[titiaamor]

:whoo:

I love swimming and love water, but haven't had the chance to take my now 10-month old puppies to the river here yet. There's an area with a small-ish 'beach' and then a shallow cove area. I used to swim with my dog as a child, and loved to watch her having such a ball!

I have 2 puppies, but was thinking of taking them one at a time to the river for their first experience. Also, because I've been reading about Littermate Syndrome (and they have some of this!) I've been trying to do things separately.

I was going to use my 18 meter long 'leash' JIC they get too excited. The banks of the river are the Amazon Rainforest area, so I need to keep them close as the underbrush is dense.

Do you have any other advice or have any suggestions for what my plan already is? I'm scared and excited!

 

[Sibe]

Don't force them, don't just throw them in, nothing like that. Chances are that if you walk out into the water and encourage them to come to you, they will follow you out. Some dogs take to it naturally, others don't and are a little scared. Forcing them will do nothing but increase the fear.

 

[Rayneiac]

I've always introduced my labs to swimming with toys....such as a ball or other thing that floats well. First barely in the water where it is as shallow as possible *or a kiddie pool with just a few inches in it* and as the dog gets comfortable getting the toy with wet paws....add more water to the kiddie pool or put the ball out a bit further. Usually withing about 15 minutes of this the dog is splashing around happily or actually swimming in the water. Now I have water addicted labs who will try to get in the shower or tub with me if I don't have the door shut.

 

[rouxdog]

Wash them thoroughly when you get home. Antiseptic soap if possible. Dry carefully and make sure they don't bring back any parasites.

 

[titiaamor]

HAHA! I can only imagine my dogs jumping into a tub with me! I wish we had hard plastic kiddie pools here- I haven't been able to find one. Thanks for the tip about toys. I think that will really help.

I've always introduced my labs to swimming with toys....such as a ball or other thing that floats well. First barely in the water where it is as shallow as possible *or a kiddie pool with just a few inches in it* and as the dog gets comfortable getting the toy with wet paws....add more water to the kiddie pool or put the ball out a bit further. Usually withing about 15 minutes of this the dog is splashing around happily or actually swimming in the water. Now I have water addicted labs who will try to get in the shower or tub with me if I don't have the door shut.

 

[nfedyk]

HAHA! I can only imagine my dogs jumping into a tub with me! I wish we had hard plastic kiddie pools here- I haven't been able to find one. Thanks for the tip about toys. I think that will really help.

Do you have a Petsmart near you? I just bought one there for our dog for $10. They had a whole stack of them.

 

[spotted nikes]

Don't know if you have Blue algae, but google it if you aren't sure. It's deadly for dogs.
Does the Amazon rainforest have alligators/crocs? If so, I've heard they love to eat dogs.

 

[Shell]

A horse (or cattle) water trough also makes a good splash pool for dogs. I bet that'd be a lot easier to find in your area than a baby pool. If you have plastic sheeting (like the drop cloth used for painting projects or a tarp) then you can lay it over a pit in the ground and fill the hole with water for a shallow, easy access "pool"

I'd have them wearing harnesses so you can pull them out of the water safely if they either 1)sink or 2)panic.

Try to make sure they have drank plenty of fresh water before you go to the river so they are less tempted to drink river water.

 

[titiaamor]

I live in rural Brazil. We don't have much if it isn't local, and so far no one is making kiddie pools. :-(

 

[titiaamor]

BRILLIANT! A trough is super easy to get- I've probably got 100 within walking distance at all the farm supply stores. I'm going ot look into it. We have to be careful with keeping water due to Dengue and Malaria.

I'll use their harnesses and fill them up on well water here.

A horse (or cattle) water trough also makes a good splash pool for dogs. I bet that'd be a lot easier to find in your area than a baby pool. If you have plastic sheeting (like the drop cloth used for painting projects or a tarp) then you can lay it over a pit in the ground and fill the hole with water for a shallow, easy access "pool"

I'd have them wearing harnesses so you can pull them out of the water safely if they either 1)sink or 2)panic.

Try to make sure they have drank plenty of fresh water before you go to the river so they are less tempted to drink river water.

 

[titiaamor]

We've got alligators, electric fish, piranhas, and other types of dangerous fish. But they aren't frequenting the area we're going to. But now ya got me scared!!!

Don't know if you have Blue algae, but google it if you aren't sure. It's deadly for dogs.
Does the Amazon rainforest have alligators/crocs? If so, I've heard they love to eat dogs.

 

[Shell]

If you want to keep the water around, you can put some mosquito eating fish in it like guppies or tadpoles (future frogs of course, not fish). The dogs may or may not try to eat the fish, but it wouldn't hurt them if they did.

 

[titiaamor]

Mosquito eating fish are a wonderful idea. I need them for inside the house, too!

I live in rural Brazil. We don't have much if it isn't local, and so far no one is making kiddie pools. :-(

If you want to keep the water around, you can put some mosquito eating fish in it like guppies or tadpoles (future frogs of course, not fish). The dogs may or may not try to eat the fish, but it wouldn't hurt them if they did.

 

[Shell]

Mosquito eating fish are a wonderful idea. I need them for inside the house, too!

If only! Maybe keep some frogs around the house? Bats eat mosquitoes also, providing good bat habitat on your property can help.
I understand, I used to live in Nicaragua. What's available is what's available so you get creative.

 

[MyMuttRocks]

I've always introduced my labs to swimming with toys....such as a ball or other thing that floats well. First barely in the water where it is as shallow as possible *or a kiddie pool with just a few inches in it* and as the dog gets comfortable getting the toy with wet paws....add more water to the kiddie pool or put the ball out a bit further. Usually withing about 15 minutes of this the dog is splashing around happily or actually swimming in the water. Now I have water addicted labs who will try to get in the shower or tub with me if I don't have the door shut.

This is what I did with Stella. She didn't actually take to the kiddie pool the first time. I brought my cousin's jack russell over and the second she jumped in the pool, Stella followed because she wanted to play. She is now so addicted to water that sometimes I want to kill her! It makes it hard to bring her in from the rain. Puddles, drinking from the downspouts, running like mad until she is thoroughly soaked. But I love it!!

 

[MishaMeesh]

I think your puppies should be fine! With my pup, I let her play with the hose in the backyard first. Then I would fill up a large bowl and toss toys in there, just to get her to play with it. She absolutely LOVES the water, and loves going to the beach. As long as you're doing it while they're still young, it should be fine. Obviously don't force them if they don't like it, though.

 

[titiaamor]

Ha! If only it were that easy. We have bats, etc., but there's a huge problem with mosquitoes here- it is the Rainforest after all.

I'm still looking into what we can do....so far the troughs are a little pricey. My DH still blanches at spending money on 'animals' for fun.

If only! Maybe keep some frogs around the house? Bats eat mosquitoes also, providing good bat habitat on your property can help.
I understand, I used to live in Nicaragua. What's available is what's available so you get creative.