My dog is afraid of water! What can I do?

Dog lovers often say:

My dog is afraid of water! What can I do? As with children, it is best for your dog to start swimming when he is a puppy. But, if he is now an adult and he has never liked water, there are a few activities to acclimatize your best friend to water.

Throwing him in the middle of a lake and hoping he will swim to the shore is definitely not the best approach. We suggest he start walking in the rain. This is the most normal thing to do to ensure his love of water.

My dog is afraid of water! What can I do?

At first, get him used to the rain. First, select a gentle rainy day. Then, gradually take a walk with him when it is pouring rain.  If you are not enjoying this bad weather, make sure you make it fun for him. Walk in deep water puddles and tell him how good he is.

Then, borrow or buy an inexpensive child swimming pool and do not place water in it. Just throw his treats in it, then his preferred ball.

Play with the water hose. Simulate the rain over him. In a warm sunny day, he may start to enjoy the cool water on his skin.

Add just a little bit of water to the pool. Just one inch at first. Then 2 inches. Gradually, have him sit and lay down in a few inches of water. Give him a treat and tell him how good he is. 

t is better to approach the water with the sun behind the dog. The sun’s reflection on the surface of the water, may scare your dog and make the process more difficult.

Make sure to empty the pool of water and wash the inside of the pool. Your dog should avoid lying down in dirty water. This may cause skin problems. 

Always dry him with a nice fluffy towel after his water activities. A wet skin may develop HOT SPOTS or other skin irritations. You can learn more about these skin problems at the following link:

http://www.petmd.com/dog/care/evr_hot_spots_what_are_they

We hope to have assisted you in the following canine problem:

My dog is afraid of water! What can I do?

Enjoy the Summer and hopefully,

your dog will love water and

learn to swim soon.

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