Swimming Greys

[Guest formercatlady]

Let me start by saying I feel like the WORST mommy ever

 

Abby broke one of her toes a couple weeks ago, then re-injured it last week. The vet had her on a NSAID, so he refilled that and told me NO walks for 2-4 weeks. My poor Abigail looks so sad...she loves her walkies. Every time I go out to the garage (where I keep the leashes) she follows me looking hopeful. I feel just awful when I come back inside empty handed.

 

A co-worker has a K9 fitness center, so I took her there Saturday so she could swim. I was hoping she would really enjoy it and that it would be good exercise. She did NOT seem to enjoy it and kept trying to pull herself out of the side of the pool. I think she thought I was letting these people drown her.

However, the employees said that most dogs act like this their first time and she finally relaxed and started to swim after about 10 minutes. Anyone with experience swimming their pup? If so, how long did it take for yours to get used to it?

 

I'm taking her again Thursday night so please keep your fingers crossed that this visit is more enjoyable for her.

 

[Guest greybookends]

Some greys enjoy swimming some don't. Keep in mind that greyhounds have little to no body fat which means that they have no natural buoyancy, so they really have to work to stay afloat if they are not wearing a life vest or some other kind of floating device. Hounds who drown sink to the bottom. I have 3 hounds who like to swim and two that don't. The two that don't swim do love the kiddie pool in the back yard and will readily lay in it but they fear water that is deeper.

[Jiffer]

What greybookends said.

 

Ours are not swimmers at all. Atlas did so by mistake a few years ago and now you can't get him near water.

[Guest formercatlady]

Forgot to mention - they did put her in a life vest. She's also a VERY nervous girl and it takes a while for her to get used to things.

 

Do you think it's mean for me to try again? She needs some form of exercise and I don't know what else to do since she can't run or walk

[Guest SusanP]

Ours have waded (on leash) into the lake on vacation as far as their elbows, but no further. Not like my old Labrador girl!

[Guest whatahound]

Nikki likes it. (with her life jacket)

Ace does not.

 

[MarcR]

All of mine except Nadia have only gone swimming by accident in my friend Cathy's in ground pool - only once each. The most spectacular entry belongs to my AWOL girl Pinky, but that's a story for another time. None were especially delighted by the experience.

 

What bouancy the hounds have is in those big lungs, so at best they float at a 45 degree angle

Edited August 7, 2007 by MarcR

[Guest Che_mar_Cody]

Nikki likes it. (with her life jacket)

Ace does not.

 

 

 

what a sweet picture - totally love it

[Guest Angelique]

Sorry to wake up a post from the dead, but its almost summer and that means a new life jacket for my boy. What kind of life jaket is Nikki wearing?

Anyone else on GT with experience with different kinds brnads of life jackets / PFD's?

[MaryJane]

IMO, if my dog didn't enjoy it I wouldn't take them back.

 

See if you can get a dog walker for a few times a week.

[Guest 8fleetfeet]

I would take her back and give it one more try--you just never know. I can think of several things that my greys were afraid of or disliked at first that they've come to like very much.

[GeorgeofNE]

Four weeks without exercise is not going to kill her. George would rather DIE than go in the water.

 

Give it one more try, maybe, and if she still hates it, then don't stress about it. My old dog had to be on crate rest for 12 weeks. He survived!

[KF_in_Georgia]

You might want to try one of the inflatable e-collars for any dog reluctant to swim. The collar will keep the dog's head above water. Dogs seem to enjoy swimming much more if they don't get water in their ears. See here.

[silverfish]

Dogs are often very fearful on their first time in the water. Sid was, and how he really loves swimming. He grunts with pleasure when he's lifted into the water, and really strikes out as if he's in a race. He fights the hydrotherapist when it's time to rest and have his pulse taken!

 

He does prefer to wear the inflatable collar. Being a rear leg tripod, it helps balance him so doesn't have to work so hard at keeping his face above water.

 

We did a charity day at the hydro pool and had lots of first-timers. Look at this for a face -

 

 

And yet, I'm told this dog came along again to continue his lessons and learned to love his sessions!

[Beachbum1]

Dogs are often very fearful on their first time in the water. Sid was, and how he really loves swimming. He grunts with pleasure when he's lifted into the water, and really strikes out as if he's in a race. He fights the hydrotherapist when it's time to rest and have his pulse taken!

 

He does prefer to wear the inflatable collar. Being a rear leg tripod, it helps balance him so doesn't have to work so hard at keeping his face above water.

 

We did a charity day at the hydro pool and had lots of first-timers. Look at this for a face -

 

 

And yet, I'm told this dog came along again to continue his lessons and learned to love his sessions!

 

AAAACCCCKKKKKKKK....forget about that ball. Get me OUT OF HERE!!!

[Guest Snazzy_Chloe]

That looks like the Kyjen Outward Hound Life jacket similar to one that I bought from Amazon after seeing previous recommendations here a year or so ago. It was OK and supported the dog, but I thought it should have lifted the front of the dog more to keep the head and ears out of the water. You would think the big lungs of these dogs would lift them out of the water more than they do, trouble is these guys are too narrow and now wide enough. My dog did not like water, being wet, baths, or being in the lake with us although after I got the preserver she could float motionless if she chose to but always headed for shore where it was safe. Small waves or her swimming paws would splash water into her ears and she was constantly shaking her head to clear the water. No harm done - it just looked like she was not happy in this wet enviornment. I think I will buy a more expensive one for rougher water in hopes that there will be more floatation material near the front of the dog. They naturally swim with their butts down a bit and when they swim, the action lifts the body and head higher in the water. When you float the rear of body up with a preserver, the rear leg swimming action is no longer lifting action but a forward action which is not natural to the dog nor does it help keep the head, nose, mouth, ears above water. I also had concerns with the dog being rolled over sideways by a small wave which would be hard from the hound to recover from. Once the dog starts taking on water their fear factor kicks in and is not forgotten. I looked at the previous posts infatable collar and it looks uncomfortable to me as it lifts too much so that the dog is looking up at the sky and cannot see where he is going (very unnatural for a sighthound) - so I would like to hear more feedback on this device. It is funny to see the other hound lesurely floating around the pool on a floatible raft and actually enjoying himself. I can't even imagine trying to get my dog to lay on a raft like that - I would have scratches all over my chest trying to get the dog to lay down on a raft - as my hound's survival instinct would kick in thinking that I was trying to drown him. hehehe

[Burpdog]

Grace hated the treadmill the first time. Took her about one minute and all of a sudden she said: I can do this! Next time about 30 seconds

 

I'd try it one or more times (make sure she has that vest on) and see how it goes.

[silverfish]

I looked at the previous posts infatable collar and it looks uncomfortable to me as it lifts too much so that the dog is looking up at the sky and cannot see where he is going (very unnatural for a sighthound) - so I would like to hear more feedback on this device.

 

It's the same type Sid wears, and I had the same concerns as you at first. I thought it looked uncomfortable and as if it lifted his head too high. However, try to swim him without it and he wants it on. Now. He is truly much happier wearing it.

[Guest Snazzy_Chloe]

Thanks silverfish - I saw your pics but I noted that it is a different breed and he/she just looks scared to death - haha Greyt pics BTW

Was not sure if you would give the same advice for a hound and apparently you do - so I may try it depending on how my new dog reacts to swimming.

[Hubcitypam]

Hate to trot out the Rex story again, but you asked.... Rex and Buck both LOVED to swim.

 

One year the GALT picnic was at Lake Lewisville and they had a point of land fenced off as a play area. As soon as we went through the gate and I took of his leash he was in the water. He was having the time of his life paddling parallel to shore.

A woman started screaming "someone get that dog, he's going to drown -- greyhounds can't swim!!!!"

I screamed back "it's my dog and he's doing just fine. If you want him out jump in and get him!!!"

 

The water access into White Rock Lake was the only part of the dog park either one of them liked. Of the two Rex was more swimming obssessed. I have often wondered if they had cool down pools at Palm Beach like the ones at Gulf. That might be part of it.

 

 

[NeylasMom]

The OP's post is from 2007. I'm pretty sure it's too late for her to take her back one more time to try again. Well perhaps not too late, but no longer relevant. Edited March 27, 2012 by NeylasMom

[Hubcitypam]

Angelique said she hated to bring the post back from the dead but she had questions....

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

I have had hundreds of Greys in my house, and kennel, and every one loved the water.

[XTRAWLD]

Ryder LOVES to swim....Kasey hates it and sinks like a stone. Some might love it and some might hate it and panic.

[Guest Angelique]

My dog does ok in water. He loves to lay in the shallow much more than actually swim, but he will occasionally swim or jump/run through the shallow. This summer we will be swimming at the lake every weekend, so i need a "real" life jacket or flotation device, just to be on the safe side. I wanted advice input on the best choice. Inflatable collar or some particular brand of life jacket? Uhmmmm anyway, thanks for all the input. Next time i will just start up a new thread.