Can you teach a dog to swim?

People say dogs are born knowing how to swim, but this is not true. What happens is that they instinctively manage to stay afloat in water: when they go in, they move their paws and it looks as if they are swimming, but they do not necessarily know how to swim, nor is it necessarily a pleasant experience for them at first. Some breeds are more inclined to do it, while others find it much harder, and it may not be advisable to take them into the water.

So because of this, it is natural to wonder whether we can teach a dog to swim with time and patience. It doesn't seem easy, but is it possible?

We need to be aware that, although a dog will always like water more than a cat, that does not mean all dogs want to be in the water; some may feel fear and panic in this environment.

So, getting to the point, we can say yes: you can teach a dog to swim, with time, care and patience — and ideally while it is still a puppy, as it will be easier for it to get used to the water from an early age.

The animal's contact with water must be fun, lively and positive, as otherwise it could become a traumatic experience for it.

How do we teach a dog to swim?

The first contact with water must be lively and fun; we should try to make it gradual and take things "little by little" with our furry friend. A pool would be ideal, as it gives us full control of the water environment: calm water, no waves, and somewhere we can stand to keep our friend under control — in short, plenty of control and awareness of the surroundings.

How do we start teaching our furry friend to swim? Little by little: we will hold it in our arms and let it dip its paws in the water to get used to the feeling, until we see that it likes it and feels comfortable. Then we can let its belly touch the water, then its tail, and so on, little by little.

We can always use games to make everything more lively and fun for it — but always with caution and full awareness of the situation.

Another option: floats

If you see that your best friend feels insecure, you can use a float to help it. It is sure to feel safer, and in an extreme case it could save its life.

The most important thing is to be aware that not all dogs have an innate ability to cope in water, and that we need to make it a pleasant, fun experience to avoid traumatic problems when they are adults.

What's more, floats could save its life, as not all dogs have the innate ability to stay in the water for long. Remember that the important thing is to make the water a fun place for it and not create traumas that could lead to problems as an adult