Golden Retriever Swimming Tips

The sooner in your Golden Retriever’s life that you expose him to water, the greater are the chances that he will learn to enjoy it. Find a gentle pond or stream away from road traffic. Take your dog off the leash and let him explore. Take a seat on the bank and discreetly watch your pup. Read a book or watch a bird. Appear to ignore him. Do not attempt to encourage or coax him into the water. Coaxing just makes an unsure puppy or dog suspicious. Spend half an hour allowing your dog to poke around and explore. Repeat this procedure as often as you can.

When your Golden Retriever starts to splash around on his own, praise him. Let your dog repeat this experience a dozen different times. When you have accomplished this, take out your dog’s tennis ball or another object that will float and that he enjoys retrieving. Throw it a few inches
into the water. Encourage him to get it, but do not force him. Use only your voice to motivate him.

If your dog is too nervous to get the object, you get it. After you have retrieved the ball, have your dog do a couple of land retrieves. This will build the dog’s enthusiasm and confidence. If he does retrieve the object from the water, praise him ecstatically. Using common sense, increase the distance of the retrieves. Take your time. This increased distance should develop slowly over a period of a few weeks.

When your Retriever first goes out over his head, be sure to praise him enthusiastically when he begins to swim. Two or three successful retrieves are plenty at first. Do not overdo it. Also, do not be concerned if his front feet splash out of the water at first. Most dogs do this.

If your dog’s feet-splashing technique of swimming seems to persist for a long time, try this: Get a small, somewhat heavy log that your dog can hold in his mouth. Use the log as his object to retrieve in the water. The weight of the log will cause the dog to swim with his front legs under the water. Chances are good that he will figure out he can move quicker and expend less energy swimming this way.

If your dog does not like to retrieve, the best method to teach swimming is for you to go into the water with him. Do not physically take the dog into the water with you. Wade in until you are about waist deep. With your voice and an object of attraction, invite your Golden Retriever into the water. If he is not secure enough to follow you, do not force the issue. Chances are good that after a dozen or so experiences, he will follow you in. When he does, praise him lavishly!