Dogs Do Not Innately Know How to Swim

All dogs do not innately know how to swim. According to Katie Oilschlager, owner of Think Pawsitive Dog Training, tragically, dogs can drown in bodies of water. The doggie paddle, or the flailing paws that keeps some dogs afloat, does not work for all breeds. The American Kennel Club says doggie swimming lessons as well as pairing your pet with another canine who already knows how to swim, can be beneficial for all breeds.

[Tis_I_SirJames]

This is definitely new information. When my dog was a puppy, I took her to the lake and let her go in chest deep water as I walked beside her. She started swimming so I thought, ok she's a natural. I'm glad I didn't just chuck her in the water to find out lol

[E.veee]

Working at a doggy day care facility, one time a very small dog slipped through the fence to the pool yard and fell in. Not even a second later my coworkers were jumping in to save the old pup that never learned how to swim. I’m glad we were there but you never know.

[Killbayne]

0:26 thats not just a jump, thats a damn rocket launch

[AJ-hmqe]

We have an amstaff who is very much pure muscle and heavy boned. She tends to sink more than swim.We got her a lifejacket for the beach just in case. She's not big on swimming but she enjoys running in the water.

[NoraS-K]

At the doggy park, my mom's dog walked into the lake from shallow to high gradually. When the water level got past his elbow thing, he panicked. It was his first time going in water like that, but another dog ran to him and grabbed him by his collar and walked him out.

[BlindSin]

Thank you inside edition!! Always keeping my babies safe ❤️

[CryptoFamily]

Dogs do not innately know how to swim:

Dog who invented the "doggy paddle swim": hold my beer...

[i_am_a_freespirit]

Wow, I didn't know that information, thank you for this Video.

I myself don't really care for water, I love the woods...so my time is mostly spent in the woods with my dog.

But it is always good to know this information anyway.

[Kr]

I have owned Labs for over 20 years, and they did know how to swim. Of course one doesn’t just throw them into the water as puppies.
If you’re lucky you have an older Lab for the puppy to swim with. If not you go in with them, support their tummy and let them do their thing. No pressure; you want them to love it. Not usually a problem with Labs, but some dogs never learn to love the water.

[ridiculousred]

Props on keeping people informed all my dogs just jumped In and swam so good to know

[einienj]

I've seen dogs that sink to the bottom, like a rock. So, don't throw your dog off the pier..

[cmgoblin]

ALSO please watch your dog and be careful if they’re fetching something in water. They often gulp down water without being able to help it, I’ve seen dogs drop dead and have to be given CPR because they stopped breathing in the shallows.

[bonniekeough]

My boy Joe jumped in at 8 weeks and swam like a fish. He was dachshund and Yorkie mix but for whatever reason had webbed toes.

[anirai]

Thank you for this very useful information. I had assumed incorrectly that they have an innate instinct to swim. I want my dogs to learn to swim.

[sumcrazychic]

I have a pitbull whom I can't keep out of bodies of water. So much so that it scares me the way he dunks himself and loves it. I have to rip him away from the water so that he doesn't drink too much of it and make himself sick. The first time he jumped in water he scared himself, he figured it out but only after I dove in to get him. From that moment on he'll steer every walk towards the closest body of water he can find and I struggle keep him out.

[meganmiller]

This is why my mom taught both of our dogs to swim when they were just puppies, and as a result they absolutely love water 😅

[ASAPMEXICANBOI]

My dog, who is a border collie started swimming like a pro even though it was its first time

[Benjamin-twgw]

Hate how people force their dogs into water

[yuyufan]

My dad thought it was a good idea to get my dog used to swimming by pushing him off a rock in a gorge… The water was about 80 feet deep with nothing but cliffs on both sides and he had to run in and rescue him because he immediately sank.

[Ahlnie]

Dogs do innately know how to swim. What they might lack is the muscle structure to do so.