Newf to the Rescue or Drowning Victim

[Highlife]

Hi Everyone,
Travis is now 15 months and we just opened our pool. The minute the cover came off he wanted to go in and swim. The problem is that he wants to swim on top of you and not next to you. Eventhough his nails are clipped that do manage to leave nice welts behind when he hits you with his paws in the water. I was wondering if you can share some advice on how to get your newf to swim alongside you and not on top of you. I have heard that people teach there dogs the command "Turn" but I am not sure how to do it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated in this long hot summer.
thanks

 

[pjcarbone]

If needed you can get a life vest for Travis, if not needed forget it. Keep his leash on & stand on the outside of the pool have him swim next to the edge with you walking next to him, when you come to the end lead him around tell him turn.
Penny has HD & swimming is rehab. & fun.

 

[Ivoryudx]

First you need to teach him to go around on land, and to heel on land. Then add your arms movement like you are swimming on land, so he gets used to those large motions. Then take it to the water, using the same training reminders and commands.

When he approaches you by swimming out to you, take your right hand, grab his collar and tell him to go around, as you turn in a full circle to your right, ending by sending him back to the direction he came with someone waiting there for a cookie. Once he learns that he can go around you and go get a cookie, you can grab a hold of the hair on his hips (without pushing down) and let him pull you back to get his cookie.

 

[2Paws]

Good suggestions here. We have an inground pool too which we share with the dogs on a regular basis.

Benson was horrified the first time he saw me in the water. He felt like he had to rescue me by swimming on top of me and leaving claw marks and bruises. I tried lots of things and finally what worked is having a bumper with me and holding it out away from my body while swimming. He would hang on to the bumper and calmly swim next to me. I also found using the "Off" command helped whenever he tried to swim on top of me.

Glory responded well to the tips given previously but Benson really needed the addition of having something he could hang on to. Don't know what Henry will do yet but we should find out this week. Pool will be opened by the end of the week. Yippee!

 

[Highlife]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will give it a try this weekend. He has no problem swimming and staying afloat so he doesn't need a vest. I guess I just need 2 people in the pool to train him properly.

 

[N2N Mags Dad]

Ours climb on us, too.

Am always ready with the underwater forearm check to the chest.

Have done some retrieve, circle, treat training on land and in water to help. Similar in method to what Ivorydx suggested to start, using their momentum to advantage as they approach.

The Adler book on water training is full of training methods, you might like it.

Not sure they will ever swim alongside. We go out, call to the newfs to swim to us, circle, and grab onto their fur and get towed back to shore or boat.

[ 05-31-2007, 09:03 PM: Message edited by: N2N Mags Dad ]

 

[Highlife]

OK. Tried some suggestions with success but did notice that he does get panicky when he first jumps in the pool. Also, that his back end sinks after swimming for awhile. I think that I will try a life vest for Travis. Can anyone recommend a company that sells newf size vests?
Thanks

 

[Yogi & Cordelia's Erin]

I use a variant of "turn" with Cordy. It's "Back to Shore." She understands Shore is the land, and it works like a charm for her.

When she was young and I was teaching it to her, I would do my best to get some leverage out in the water and turn her back towards me first, before calling it. She seems to have put it all together. Once we latch onto her, that's all it takes, she knows what to do.

Please keep in mind that I am NOT a trainer, and I do not show, or go to get my dogs certified. This is just one average regular family owner's solution.

We've never done pool swimming (other than one night when she went in after we moved and had opened the pool at this new house) ... so I'm not sure I have any advice for that.

 

[2Paws]

If he is jumping into the pool, his panic might be coming from getting his face wet. Benson has a little panic attack when he jumps off the boat while we are training but quickly gets over it. Do you have steps that go into your pool? I have taught mine to use the steps when they enter the pool.

As Travis builds up his muscles you may notice his back end staying up better. I used a life jacket on Glory at first because she wouldn't use her back legs. As she learned, I used the jacket less and less but these jackets are great to have around. I'll be doing RDX work with Benson this summer and plan on using the jacket while we work on stanima. I'll also use it on Henry to help him learn to use his back legs more. His rear really sinks when he's swimming.

I bought the K-9 float coat. Here is their website Ruff Wear Site

They are a bit more expensive than other jackets but they are long enough for a newfie's body. You want the length to hold up the rear. Other people have used ski belts for life jackets and have had great success with that as well.

 

[luvxl k 9]

We have the life jackets for our boys as well and also had that problem. We solved it by teaching them to go around us whenever after receiving the bumper. One person can do this easily. Just stand on the opposite side of the pool with the bumper, when he grabs the bumper in his mouth, steer him around behind you while saying 'around' then when he is back on his way to 'land' or wherever he goes afterwards, we would even grab a hold and let them 'save' us. Hope this helps.