What Breed of Dog Do I Want: A Swimming Dog?

Did you know that over 60% of all households in the United States have a pet and that over 75 million dogs are living in one of those houses?[404] If you are not lucky enough to be a family member in one of those homes and are seriously considering about getting a dog as a pet, then have you asked yourself: What Breed of Dog Do I Want? Money shouldn’t be a problem since according to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), about 65% of dog owners acquire them for free or very low cost; the problem you will find is that making the final decision will be extremely difficult - there are more than 150 recognized breed of dogs and all of them are cute.

 

Have you ever thought about getting a swimming dog? In reality all dogs are able to swim but some have a natural instinct and ability to be around water; while others need to be taught. Either way, swimming is an excellent exercise for you and your dog; it can be practiced by any person regardless of their age and will bring innumerable health benefits for you and the health of your dog; swimming also helps to boots their confidence and reduce behavior problems such as excessive barking, hyperactivity and scratches on your furniture.

A beach vacation is usually a dream for many children and an activity that adults love so why don’t you take your dog with you next time? If you live in a country where the weather allows you to do regular trips or even better, if you live by the beach, go for a swim and take your dog with you, enjoy the wonders of the sea and run along the edge of the beach, dig in the sand looking for crabs and shells; even if you just want to lay by the beach, you can always leave your children play with the dog; it is a win-win situation.

 

The best time for a dog to get in contact with water is when they are puppies; same as humans, they learn better and quicker when they are babies and instead of “learning a new trick” it would be an instinctive act; they will experience and learn something new and fun, a new adventure and exercise in an open place that will instantly improve their innate skills; you kids will also love playing with their pet, but with the extra advantage that some breeds are natural swimmers and could rescue you if needed – dogs are extremely loyal and some breeds with do anything possible to protect you from threats and danger.

 

How to Teach a Dog How to Swim

You won’t need a dog trainer to teach your dog how to swim; in the majority of the cases they will just jump into the water and start playing but some breeds are extremely careful with water; if this is the case, then do it naturally; just sit with your pet for a few minutes by the sea shore and start playing with the water; dogs are very sensitive to human feelings and if they see you are having a good time; they will automatically feel happier and be more receptive to new things; just keep playing with the sand and water until you get one of its paws wet, then the second one and if your dog doesn’t run away by this point, go progressively but slowly deeper into the water.