In a kiddie pool or in a lake? In a kiddie pool I'd think you can do that early on. With a lake I'm not sure of...
Does it matter at what age to introduce the pup to swimming?
In a kiddie pool or in a lake? In a kiddie pool I'd think you can do that early on. With a lake I'm not sure of...
You will get many opinions on this. As long as you do it in a safe manner for the pup, I don''t believe age matters. The youngest I've ever let a pup intro'd a pup to water was 16 weeks. And he took to water like a fish.
Bacon was in the water at 8 weeks, and it has been hard to keep him out ever since!
Last edited by BaconsMom; 05-22-2014 at 08:23 AM.
Just don't force them into it. A kiddie pool is a great place to get the accustomed to the water at a young age.
Thor has a kiddie pool that he loves to step into, but it only gets about 6 inches deep. We can't get him to sit or lay down in it (just asking/using commands - it's the only time he won't sit!), but he has no problem sticking his whole head under water to go after a sunken soggy treat! He loves to blow bubbles.
We'll have him (19 weeks old) near lakes for the first time this weekend and I think we'll see how he does. I think in a lake scenario where he can jump in after toys he'll have no problem getting himself all wet!
I started with a kiddy pool at 8 weeks, and a lake at 12 weeks once fully immunised. Now he won't stay away from it!
I got Opie a little older, (about 4 mos) at the lake. He followed me right in, never hesitating once and has been an Opie-dopie swimming puppy fool ever since.
Yep, just don't force them. To give a different experience, Archie did NOT like swimming at first. Would happily bounce in and out of his kiddie pool, but didn't swim until he was almost a year old. having his feet not touch bottom really seemed to upset him. He loves it now. Just be patient, and be safe
Laura, Archie & Quinn
Hidden Content
Not a Member of the Labrador Retriever Chat Forums Yet? | |
|
|