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Thread: Clover doesn't like water :(

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  1. #1
    Maybe she's afraid what it is? Does she like baths? Just try to encourage her to like it. Some labs just don't like water, lol.
    Krista- owned by Rudy, Dixie, Miagi & Angel

    Rocky, Jenny, Ginger Buster & Tiger .. forever loved & always in my heart..



  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Walnut Creek, CA
    Posts
    492
    I would love for my Taggart to learn how to like water too. My boy is so finicky that he doesn't even step in puddles, lol.

    Anyway, Taz_Zoee's suggestion is probably the way to go. Especially keeping the kiddie pool available.
    I would not try and get her into deeper and colder water just yet (beaches, lakes etc.) considering she's so young and you definitely do not want her to have a bad experience with water at this age

  3. #3
    I have given her a couple baths cause she gets really dirty sometimes. And she doesn't like it. I try to make it positive but...I don't really know how??

    As for the kiddy pool, I had lots of treats and toys. I tried to show her it was fun but either she didn't care or she was afraid. She got in it on her own to get a treat once. I gave her a ton of treats and praise. But she jumped right out after she ate her treats. She runs around the pool barking if there is a toy in it that she wants. But she won't go in.

    She does the same at the beach. If I go in, she stands at the shore barking. Sometimes it's hot, and the water is actually kinda warm.

    How should I be making it fun for her? If she is afraid (she is of bathes) how do I make her not afraid? With the bath, I just use a small container to pour the water over her. So I'm not using a hose or anything that puts "pressure" on her. I hope I can show her it's ok!

    Clover, Loki, Shadow, Pixel and Kyo

  4. #4
    Does she like to play ball? You can start filling up the kiddie pool a little bit throw her ball in there and see if she gets it or put some yummy treats in there. My dog Dixie will get her ball or treats out of the pool but won't get in. Make it as positive as you can. As she gets older, she may like it. She is pretty young right now so there's still hope!
    Krista- owned by Rudy, Dixie, Miagi & Angel

    Rocky, Jenny, Ginger Buster & Tiger .. forever loved & always in my heart..



  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Windham, Vermont, USA
    Posts
    40,861
    If you have her at the beach, try just walking her into the water with you, and not making a big deal out of it. She's still a baby, she has a lot to learn about the world. You could also carry her in while she is still small, to a point where it is deep enough that she'll have to swim, and set her in the water and praise her when she starts swimming, so she's know she can control herself in the water, and that swimming is an okay thing to do!
    I've Been Frosted

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Karen View Post
    If you have her at the beach, try just walking her into the water with you, and not making a big deal out of it. She's still a baby, she has a lot to learn about the world. You could also carry her in while she is still small, to a point where it is deep enough that she'll have to swim, and set her in the water and praise her when she starts swimming, so she's know she can control herself in the water, and that swimming is an okay thing to do!
    We did do that once. She swam great for a few seconds by herself. Lots of treats and praise. When we got to shore she ran to the top of the beach and wouldn't come close again. D:

    Clover, Loki, Shadow, Pixel and Kyo

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Northern CA
    Posts
    205
    I think it's really about NEVER forcing them to go in unless it's on their own accord, and praising them wildly when they choose to. Chance is terrified of water, but I've trained him to go in and out of the kiddie pool on command. I started by throwing some kibble into the kiddie pool and telling him "up", then I would tell him "out." I'd do this every day throughout the day. Now he enjoys it and thinks it's a game. He still won't really retrieve a toy out of the pool, he just picks it up, carries it for a bit and drops it, lol.

    I've accepted that he'll never be super enthusiastic about water. But there are sooo many activities I can do with him besides taking him swimming. Fetch, frisbee, agility, flyball, obedience, hiking, canicross, tracking, weight pull, and that's just naming a few!

    Since she's still a puppy, she could learn to love water. Try the "kibble in the kiddie pool" method daily. Some people also say that letting them play with a water-loving playmate can really help. Just a few ideas.


    "In rescuing animals, I lost my mind and found my soul." -Unknown

    "Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms."
    - George Eliot

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