Teaching Pup to Swim Like An Otter

[AlaskaHunter]

I've had 8 labs over the years, and with some their first attempts at swimming are not pretty.
Usually pup planes out returning with a bumper, but my latest pup thrashed like an egg-beater
with head high, bottom down, and inefficient thrashing with front paws.

I found the quickest way to teach pup to swim like an otter instead of thrashing like an egg-beater
is to put on a pair of waders for a puppy walk in warm lunging water.

First, I use an aquarium thermometer to make sure the water temperature is in the 70s.
Then keeping it simple by wading with pup on a puppy walk where 80% lunging water with occasional short swims.
I like this approach because no retrieves so pup is likely to be more relaxed, less excited and lots of reps in a 20 minute walk in warm shallow water where pup will discover the transition from egg-beater to otter swimming mode.
Also a solo puppy walk is shallow water with no big dog to chase she is likely to be more relaxed.
Typically too excited an pup is an egg-beater, once they relax and have many repetitions from lunging to swimming water,
they quickly learn to swim like an otter.

Once pup has learned to swim like an otter, then we start water retrieves.

 

[millerkiller77]

I like to let them follow on a loose leash while I walk the shoreline or river bank. It's only a matter of time before they realize they are adept in both . Except Weimeriners, they will drown themselves in excitement and panic . I miss my labs, they are the true definition of man's best friend

 

[Akcabin]

We have had chessapeaks that would totally embarass me. First one was from a neighbor that moved. Gave me the dog n warned, if you take him swimming he's going to embarass you. He has right. Finally one evening after work me n beautiful wife take him swimming. Dog smelled the water n gone. Straight out, like trying to break ice. After a few minutes my beautiful wife is demanding to go get the dog. I remind her it's a chessy, she's my wife. I get my work boots off n wade into 34 degree water. Yeah ha. Oby finally calms and returns on plane. And the same exact thing with the next one. Chessapeaks.
Well papa learns. Now it's up to our daughter to be the one. She bought this puppy from the states unseen. She wanted a chessys just like she grew up with for her son to grow with.
And I get all the fun. And now retired so have lots of fun with Ruby. I've had great nosed chessapeaks. This dog outperforms and amazes me. I can have her mouth a 4" piece of wood stick n throw it into 4' deep snow. With a blind throw. She will do a few general nosing n look at me . I will point her no sounds. This dog won't quit and it easily 97 percent. In the summer much better.
I hope that wasn't out of line. But I love this dogs performance. Because she wants to. And there's not much better in the world than watching a good dog on the hunt period. Hey thanks for the memories hunter

 

[Funkman]

I raise GSP's and waterfowl hunt with them. I've noticed that while my line all love to swim, not all are as graceful. I'm convinced there is a genetic component.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I raise GSP's and waterfowl hunt with them. I've noticed that while my line all love to swim, not all are as graceful. I'm convinced there is a genetic component.

I had a little lab that was the slowest swimmer of all the labs I owned.
Below water she was churning fast, above water moving slow.
Her webbed feet were tiny...

I have 2 fast swimmers now, a 7-year old and the 7-month pup,
the 7-year old is just a tad faster than pup.

 

[Mallardsx2]

I almost shit myself when my 12 week old female lab puppy jumped in my pond (in March) and swam the whole way across…… it’s 50 yards across the pond…she has never seen water before.


I’ve never seen anything like it and I’ve owned dogs for 38 years lol to say I was freaking out would be the understatement of 2023…. She got out of the pond wagging her tail and proud as hell….


After I collected my thoughts I thought back to what my grandad told me about people…and I guess it applies to dogs.

Some got it, and some never will. Lol

 

[Smtn10pt]

I raised a litter of lab pups 4 years ago from my own dogs. I had all of them swimming before I sent them to their new owners. I would just take them to a gently sloping pond and walk out in the water, they would naturally follow me. They all seemed to take to swimming very quickly.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Pup is now 7 months old. I like water for teaching doubles because pup can clearly see both bumpers,
splash marks are exciting and it helps build drive on that "memory mark".