Getting My Bull Terrier To Swim

stanley897

hi Everyone,

My 3 year old bully is a bit scared of the water when i take to the lake. As soon as ground beneath her goes away she panic's and does a u turn. I m in the water trying to encourage her with a stick and get her to bite on stick but she's not using her legs to paddle. So what do people think to try and get her confident because she like's water as long as feet are on ground. lol

Cheers

BulliesofNC

How old is she? Many Bull Terriers love the water and enjoy swimming while others simply despise it. In the event you are a water person and want to get your Bull Terrier used to the water without fear the key would be familiarity. Dogs that enjoy swimming and splashing around in the water have often been raised around the water since they were small puppies.
If your Bull Terrier tolerates the water but doesn't like swimming at all you could always put a doggie life preserver on her which will give her confidence while swimming since she'll be floating vice sinking.
Give her some time and experience and she'll either get better about the water or turn from it like a phobia.

Xtracho

Good advice. We didn't have the issue with Maya. She hit the water and was doing her best Johnny Weismuller imitation.

Leslie

My Cleo HATES water and my Brutus I think if I had the time could get him to warm up to it as he loves to wade. I would try the vest life jacket not bulky and it might give her the added support to help her learn. Keep us posted!!! P.s. I seen some nice ones in doc. Fosters and smith magazine.

apollosmama

Doggie life jacket, defiantly!!!! Do stores like BassPro sell them? You could always go to took at the sizes, then find something more affordable or more to your liking on line.

Stvy

Basspro definitely sells them. Pretty sure they have their own brand for a fair price. 

My pup finally swam on his own on the 4th of July. I take him by a pond nearly everyday and he only goes as far as he can feel. Having other dogs around playing in the water definitely helps. He has Lab friends that love the water and we bump into quite a bit. We were at a friends house over the 4th that has a GSD puppy and a 2y/o GSD. I think he was embarrassed that a young puppy was swimming and he wasn't so he finally went for it. Also going in the water with her trying to encourage to follow makes it easier. Just keep trying and one day she will probably surprise you.

almcneil

I got Roxy started with a baby pool in the backyard.  She originally would only drink out of it and then once I put toys in it that floated, it caught her interest and she began poking at them.  Eventually she got in the pool to get the toys, and realized that the water cooled her off.  After that, we could successfully take her to the river or lake and she loves running through the water!  She doesn't like when her ears get wet or when her feet can't touch the bottom though...

Sonja

Ahhhh, Bullies and water! My Target had a favorite thing she would do when we'd head up to Red Rock Canyon out of Vegas in the winter. She'd find an iced-over creek and tear down that thing breaking the ice as she went! LOL One of her favorite games(of course she wore booties!)! You guys sure do bring back memories!

Love ya! Sonja & Pumba in OR

Stoeger

This morning was Stoeger's first venture in water outdoors.

Problem was... It was falling from the sky and he didn't like it!

Stoges_mom finally got him to do his business in the rain, only to immediately run back indoors.

It will be interesting to see if he will get over his distaste of water and eventually become a swimmer.

BulliesofNC

When he gets older he may surprise you how much he loves the water.

Leslie

Great pics Steve!!!!

lankakore

Amy

Boyda

I've taken both mine to the shoreline and they ran so far out into the water I thought I had lost them forever! They came back, but I learned my lesson! They do love the water hose though!

oscar

Oscar goes Absolutly ape shit over high pressure water, hose, sprinklers etc.. He tries to attack the water... Starts making all types of alscaey sounds and shakes with adrenaline. Lol I think it's a love hate thing m. He always run towards the hose when I take him out for a walk so he must like it.

Boyda

My pups can chase the hose for days! Easiest way to get them tired!

Seon

I'm a fisherman and will have Trayler on the boat as my fishing buddy but it won't be until next spring when he's a little older.   I will be introducing him to swimming way before then.

Meatball

Meatball loved the pressure hose!  Her fave way to play.  After a walk she would lay down on the sprinkler too!  She loved attempting to swim.  But once her toes lost contact...she rolled like a log!  So I bought her a life vest and she loved it!  She would walk out till her feet lost contact and then just float away!  She loved the James RIver in Virginia.  

TanyaB

My 3 year old bullie loves swimming. She jumps in by herself as long as I watch. In the beginning I just held her on the sides to teach her to swim with me. About 2 times then take her out again. I did it as often as possible. I took her to the same place to go out every time so she knows where to get out and took her with her fav toy (ball) and now she's a pro

Quinnofhearts

It's funny to me to see other bull terriers that love water... Sadly I believe Quinn was a bit traumatized after I took her to an event called the Dog Paddle at a local pool. She was only about 4 months old, I let her off leash and she zoomed away from me, stepped right off the edge and tumbled head first into the water! We grabbed her out, but after that...no more water. She spent the rest of the day taking lots and lots of treats from the staff. But now she hates puddles, hates rain, hates snow, hates baths... The only time she went in water was in a creek where all her 'friends' were swimming - and she only got her toes wet! Poor girl. Maybe some other time - with a lifejacket.

Soapskid

I'm working on this as well. It's too cold to go to the beach here now but hopefully this spring/summer we can get Spud in the water again and see if he can swim. Any tips or experience helps.

Stoges_mom

We havnt had stoge in water yet but in the sting I plan on grabbing a kiddie pool and see if he likes it. He has started walking into the shower while I'm in there and likes to get splashed in his face so we will see!