Monty can't swim!

G

Goya

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 July 2008
Messages
2,937
Location
Northamptonshire
Visit site
We took the dogs around the gravel pits yesterday so they could swim and cool off. Have discovered that Monty (BC with a full coat) seems to sink when he tries to swim.
He tried a couple of times, then he just paddled in the shallow bits, as if to say "I'll not try that again"!
I've never come across this before. Have any of you?
 
If he's really fluffy then the weight of a water logged coat can be quite a bit, they do eventually get it though!! The only dogs I have ever come across that genuinely can't swim are the deformed breeds - ones with such short stumpy legs they can't physically swim - my friend had a dashund and we put it in the pool to cool off while we were in it, if you let go and didn't fully support him he literally flipped upside down with it's legs waving in the air - funny I have to say to watch!!:D - but very sad at the same time!!!!:D
 
I had to teach one of my Irish Water Spaniels to swim :rolleyes:

I can't swim myself so used to carry her in as far as I could go , point her to the shore and let go , at first she tried climbing up me , giving me nasty scrapes but she got it eventually and became a wonderfully strong swimmer.

When I was getting her fit for field trials I used to swim her about a mile upstream in the river.

I presume you are talking about an adult dog that is reasonably fit, it seems to take them a while to learn to do the long strokes that really propel them . Do remember that they can't see where they are going very well when they are in the water until they learn to "thread water".

If he is a very narrow dog it won't be as easy for him ,my IWS that I had to teach was narrow for her breed but we had another IWS that had the correct big barrel and swam well from the beginning .
 
He is 3 years old (birthday last Friday) and does flyball, so is fit.
I wondered if it was his coat. He really is one of the "big" coated BCs.I have to spend hours grooming him.
I suppose it isn't really a big problem, it just fascinated me that he tries, but seems to sink!
 
My sister's old long haired GSD couldn't swim but she loved water - she would walk on her back legs with her head just above the water :D Looked very strange!
 
My bros jrt x couldn't swim, fell in a few times and sank. He panics and it looks like he's either trying to put his back feet down or climb up out of the water, lots of splashing and uncoordination. This year he's finally got it just practice and encouragement although not the strongest swimmer he will play fetch in the water
 
Honestly its not the coat, the IWS in full coat look like seaweed :D think of the the Newfoundlands they are all coat too.

you will just have to give him swimming lessons and lots of practice and one day he will just get it.
 
I'd take him to a proper swimming place, where he can be in a harness and encouraged along, or a horse pool and do similar, or buy a full wading suit and get in with him.
 
Thanks everyone for your ideas and thoughts. He does seem to love paddling but does need teaching obviously to swim. I always thought it was just natural for dogs and most animals. Just goes to show what you think you know and what you actually do know! (if you understand what I am trying to say)
 
My 10kg rough haired terrier is an appalling swimmer!!!!!


He is a real water baby but swims with his mouth open and his lower jaw under the water and chokes!!!! He's 13 now, but we have fished him out of the river many a time lol xx
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top