Why Dogs Love to Swim?
Dogs are born with natural instinct like digging, barking and for being a man’s best friend. And some people believe all dogs are natural swimmers. Most dogs instinctively do a version of the dog paddle if they find themselves in water, but it does not mean they can swim.
During summer, you are likely to see different dogs swimming on beaches or pools. In fact, dogs love swimming they enjoy it as we do. Dogs like us humans, enjoy swimming and we do it as a great way to cool off. So, this brings us to our question, “Why Dogs Love to Swim”?
So why do they love to swim?
There are some reasons why they do love to swim. Aside from their bodies are built to swim and the fact that it’s fun. Here are some things they get from swimming:
Relaxing
Builds confidence
Increases flexibility and endurance
Muscle strength
Dogs generally fall into one of three categories. There are dogs who are natural swimmers, dogs who aren’t built to survive in the water, and dogs that can we can teach on how to swim.
Natural swimmers:
Medium-to-large sized breeds with water-resistant coats are often good swimmers. Some breeds like Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, and the Chesapeake Bay Retriever.
Dogs with “water” in their names are given swimmers. These are Portuguese Water Dog, the Spanish Water Dog, the Irish Water Spaniel, and the American Water Spaniel.
Other breeds that are also relaxed in water are, English and Irish setters, the standard poodle, and the Schipperke. Newfoundlands, despite their giant size, are also great swimmers.
Dogs who aren’t built to survive in the water:
Dogs that are not intended for swimming are those with “top-heavy breeds”. Those with large chests and small hindquarters. Short muzzled dogs and dogs with very short legs.
Examples are:
Bulldogs
Dachshunds
Pug
A lot of small dogs can be very good swimmers, but because they get chilled easily in the water, they don’t always do so well. Brachy breeds like the pug tend to tire easily due to the abnormal structure of their respiratory organs.
Getting Your Dog Used to the Water
Go slow in the beginning. Always use a PFD (personal flotation device, or life preserver). The goal is to discover whether your dog enjoys the water. And whether he has the build and aptitude for swimming. Even if your pet is a recognized swimmer like a retriever, you should never drop a dog into the pool or any form of water. Especially if they have never been in the water before.
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