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Pupforum presents your training questions answered by professional dog trainers.
Jennifer Shryock is a certified dog behavior consultant, who specializes in helping families keep things safe and fun between children and the family dog/s. She has a duo bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Elementary Education from Kutztown University. She combined her passion for working with families, children and dogs into a career in dog behavior, and founded Family Paws in 2002. She developed Dogs & Storks™, an original and complete program for new and expecting parents (and grandparents) who have a family dog.
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[Edit]
9/8/2005
Our male Portuguese Water Dog is 4 1/2 mos. old. We have tried introducing him to the swimming pool 3 times, and while he can swim, he is unbelievably afraid of the water. We live in Dallas (so no beaches nearby) and would appreciate any tips on training or any names of trainers who will teach swimming techniques. Thanks. (nd239, Texas)
Hello and thank you for inquiring!
Here are several resources that you might find helpful.
http://www.pwdca.org/Puppy_Pkt/Puppy_Pkt.html#guide, www.apdt.com and www.iaabc.org.
As for the reluctance to get in the water, here are some suggestions.
- Make it a game. Use a ball or toy he likes and toss it in the pool or have two people play keep away by throwing it back and forth to one another and encouraging him to join in.
- Get in touch with others (maybe local breed club) and allow him to soc
ialize and play with other dogs that enjoy water fun.
- Do not focus on this as a MUST behavior. Sometimes if we push too hard it makes it too stressful.
- Keep exposing and offering opportunities to play and have fun in the pool. Games are the way along with playing with doggie friends.
Calm exposure and praise for wanted behavior usually helps ease the concerns in this type of situation. Be mindful of what he is reacting too. Is it splashing, reflections off the water, or just the sensation of wetness? It also could be the smells of chemicals that keep him at bay. All of these ideas need to be considered to help him become familiar. I bet it is just a bit of uncertainty and with time, patience and continued exposure he will become an enthusiastic swimmer.
If you have trails or an area with a lake or stream for him to frolic in that might be a good idea too. Mix up the water opportunities and experiences he has.
I hope this is helpful. The most important thing is to have fun and be patient!
Happy swimming!
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