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Swimming Greyhounds


Guest SusanP

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Guest SusanP

Our Spinner, a very determined boy, was the first of our 5 hounds to ever attempt swimming. We were in a beautiful wilderness lake up in Northern Minnesota. He'd watched a canoe going out and ached to do the same. After long and careful consideration, he lunged forward into the deep water with an epic flourish. I swear you could hear "Chariots of Fire" playing in the background as he took off. And he sank like a rock.

 

I'm pretty sure I've heard of some greyhounds swimming. Can they? Do they? Really?

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Guest dozersassy

Sassy prefers to wade but we used to live next to a river and if I swam across so would she.

 

It wasn't pretty - but she could do it, a lot of splashing and her butt would always sink. As soon as I saw her I would swim over and help her across. Not her preferred activity but if her human was going so was she!

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Well, if Brucie had a lounge chair to keep him afloat in our pool, he'd be game!! Didn't even try to swim when I carried him in, preferring flotation help and likely a drink with an umbrella in it!! I guess he thinks swimming is over rated when you can just chill in someone's arms!

Doe's Bruciebaby Doe's Bumper

Derek

Follow my Ironman journeys and life with dogs, cats and busy kids: A long road

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Guest dozersassy

Which reminds me I bought them a kiddie pool so they could wade too cool off because I though they would love it and there was no interest at all. Couldn't get Dozer or Sassy near it so ended up giving it away...

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Guest FastDogsOwnMe

I've fostered countless Greyhounds and other sighthounds and every one of them could not only swim, but swim well! It's fantastic exercise, too!

 

This

 

pier046.jpg

 

Is wonderful exercise to get them ready for this

 

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Guest felicity

My grey Lancer can swim, although its pretty labor intensive. He will hop in, vigorously doggy paddle for about 30 seconds, and then he is done for the day. Floatation help would probably make him a little more eager though....

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Jumbo.jpg

 

The ultimate floatation assisstance!!

I SO SO SO LOVE that picture of Jumbo! :heart

 

Speaking of cowdoggies in the pool, here's Robin:

pool010.jpg

Rita, mom to Dakota (Dakotas Dream) & Wish (Kiowa Wish Wish) and my angels

Toby (Sol Marcus) and Robin (Greys Robin Hood)

Forever missing our beloved Robin and Toby

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Anatole France

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Guest Furmom

We bring Bee to hydrotherapy and I don't think that she can't swim.... she just doesn't see the need to. If we keep the life jacket on her she will just float around - LAZY dog :)

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All of mine can/could swim. They prefer to wade.

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Susan, Jessie and Jordy NORTHERN SKY GREYHOUND ADOPTION ASSOCIATION

Jack, in my heart forever March 1999-Nov 21, 2008 My Dancing Queen Jilly with me always and forever Aug 12, 2003-Oct 15, 2010

Joshy I will love you always Aug 1, 2004-Feb 22,2013 Jonah my sweetheart May 2000 - Jan 2015

" You will never need to be alone again. I promise this. As your dog, I will sing this promise to you, and whisper it to you at night, every night, with my breath." Stanley Coren

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Guest BooBooMama

I can't wait to find out!!!

 

Jen and Jamie never got the chance. I was a newby when I adopted them and my old adoption group told me horror stories of greyhounds sinking so I never let them try (poor babies!) All they had was a baby pool for wading. When BooBoo came along I was told that some dogs can swim and others can't. By that time my brother had a cottage on a lake. They loved taking her up there but she would only wade- not interested.

 

I have been waiting for the hot, hot temps and storms to stop before I take Deeni up to his cottage, since they have no air conditioning. Also I bought a doggie life jacket so we can float together if she is willing..... stay tuned.

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Ha! Mine run if you get out the stupid hose to water plants.:lol Only one two have even attempted to get in Jilly's pool, Emmy & Gee.

Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel

Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee

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Guest mcsheltie

We have one that can swim well. She likes to and will go out in the lake on her own. We have two others that have tried it and sunk like a rock. The others want no part of it.

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May I ask...how should I introduce my grey to swimming? I walked with her in a lake up to my knees, but didn't try to go further with her (too chicken about all the what if's), and I'm such an overprotective mom. :blush

Greyhound Collars : www.collartown.ca

 

Maggie (the human servant), with Miss Bella, racing name "A Star Blackieto"

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Our bridge angel Lou had to be taught for hydrotherapy he had for his dislocated hip, he hated every second of it, but we did manage to teach him.

 

Easiest way is to get a proper floatation device. You can also hold him while he learns, try to keep his head level rather than pointing up, that's very hard on the neck. Bella may love it, or hate it, you just never know!

CAMP GREYHOUND

Tempo (Keep the Tempo), Nora (Road Noise) & Gabe the babe (Gable Habenero), Cooper (Uncle Bud's Coop), Topper (Red Top), & Galgos Lisette & Manolito. Missing our beloved angels Cody (Kiowa My Dodie), Lou (Cantankerous Lou), Romi (FingerRoll), Connie (Devie's Concord), Millie (Djays Overhaul), Bailey (Hallo Forty nine), Andy (Iza Handy Boy, and Rocco (Ripley Rocco), Gracie (VS Megan), Eragon the Longdog, Joey (WJS Flashfire), Roy (Folly and Glory)

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Bailey could swim and Ben can too although he prefers wading in the water instead of swimming. Bailey walked off the end of a dock and Ben followed her. Both swam to shore (we were on an island surrounded by huge rocks so they couldn't go anywhere unless they swam across the lake).

 

Brooke will wade in the water but I'm sure she wouldn't like to go in any deeper than the tops of her paws.

Jan with precious pups Emmy (Stormin J Flag) and Simon (Nitro Si) and Abbey Field.  Missing my angels: Bailey Buffetbobleclair 11/11/98-17/12/09; Ben Task Rapid Wave 5/5/02-2/11/15; Brooke Glo's Destroyer 7/09/06-21/06/16 and Katie Crazykatiebug 12/11/06 -21/08/21. My blog about grief The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not get over the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same, nor would you want to. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

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Guest katieandpadfoot

My boy Padfoot won't go anywhere near the water...my girl on the other hand....dives right in and swims away!!! She likes to splash around with my husband!! We did get her a life jacket just incase though.

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Guest Parsniptoast

We (ie Reggie) managed to fall into the canal today with much shock and no movement. Reggie clung onto the side until he'd regained his senses (the water was very cold and his fall into the water was as a result of falling the wrong way while having a stretch so, poor love, he wasn't expecting it at all!) He got out eventually with much huffing, puffing and whining but he was darned if he was going to swim anywhere!! He was a bit subdued for an hour or so but seems to have gained his confidence.. no doubt the next time we're near water he'll show off to the other two about how cool he is about going in the deep end :D

 

If I had a pool my three would be in it every day with those brilliant swimming aids that neversaynever uses! I could have done with one of those this afternoon....

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Buck and Rex were both good swimmers -- as a matter of fact the lake access was the only part of the dog park either one enjoyed.

 

I'll never forget one year at the GALT picnic they fenced off a spit of land that jutted into the lake as an exercise area. The first thing Rex did when I took off his leash after closing the gate was flip his ears as high as they'd go and fly into the water. He was swimming strongly parallel to the shore having a blast and this idiot woman started screaming

 

"There's a dog drowning! Greyhounds can't swim! Someone go in and get him! Hurry!"

 

I screamed back

 

"It's my dog and he's just fine! If you want to go in after him go right ahead!" She declined and Rex paddled around until I made him get out so we could rejoin the picnic.

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