How Do You Take Away Dogs’ Fear Of Water?
Dogs are supposedly famous for their love of water, but that’s not always true. Many dogs are afraid of water. Is your dog one of them? If that is the case, then you have probably already asked yourself whether you can take away your furry friend’s fear of water . The answer is yes and we’ll explain how. Read on and take note of our advice.
Can you take away dogs’ fear of water?
To avoid our dog being afraid of water, we should follow these steps:
Not all dogs swim
It’s just a rumor that all dogs have been swimming since birth or have been able to swim instinctively in some way. There are some dogs, or rather dog breeds, that behave a little more clumsily in water than others. This is what happens, for example, with the pug, the French bulldog, the greyhound … but of course there are also very clever ones, such as the Labrador or the Newfoundland, not to mention the so-called water dogs.
Help him recognize the water as his friend
It’s normal for your dog to be afraid of water if he doesn’t know about it. It is therefore recommended that you go into the water with him for the first time. This makes him feel more secure and protected and that makes it easier for him to overcome his fear. Maybe next time he’ll jump into the cool water on his own.
This process will be much easier if the animal is still a puppy. This is the ideal age for training and studying. Take him in your arms and moisten him a little while you slowly step into the water with him. Then slowly let go of him so he understands that the water is not his enemy.
Put a life jacket on him
Although dogs are quick learners, forcing them or leaving them unprotected is not a good thing. If you go into the water with your dog, stay calm and proceed carefully so that your fur nose doesn’t get nervous. If she notices your nervousness, it will infect her and be sure to avoid the water in the future.
Put a life jacket on your dog to keep both of you calm. When he notices that he is swimming on his own, he feels safe and relaxed. You too can rest easy knowing that nothing will happen to him.
Positive reinforcement
You will already notice that he instinctively moves his paws in the water with the life jacket . Praise and pet him so that he understands that he is doing his job right. Give him a treat when you get out of the water.
Try this several times and reward your animal for each attempt to swim. When he is no longer having problems getting in the water, you can remove the life jacket and hold him under his stomach. Let go of him a little to see how he reacts. If you find him trying, reward him again. This is how the animal combines water with pleasant experiences.
Use toys
Perhaps your dog is getting used to the new element, but is still afraid of water when it comes to dealing with it on his own.
You can solve the problem by throwing him a floating toy in the water and letting him bring it back on his own. Perhaps he will find it difficult on the first try, but it will certainly not be long before he leaps after the toy. If he just barks at it instead of swimming after it, he may need a few more hours of trust training with you by his side. With a little patience you will reach your goal!
Don’t forget that fear can turn into a phobia. So don’t force the animal to do anything. Always try to teach it with positive reinforcement and patience, affection, perseverance, and love.
