Whether you’re looking for a new hobby or just want to spend more time with your pet, learning how to train a dog for water sports is a great idea. Swimming is not only a leisure activity it can also have health benefits. The main reason for swimming being such a good exercise is because it enables supported, non-concussive exercise to build the muscles [1] (k9aquaticcenter). Swimming provides weightless exercise to improve joint movement, increase circulation and build supporting muscle, where concussive exercise such as walking can possibly cause damage to stressed prone areas.
Despite of the huge benefits that comes with swimming. Many dogs are like this:
Although water sports are fun for both humans and dogs, and there are many different types of training that will teach your canine companion to swim, dive, and even perform tricks. But dogs start like Max from the above pictures. Look at his expression it just gives us the laughs of our lifetime. He almost wanted to come out straightaway being introduced to water. On his first trip to sentosa. He was quite sad to be dragged along. He was there only because his had to please his poop picker and meal topper. Or else he swears he will never go there.
Training your dog for water sports requires patience and consistency. It takes time to build up the skills needed to make your dog comfortable in the water, so start early! You’ll also need to provide plenty of opportunities for your dog to practice swimming and diving. Just like Max, initially Sherilyn brought Max’s best friend along seeing his best friend being able to swim, Max eventually took the dive. After slowly introducing Max to water and making sure he made positive associations with the water. He made lots of progress. Once he has mastered these basic commands of recall, Sharilyn start by teaching him to swim. You also can do this by taking them to swimming every day for at least 30 minutes. If your dog isn’t comfortable in the water, start off slowly and gradually build up his confidence.
Once your dog has mastered jumping into the water, it’s time to start teaching him how to play in the water. Start by getting him used to swimming in shallow waters. Then, move on to deeper waters. Of course, it’s also time to have some snacks, and what’s better than having Ah Chye Pet Treats during an exercise.
We believe that with patience and time. Your dog will be able to swim confidently too. Every dog is different, but we believe that every dog can reap the benefits of swimming in terms of cardiovascular benefits especially during their old age to keep them healthy.