Non swimming newfs?

[Bsmiz]

Do most newfs know how to swim instinctively, or do they have to be taught? ARe there newfs who can't swim?

Today Quinn went in a pond a bit deeper than he normally dares. He looked like he was going to go under but he somehow managed to pull himself up and out. I thought I was going to have to go in a rescue him!

He's had lots of water exposure from a young age, but since we got him in November we haven't yet been able to get in the water with him. He normally goes in just deep enough for the water to touch his belly.

I'd like him to swim...I think! How do we teach him?

Pardon if this question has been asked a million times already.

 

[NewfK9]

Our female newf was just a puppy the first time she saw the river, a very slow moving river, he big brother went in and started to swim, it appeared to her that he was just walking, so thats what she did! Underwater she went, head to the left head to the right, bubbles break the surface and so does she! She figured it out that weekend but never really was a swimmer after that, Morgan would fetch the stick in the water and when he was about her comfort level, she would swim out, take the stick from him and return to us with that gleam in her eye, 'see what I taught him!'
I taught my sisters Lab to swim, just walked him on leash in the shallow water, then moved out till his belly was wet,then a little further so his feet could not touch, had to hold his hindquarters up a bit so he wouldn't tip toe, then we swam together, pushing him away gently when he thought about using me as a resting floatation device, took a couple of days at the beach but after that he was confident. Good Luck, all dogs swim naturally, some just to keep from drowning, it is a level of confidence you need to instill in them and the rules about not swimming on top of you! LOL

 

[Wash]

Wash was just an instinctive swimmer I guess. First time he saw water he was in without any prodding.

 

[mrs big dogs]

I have been trying for 3 years to get Bentley to swim, he will venture into his chest than back out, I will try one more year to teach him to swim, we know he can because we kinda surprised him last year by taking him into the deep water and he did swim but got back to shore as fast as he could,he does like to pull the cart tho and Belle will swim but not go near the cart, I guess they are all so different.

 

[newfy]

Merlin was never really a swimmer but when he saw Mickey swimming like a fish, he went in & tried it; Tiki was a fish from day one, Merlin just goes in to have fun with both of them, or he would not go in; If they see the other dogs having fun, they will be more likely to go in, especially in the deeper water to swim.

 

[bria]

I guess baby pools are very different from a lake. My guys have never seen a lake but I was at a client's house who has an in ground pool and Sherman went in (though I don't think on purpose and he was only 6 months old) well my Bria went right in after him to get him (the amazing big momma that she is). Yet when I filled a very large baby pool in my yard Sherman was terrified of it and Bria thought it was a huge drinking bowl. She would stand in it but only to drink the water.

I am trying to decide what sort of pool to get for them this summer if anyone has any suggestions. My backyard is not all that wide but it is very long.

Susan

 

[new_2_newf]

I don't think Sulley knows how to swim (yet). That will be a project for this summer. He plays in the shallow water, and might get up to his belly on his own, but he'll need some persuasion from me to go in farther. It is a touch chilly for human swimming just yet

 

[JackandKelly]

Lola spent the first summer she was here in the water several times a day every day, but only to wade unless I went in with her and coaxed her with treats. Swimming was not something she did on her own. She was like that right up until the lake froze in January.
This year when the lake thawed in March she was still wading, then in April all of the sudden she is swimming like a fish. She still wants to go in the water several times a day, but instead of wading she loves to swim. It's like someone flipped a switch this spring that made her like swimming. She was about 14 months old when this happened.

 

[america1982]

My BooBoo loves water anything that looks, moves ar closely resembles water an if he can fit into it he wil not hesatate and dive in Yogi on teh otehr hand ... will just look dip one front paw ....yes just one an will look at me like saying ok i got wet ... :banghead:

 

[newfam]

We got 1 of each. Typhoon just jumped in and started to swim naturally. Tsunami on the other hand is one of those, "My belly is far enough, Dad!" He loves the water, but doesn't like to go where his feet can't touch.

 

[4ondafloor]

Pae is a water nut. Has been from day one when she first discovered we had the lake on one end and the river on the other. Along came Sydney who is my Hangashore. He goes up to his belly and that's as far as he goes. It doesn't matter who or what is in the water. He is content to hang on the shore and bark orders.
Enter Gojie who instinctively follows Pae wherever she goes in the water. Those two compete for the same bumpers regardless. I could throw ten different bumpers and they want the same one.
Some newfs simply aren't interested in swimming. Sydney is one of them. I don't know who coined the term Hangashore Newf but that's my Syd up one side and down the other.

 

[Murphy]

Murphy can swim.. He goes in Nana's pool and likes to fetch toys. But last year he was not that keen and had to be coaxed. I would like him to swim though for his legs. :uhoh2:

However I would never force a dog to go in the water.

 

[new_2_newf]

No, I don't want to make him afraid by forcing him, but I think he'll come in deeper if he has his leash on and I have some cheese with me. He is very leash aware and loves his cheese. that how we learned to get into the back seat of the car....some gentle insistence with the leash and treats with lots and lots of pets when he did get in.

 

[Brody the Newf]

Brody loves water but he's mostly a wader.

 

[NinaA]

No dog instinctively knows how to swim, but some learn more easily than others. One thing that gets them started easier is to see people in the water. That's all it took for Echo to go right into our pool and start rescuing - the rescuing is instinctive. Moonlight, on the other hand, does not like the pool, even with people. We has to be sure she could swim (it only takes a minute or two for them to learn) because of the pool, though, and she still does not volunteer to go in. She would go right into natural water, though. So, it just depends on the dog.

 

[NewfieMama]

I have been trying for 3 years to get Bentley to swim, he will venture into his chest than back out, I will try one more year to teach him to swim, we know he can because we kinda surprised him last year by taking him into the deep water and he did swim but got back to shore as fast as he could,.

This is Cooper. He followed his Newf buddy Osa into the water last summer, once, went right in over his head and then right back out again. After that, with coaxing, he'll go almost to his belly but that's all. Hoping to try again this summer, see if he'll give it another try.


Mary

 

[Sully]

I haven't gotten Sully into deep enough water yet for swimming either. He LOVES the water though. He goes crazy for his kiddie pool in the yard, and I learned the hard way that if I am walking him down the ravine where the creek is, that he needs to be on leash :uhoh2: If he is off leash he takes off splashing into the water the second he sees it and I have to coax him out.(it is only deep up to his belly) We have a cottage up North right on Georgian Bay so we are hoping once we make it up there, hopefully in a few weeks after we settle in our new house as we move next week, that he will teach hismelf to swim by just running in and keep going to where it is deep. If not, then we will go in with him, perhaps once it is a tad warmer

We do have a Newf next door at the cottage as well, and he HATES the water. I have seen him go in the water only once, and it was only because the entire family, parents, 3 kids and their golden retreiver who spends his entire day in the lake, were swimming out across the Bay. He took off after them, as soon as he got to them, he headed straight back for land haha!

 

[Bsmiz]

Thanks all. I am thinking that once we can get in and swim with him Quinn will warm up to it. He loves water in general so hopefully he will one day love swimming.

 

[newflizzie]

Liz will be going to her first lake in 2 weeks. I can't wait to see what happens - she does love her kiddie pools, but she comes from a long line of swimmers and I so hope she wants to continue the tradition!

 

[Murphy]

I wish we had a suitable lake nearby where that he could walk into as opposed to going up and down stairs. I think that would make a difference.