The Dogs Bone

If you're looking for a great exercise for your pooch, then teaching your dog swimming is a fantastic option. Not only is it enjoyable for you both to be out at the beach, or in the pool. But like humans, it will work the heart and the lungs, as well as all of the dog's muscles.

Being in the water is a very supportive environment, and this is especially good for larger dogs who are prone to hip dysplasia. Swimming will not stress your dog's hips or shoulders. And this also makes it an excellent choice of exercise for puppies who are still developing.

Most dogs can learn to swim. The main exceptions are breeds like the bulldog, with their broad torso and short legs. Dogs really need longer legs to swim with to support a torso that size. And it can affect their ability to breathe in the water. Other breeds that may find swimming difficult are dachshunds and basset hounds, though they can still swim and enjoy it.

It's important to introduce your dog swimming properly. Just throwing your dog in is something you must avoid. It creates a sense of panic, a need for survival, that mars the experience as not so enjoyable. How would we feel in that same scenario?

These tips to introduce your dog to swimming should help make the whole experience a success.

* Find a pool or pond that isn't rough, and preferably with few other people around.  Let your dog explore the area first and get his bearings, whilst you watch from a distance, without interfering. Let him explore his curiosity with the water, and don't try and coax him into it.

* When your dog starts to enter the water and splash around in the shallows, praise him with enthusiasm. By praising him you let him know it's safe to enter the water. Make sure the area you choose has a shallow entry point and doesn't drop off suddenly. Praise your dog about 12 to 15 times.

* When your dog seems comfortable in the water, throw a ball slightly deeper into the pond for him to fetch. Don't throw it too deep however, and this is where it helps not to have a sudden drop off point. When your dog starts to get into water that is a little over his head, start to praise him loudly. He'll start to tread water. When he fetches the ball, praise him loudly again. Repeat this process about 12 to 15 times.

* Use this basic procedure and repeat, but each time throw the ball out a little further. When you reach a new distance, keep him practising at that distance for 12 to 15 times, as above. This will help build his confidence in the water in a fun and non-threatening way. And don't throw the ball out too much farther each time. You want to keep things safe for your dog. He is after all learning to swim, and will be in the water over his head.