Three Summers ago I decided I really wanted to be able to take the dogs to swim. I knew Marley had some issues with her hips and swimming is good, low impact exercise for her. I was trying to drop her from 51 lbs to 35 lbs.
imming. She picked it up quickly just by chasing a ball. Dylan, however, was SO terried to go in past a depth where he could stand. So I decided that clicker training might be a good option. I hate the lake water but I got in anyway and had Dylan coming out into the water for a click and a treat. Several sessions later he was swimming out a few feet and getting a treat then rushing back. I invested in a life jacket for him because it seemed to give him more confidence in the water.
This past weekend there was a pond at the Bark In the Park. I wasn't sure if Dylan would swim much without the life jacket. He's been swimming more and more on his own but this was a great accomplishment. He swam way out into the pond to get his ball (over and over and over again!).
I love these pics thanks to my friend Cynthia! Check out my good boy who has become a pretty strong swimmer!!
imming. She picked it up quickly just by chasing a ball. Dylan, however, was SO terried to go in past a depth where he could stand. So I decided that clicker training might be a good option. I hate the lake water but I got in anyway and had Dylan coming out into the water for a click and a treat. Several sessions later he was swimming out a few feet and getting a treat then rushing back. I invested in a life jacket for him because it seemed to give him more confidence in the water.
This past weekend there was a pond at the Bark In the Park. I wasn't sure if Dylan would swim much without the life jacket. He's been swimming more and more on his own but this was a great accomplishment. He swam way out into the pond to get his ball (over and over and over again!).
I love these pics thanks to my friend Cynthia! Check out my good boy who has become a pretty strong swimmer!!
I'm so proud of this big boy! He's learned to get over so many of his fears in the past several years. He's proof that clicker training can work wonders!!
5 comments:
LOOK AT HIM GO!
your training has so paid off...
Congrats to you and Dylan. Love the photos!
YAY Dyl Pickle!
He looks good swimming! Hey, where is that, by the way? We wanna go!
Look how handsome that big yellow water bomb is in the water! He's a lab, how could you ever doubt his desire to get in? lol
Beleive it or not, I don't generally consider him to be a lab. He probably does have some in him but he has the body and personality of an English Pointer. Put him next to your labs you won't think he is lab at all LOL. Next to a lemon and white english pointer you can see the resemblance. His mother was a pointer for sure (the rescue group had his mother and littermates). He had a black and white brother and a black and white sister.
That's really cool! None of my Shelties have ever been good swimmers. At best they'll wade in a little past their chests. They much prefer barking and annoying the dogs coming from and going into the water. LOL
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