We have to strike a balance with our CCI pups in teaching them to swim as we don't want them to get so obsessed with the water that they'd rather go for a swim than work (imagine the consequences if they were working for a person in a wheelchair and the dog was water-obsessed, not a good thing!). In my case, I have taught all my CCI dogs how to swim mainly for safety since I have a pool. I want them to be comfortable in the water so that IF they were to fall in, they know how to get out by going to the steps. You would be surprised, but that instinct does not come naturally for most dogs, lots of them will try to climb out the sides and are unable to get out.
So far, I'm 50/50 for my CCI dogs..Marisa & Rolie went in, but only because I made them, they never really had a desire to swim for fun. Hope loves to swim. Zuleika enjoyed swimming at the lake, but wasn't always interested in the pool. We'll see what happens with Nick...
I started off by getting in the pool with Nick and coaxing him to the top step. He wasn't too sure about it, but he didn't panic either. Once he got the idea, I sent him off towards the middle of the pool and he immediately went and swam around the edges and came back to me at the step. He reminded me of an alligator, with his head barely sticking up on the surface of the water.
True to his nature, he wasn't overly excited about going in, but the mellow fellow didn't panic either. Not bad for his first lesson...he doesn't seem to be the kind of dog that will obsess about the water.
Nick and his assistant swim instructor, Hope:
Nick practicing the "dog paddle" or is he really part alligator?
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