Although German Shepherd and Siberian Husky Dogs are NOT natural water dogs, they are natural swimmers and should NOT be taught to fear the water but rather to embrace it. Water is something that both breeds become acclimmated to very quickly under the correct circumstances.
Our pups are already acclimated to the water since we bathe them weekly from a very young age. They truly enjoy their bathes, as long as the water is warm!
A fun thing to do for your pup in the warmer months is to purchase a hard plastic kiddie wading pool and fill it will 3-4 inches of water. Your pup will have a blast running, jumping and splashing in the water, or even just laying in the water to cool down during those hot summer months. Of course, if your pup is less than 3 months of age, you will want to use less water and supervise their water play.
First Introduction:
It is very important that the person who is first introducing the pup to water, is NOT themselves afraid of the water. Fear is something that dogs will pick up on very quickly and will be afraid, if you are afraid. This should be a FUN experience for the pup.
Dog's do NOT drown because they don't know how to swim, but rather because they don't know how to get out of the water and become exhausted, then drown. So the first thing you need to do is to show your pup how to get out of the water. With Lakes, Rivers and Oceans, it is pretty obvious to the dog that the way out is the same way in, however there are exceptions to this rule as we will discuss later.
For your Pup's first introduction to water you will need the following:
- a Nice Sunny Day!
- a Leash
- a Collar (not a chocker)
Swimming Pools: Make sure that your pup's collar and leash are fastened securely then place you pup in the deep end of the pool and guide him/her to the steps in the shallow end. Repeat this once more, allowing the pup to find his/her own way if they can. You are there to guide them if they have difficulty. After two tries, you will take your pup out of the water and allow them to rest for at least 30 minutes before trying this again. This process will need to be repeated until the pup successfully finds his/her own way out of the pool and to safety. Once this is accomplished, your pup is water safe.
Exceptions:
Swimming Pools: remember that each pool is different from the next, so if your pup is around a pool that he/she is unfamiliar with, make sure you repeat the steps above for First Introduction.
Lakes, Rivers or Oceans: if the dog jumps from a dock, a boat, cliff, pier, or sharp drop off, then he/she will not know where the exit is located. You as their owner, need to be aware of their surroundings and adequately prepare them for the areas around them.
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