# Swimmers



## Maraty (Jan 11, 2010)

Hello all.. Have a question to put out there.. I have 4 dogs 3 of which are Pitbulls. I take them every where with me.. Even out on my boat. Ive always assumed (wrongly) that all dogs can swim.
All of my dogs wear floaters incase some thing happens.. 
Any one know how good of swimmers Pitbulls are? 


My 2 adults only go in chest deep, my pup will jump right off the dock but i make him come in right away.. He looks like he is swimming but barely keeps his head out of the water.. 


Let me know what you think.
ty


----------



## Tnnrx7 (Dec 27, 2009)

It's just like people, either they love the water or they don't. Either they are good swimmers, or not. I'm pretty sure any dog will have the natural instinct to doggy paddle, but some may give up earlier than others.


----------



## jmejiaa (Dec 8, 2009)

I'm also pretty sure all dogs will swim. My old pit was an excellent swimmer.


----------



## scparrish (Jan 8, 2010)

We had one that wouldnt but he was also terrified of the water but you never know till you try.


----------



## Gnarley44 (Jul 11, 2009)

I live 2 mins from the chesapeake bay and I cant keep my dogs off the water even in the winter when we go jogging at the beach they still get in. I bought them a kiddie pool this summer and my female laila just lays in it ll day if she could!


----------



## cEElint (Oct 6, 2009)

i've taken Daisy out to the river a few times.. she has a blast... takes off running and start plowing though water..


----------



## Maraty (Jan 11, 2010)

I know Bassets are suppose to not be able to swim. But ive never had one so i dont really know. I live way out in the woods next to a pond..
We spend all summer near the water on shore and in a boat.
However i dont allow my dogs near the water in the winter. Im sorry to say i lost a dog many years ago. My son fell in chest deep water and she ran in after him. They were both in the water for no more than 5min. But she didnt recover from it. Vet says her temp Went to low and they couldnt get it back up.
And i think my adult dogs feel that i dont like them out deep so they dont go past their chest. But the pup he will jump of the dock for what seems "just for fun". And runs circles around the older ones when they are on the dock. When he finally realizes they arnt going to jump. He gives up and goes in with out them.
So I pretty much know they (well the baby can swim). But i was thinking can all dogs swim.. 
I know people with more muscle tone have a harder time swimming. (but these arnt people)And since my dogs are on the go all the time. Carrying things. Pulling things and running around. I even taught them to help bring in wood. All though i believe they think they are bringing in many chew toys.(lol) I wonder if their muscle tone inhibits how well they can swim..


----------



## beccaboo (Dec 27, 2009)

lacey loves the water. swims way far out n stays out for a long time. we went out camping at some damn in the mountains this last summer and she tried getting all the sticks and logs outta the water  cleaning duty. haha. my big boy moose on the other hand- almost 70 pounds of muscle was a straight sinker. had to go in and get him out myself. poor boy looked so pitiful- got all the way out there by his lonesome and panicked when he couldn't touch  quick on my feet that day and suddenly this miserable swimmer was comin to the rescue. moral of the story- let em tell you themselves but be ready to go in after em


----------



## aimee235 (Apr 29, 2007)

Kamakazi used to love to swim out and get sticks for me but she barley kept her head out of the water and would go under for a sec when she turned around. Never seemed to bother her but I limited her water time because of it.


----------



## rednose504 (Jan 10, 2010)

evrey summer my apbt will swim for hours evrey week


----------



## Nizmo (Jan 15, 2009)

SADLY... nismo seriously doesnt know how to swim


----------



## Czar (Nov 11, 2009)

Hope I helped.


----------



## princess tanka (Sep 27, 2009)

im in aus so its our summer now. 
i started taking tanka for walks along the beach when she was 10 weeks so shes always been near the water.
i experienced a few things when actually taking her in. (shes 6 months now)
i tried crossing a little river that runs into the beach with her and she wouldnt have a bar of even walking across it as the current was coming at her side on, 
so i walked her out into the actual beach so she had the smal waves lapping on her, i did this a few days running then took her right out.
she swam for about 5 minutes and i think the little bugger relised it was hard work! so she got back to where she could put her paws back on the sand and was happy to jump around and be silly in about 30-40 cms of water.
this didnt stop me persisting with her to swim.
where we go walkies there is a fresh water creek that obvisouly varies in depth so i tried her there and she loves to swim in the creek! 
we still go to the beach but she only jumps around being silly in the water.

if you have a creek that is no more than 1 meter deep with rocks you can jump along, try that as your dogs will most likely follow you on the rocks a first and then relise they can beat you!

might not help but may be worth a shot!
ive only had tanka swimming for about 4 weeks but i am very happy with how she is going


----------



## gxkon (Jul 13, 2009)

i know for a fact not all dogs can swim.
my kilo used to hate water till i took her to the beach waded out chest deep and tossed her in she swam like a fish and loves it now only prob i have with her at the beach is drinking the water if yer pup jumps off the dock u might want to dock dive him its a fun sport for you and your dog


----------



## Maraty (Jan 11, 2010)

gxkon said:


> i know for a fact not all dogs can swim.
> my kilo used to hate water till i took her to the beach waded out chest deep and tossed her in she swam like a fish and loves it now only prob i have with her at the beach is drinking the water if yer pup jumps off the dock u might want to dock dive him its a fun sport for you and your dog


YA.. the little bugger looks like he is flying.. HE just runs at full speed and leaps on in. Then other times he just jumps off the end.

I never thought about that. Always trained my dogs to do things that helped me out.
Thanks for the idea.


----------



## gxkon (Jul 13, 2009)

Maraty said:


> YA.. the little bugger looks like he is flying.. HE just runs at full speed and leaps on in. Then other times he just jumps off the end.
> 
> I never thought about that. Always trained my dogs to do things that helped me out.
> Thanks for the idea.


dock diveing is the sh!t always good to go have fun and get wet with yer dog i wish i had a dock were i live so i could train kilo for it


----------

