a bit farther and farther. Then the whole family went in the water and dog decided he must follow. Next to his nose swimming is his favorite.

 

[Carter Smith]

Jump in yourself, find a toy they like bring it with you.. if they seem interested but are just hesitant, put a lead on and get on with it bring them in. Both my dogs were weary of water, no I can’t get them out

 

[peachygeorgia]

Same as Apex, Charlie loves toys, so I took him to shallow creeks and streams first, tossing toys in further and further til he would go grab them and the water was all the way up to his chest. Then one day I just took him to small pool in the creek, just deep enough for him to swim, and tossed a bumper in, he took to it no problem, although he did have to realize you still have to paddle after you grab the toy🤣 with time he's gotten better and better and now it's his favorite

 

[Rabidwolfie]

When Sutter Cain was a few months old, I used popcorn chicken for treats. Then I waded out into water too deep for his feet to touch and made him swim to me for his treats. He doesn't like to go deeper if he can help it, but he can. Unfortunatly we lost access to the water while he was still young so I haven't been able to train him more than those two or three days. But he wades just fine.

 

[ksotto333]

Becca really enjoyed the shallow part of the pond, but freaked about swimming last year. She is just over 1.5 years old this summer and luring her out into the deep part when we were on floats was so much easier. She loves it now. Maybe as he gets a bit older he'll learn to love. Try a lifejacket, it may give him confidence.

 

[NadDog24]

I actually didn’t teach Nads how to swim, a golden retriever puppy did. They had a play date when they were both around 10-12 weeks old. He taught her how to play in the water and now she loves it.

 

[Emilia C]

I chucked a chuck it ball on a rope into the beginning of the ocean water line to make it a fun game also I went into the ocean myself to show it is safe and swam around also she had a life jacket on the first time, but after 3 visits to the beach and having the chuck it ball on a rope going into the ocean our gsd is more calm now she has fun with the water but I think she enjoys digging the sand more instead of swimming in the ocean. We actually wanted to take her to a special puppy designed swimming pool school to teach her to swim but due to covid lockdown restrictions in Australia the puppy pool wasn’t allowed to operate puppy swim classes only work on dogs that needed rehab. So if you have a proper dog classes swimming pool in your area that’s a good starting point. Also just make it a fun game and show yours safe in the water by swimming as well build that relationship and trust with your gsd make it fun you’ll be fine. I say don’t force the gsd into the water I keep thinking of a poor gsd made to swim for a movie breaks my heart to watch this video and no one from that movie production helped that poor gsd 'A DOG'S PURPOSE' TERRIFIED GERMAN SHEPHERD FORCED INTO TURBULENT WATER

 

[Sunflowers]

Got another dog to show him 😄

 

[Galathiel]

For future reference, start young if it's important to you. They never forget.

 

[Bodhers]

I started with a lake. Threw a toy inches into the water enough to get his feet wet. As he got comfortable went a bit farther and farther. Then the whole family went in the water and dog decided he must follow. Next to his nose swimming is his favorite.

I'm thinking that's the best way for now since he's okay with getting his paws wet at the river. Thanks!

 

[Hopps]

A family friend of mine got their GSD to swim by competing with their lab. They have a big pond in their yard and now their GSD is a seeking missile if any toys get into the lake. It ruined any drive to swim for the lab though!

 

[Magwart]

Got another dog to show him 😄

THIS. Dogs are way better teachers for each other with this kind of skill than we could ever hope to be.

FOMO is a powerful motivator for dogs. They really don't want to be left out when the other dogs are having fun fetching a ball in the water. When you combine dog FOMO and fetch with a ball-crazy dog, they'll learn to swim by mimickry effortlessly, and they'll have fun doing it.

 

[WNGD]

I've said this before but most GSD I've known are either really into the water or not at all. Don't force it and also, be careful what you wish for. I had a female that knew exactly when it was 1/2 to be leaving the lake and would always go for a swim. Wet dog smell in the car of three hours is beautiful......

 

[ldmpku]

My dog is like “you jump I jump”. Does she enjoy water? Not really

 

[RosiesPaw]

we started going to the ocean and creeks for some of our first post vaccine outings. just walking around near the water, not forcing anything. eventually started crossing shallow creeks and checking out tide pools that she could jump around in. Summer came and we took her to the River to walk along the rushing current for exposure and pouncing at shoreside water. Last weekend, with the river being warm enough to swim in, I just walked through deep enough places with her on the lead and encouraged her to follow. she didn't try to pull away and followed me, eventually swimming.

 

[Jenny720]

It helped that both dogs watched us enjoy the water and they followed suit. Dogs are natural swimmers. I had long leads on them on their first few swims just in case they were to venture to far away.

Both winter pups they visited the water when the weather was warmer. Max took to the ocean right away following me as I walked through the surf. He had his zoomies and would run along the shore in to the surf. He loved/loves racing with the waves crashing along the shore. He took to the water very naturally no coaxing. I took Max to the bay where the water is calmer though to see if he liked to swim before having swim in the ocean. He loved it . I had a life jacket but never used it. Max just followed myself and son in the water no coaxing needed. Then we played fetch. I did have a long line on his first few swims. When I saw Max was a strong swimmer in calmer water. I let him swim in the ocean when I saw he was a good swimmer and was very comfortable where he loved to play fetch. Some first beach visits to ocean and bay water pictures

I took Luna first to the ocean with Max where they would run along the shore. Luna a bit leery of the waves and still is. Her first swim was at the bay when the bay was calm and smooth as glass was the day she followed me and my daughter in the water after some coaxing. She loves to swim she will go right in and swim around like a fish. It very enjoyable to see her enjoy the water as much as she does I do think she is part dolphin. She watches the kids in the water likes to keep watch.

 

[Bearshandler]

Bear took a while to warm up to it. He would play with other dogs on the shore. Eventually he followed me out one day. Cion I just threw a ball out into the ocean and he went right out to get it.