Teaching a dog to swim is similar to giving swimming lessons to a child.

Swimming is an excellent exercise for your dog. It works the heart and the lungs as well as stimulates the entire musculature system. Unlike heavy running and darting through hard ground, swimming will not be hard on the hips and  shoulders. This makes swimming perfect for puppies whom are just developing and adult dogs that have any sort of structural defects.

Introducing a young, inexperienced dog to water, is a matter of desensitization. We accomplish it just as we would any new situation progressively.

• Dogs can become frightened and confused, if there’s a lot of noise and activity around them. The object is to keep them calm and focused on the swimming lesson. Keep your voice upbeat and positive, using treats and toys to encourage your dog to enter the water.
  Just as you shouldn’t throw a child in the water and expect it to swim to safety, you shouldn’t do that with a dog, Don’t force the dog. If they don’t want to do it, don’t force them to do it. Slowly put them in the water and get their paws used to it.
• Even if the dog is wearing a life vest, until is is confident, support its midsection and hindquarters in the water, until they start paddling and feel comfortable.  Getting a dog in the pool is only half the battle. You  also need to  show them where the steps are in the pool so they can easily get out. It has been recommended that you place potted plants near the steps to make them easier to identify.
• Even in the water, dogs can wander off. Dogs that swim naturally and well, can jump in the ocean and keep swimming until they’re lost, Make sure, like children, that you watch where they’re going,

• Dog life jackets, are great for keeping your pets safe in and around the water. There are now several companies making them. Prices vary and come in several sizes. They come made with high visibility materials, reflective strips, leash attachment loops.  Look for those that have quick pickup handles to make easier to pull your dog out of the water.  An added advantage is the dog will not have to swim, she can just float if she wants to.

• Another way to introduce your dog to water that we have not mentioned is;  try putting your Boston in an empty bathtub, let the water trickle in slowly, allowing to slowly fill up. Take your time to let her adjust to it. Make sure there is a nonslip bathmat under her feet.

• Q.  How does one introduce a dog to swimming in a pool or lake properly?  My dog seems afraid of our swimming pool. She tried to stay as far away from it as much as possible, and when she went near the pool, she ran as quick as she could to minimize the time near the pool.

   A. They may prefer beaches where it is obvious to them how they are going to get out. If the dog has the option to easily exit each time than it is likely to have a better experience. A ramp for getting in and out of a pool will ease a lot of anxiety a dog may otherwise experience.

  Q. Are there different places to start this water introduction when at the Beach?

  A.  Definitely start off slow, a bad experience early on, even for typical water loving breeds can "scar" them. The beach is a good place to start, or get a kiddie pool. Something where your dog can touch the bottom and explore without fear. And let your dog go in and out by itself. Don't force it.

  Q. How would you introduce a dog to a kiddie pool?

  A. Ice cubes come to mind. You filling a ice tray with water and a small treat in the center freeze and put into zip bags . The idea would be that the dog would be so eager  to get the treat floating on the water that it jumps in the shallow water to retrieve it.  First, introduce the treat cubes by throwing them around the pool. Once the dog learns what wonderful goodies are inside, throw some cubes into an empty pool. Next time a little water and slowly adding more water each time.

    

  Q. I am looking for a fun way to introduce my dog to the water. Are there other methods to also consider?

  A. Start with a kiddie pool, with just a little bit of water, you jump in,  and start splashing around. They soon got curious and may think it looks like fun so they may in the excitement of the moment just decide to join you.

   OR

  A. You can buy or make toys that float on the top of the water. Just like the treat ice cubes mentioned above, play around the kiddie pool first. As your dog becomes use to the pool being there, then toss the toy a little ways (just so they get their feet wet and gradually take them up from there as their

  
  Definitely start with the pool, Slowly introduce him to it. Don't force it. Have fun... And bring a couple of towels!

  Continued from part 1 of 2

  Details

  Written by Donna

• Be also aware, the noise of running water into a tub is loud. Introduce those sounds before trying to put the dog in a tub.  Make a game of it. If she has a favorite rubber toy. Play with her and the toy in the tub. Just about and inch or two of water to start. Nothing but praise. The fun part is...be prepared to get wet.

OTHER IDEAS IN INTRODUCING  WATER TO YOU Boston Terrier:

• Find a controlled area where you can take her to (like the edge of a pond, or a kiddie pool, etc), and let her explore it. Reward her for going in and out. Maybe toss some treats towards the middle of the pond/pool. Do not rush her.  Just allow her to be near the pool. If she wants to get in, she will. We had a Boston mix that was afraid of the water his whole life because my friend threw him in the lake as a puppy.

• Puppies: Start off in shallow, warm water, where the pup can easily stand. You should introduce your pup to water only after he understands basic obedience skills and the two of you have developed a trusting relationship.

• Take him some place where it VERY gradually gets deeper and deeper and carry him in. Take him far enough out where he has to swim, but make sure you keep your arms under him on his chest, so he feels safe. That way he can learn how to swim but you both know you are right there if anything happens,

• The best way to ensure that your dog goes in the water at the first introduction is to get into the water with the pup. Most dogs don’t like being left on shore and will follow their handler right in. Begin with several sessions of heel work in the shallows, with no expectations for swimming. Once he’s relaxed, we start to play with  favorite toy. Make sure there are no drop-offs or other spots where your novice pup could lose his footing and get dunked. Usually, after a few quick retrieves in elbow-deep water, the dog forgets about the water altogether.

• Walk into the pool with your dog on leash - make it sound like a lot of fun  "let's go swim" in a high pitch voice sort of thing. Take a ball in and push it towards him if he likes to play with balls. Offer a treat, clap your hands and call him to come play.

• Start by making bath time an enjoyable experience. lots of encouragement and always watch your tone, they don't know words but they do know tone. Making bath time enjoyable will lead to wet=good when the pup is older, introduce her to water that she can't stand in.

Q & A

Q: Whats a good temperature for the dogs in the water?

A:Water that is between 70 and 80 degree is perfect. It should feel “room temperature” to you.

Q: How could you learn to associate a wading pool with good things?

A: Get something impossible to resist such as cheese, lunch meat, hot dog, etc. keep it in your hand and sit on the first step in the pool. Coax your dog over to you and treat him. Then put him on the first step and treat, treat, treat. He will come to associate the pool with good things and may learn to like it, but some dogs just never do.

Q: Why does my dog love lakes and ponds but hates the pool?

A: They may prefer a gradual entry like the sand at the beach or lake is, but if you keep treating him for being around the pool, and you go in with him at first, he may like it! Unless there are some steps that your pup can climb out of, you may need to construct some kind of ramp.

Q: My dog won't get into the water. A friend said to quit coddling him and just throw him in and he will quickly learn to swim. Should I try that?

A: Some dogs just plain hate the water and it usually is because of not being properly introduced to swimming. The absolute worst thing you can do is just throw your dog into water.

                                                             Here we go, riding in my car just my Boston and me.     

                                                               Whew! is this not Always any fun!?

We all do it. Our Bostons demand it… We grab the keys and head for the door, and come to a dead stop. Our path to the door blocked by one or more jumping, barking, rear end wagging excited Bostons.

If you make eye contact you can see it loud and clear; “You are going to take us! We are going on a car ride. You cannot leave us. We need to go with you. Do not leave me. PLEASE! PLEASE!! PLEASE!!! TAKE US WITH YOU.” So of course, you take them with you…

As much as we love our dogs and want them with us all of the time, we have a responsibility to transport them safely; for their own welfare as well as ours, and for that of other drivers on the roads. All dogs, large and small, should learn to ride politely in their cars. There is a long list of safety hazards associated with having an unrestrained canine in a moving vehicle.

When we are driving on the road and see a Boston in someone else’s car, do you smile? I am not the only one that enjoys having their fur friends with them; however, if the dog has his head stuck out the window, is sitting in the driver’s lap, darting back and forth across the seats, or worse; riding loose in the back of an open pickup truck, I want so bad to stop the driver and give them “The lecture”.

According to a study released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), 80 percent of automobile accidents and 65 percent of near-accidents involve at least some form of driver distraction within three seconds of the crash or near-miss.  We hear this almost daily on the news now and our highway and local police everywhere have begun aggressively ticketing people that engage in distracted driving. This would include our dogs and some of their behavior. (Can you imagine trying to explain that one?)

Ah! you say “my dog is well behaved. I do not need to secure him/her… I have trained my dog”.

Okay that is fantastic…. BUT I want you to think about the following and ask yourself; even if your dog is the best behaved dog on the planet:

What about…

Bah, Hum bug… EXCUSE ME!   I DO NOT HAVE ACCIDENTS…

Perhaps you do not, but other drivers can and do cause accidents, even if you are not at fault, this could happen…

1. Most people feel dogs are safest in the car when they are in a sturdy crate that is securely fastened in place, or wearing a harness and a seatbelt in the back seat of the car.
2. A loose dog can become a flying missile if the car stops abruptly or is hit by another car.
3. If the car windows break or the doors pop open in an accident, a loose dog can escape, get hit on the road, or run off and become lost.
4. An unsecured dog can interfere with the efforts of rescue workers in an emergency.
5. A loose dog can fall or jump out of an open window or back of a truck.
6. A loose dog in the front passenger seat may be killed by the airbag.

In addition, distractions are not all made by untrained dogs. Here are some more I came across:

1. Some dogs just create noise that impairs safe driving, you know... howling, whining, barking, they are so excited, scared, talking…
2. Carsickness is only one of the problems of riding in a car. Now how can you not be worried about your car's seat when behind you is a gagging sound (Oh, not again what is he throwing up on now, I just cleaned the car out….).
3. The dog dislikes car rides and is panting with distress and you know she is unhappy and might panic (then what will she do?).
4. Other humans, including young children, disturb the dog so it reacts and your child screams out or cries..

To be continued….. Part 2   Here we go, riding in my car Just me and my Boston: Reducing the risk

Well most of the time, I mean how on earth can you possibly say no!

Details

Written by Donna

Here we go again.  Just riding in my car, my Boston and me.

Back in our vehicle again, now we remember our previous discussion. The joy of taking our Bostons with us, and some of the risks we may not want to think about when we have them in vehicles. We have put together some ideas that might help us not become a distracted driver when our Bostons are with us.

  Not all of us have trained Bostons that love to go for a ride. Just knowing that our Boston Terrier is unhappy can be a driving distraction.  We worry about our pets. A dog that interferes with a driver’s mental ability to drive the car, when the driver’s attention is taken away from the road to deal with the dog’s behavior, has become a safety hazard.  Not all of us have trained Bostons that love to go for a ride. Just knowing that our Boston Terrier is unhappy can be a driving  distraction.  We worry about our pets. A dog that interferes with a driver’s mental ability to drive the car, when the driver’s attention is taken away from the road to deal with the dog’s behavior, has become a safety hazard.

An unrestrained animal—no matter their size may jump over the seat to get a closer look at the squirrel that just darted across the street or want to demonstrate her disapproval of another dog walking near your vehicle. You may even agree that an excited, barking, jumping dog from window to window is just too much when you are trying to drive.

A dog sitting on the driver’s lap can interfere with steering (Now we know none of our friends let their Bostons do this…).

A dog who gets on or under the accelerator or brake pedals, hits the gearshift, or blocks the driver’s view can cause an accident. (Dogs do this. Yes, fearful and anxious dogs will do this, trying to avoid another dog or human child).

A dog with her head out the window can suffer injury to her eyes from bits of flying debris, or worse, can have her head smashed by objects that pass too close to the car (other vehicles mirrors, signs, branches). (Of course, we do not let our dogs do this!)

Not every dog loves car outings. Some high-risk car behavior is a result of canine stress. Reducing stress will decrease car-ride risks and increase car-ride enjoyment for everyone. Behavioral issues in many cases might be prevented by counter-conditioning and desensitization to overcome your dog’s car-related fear triggers.

Some dogs prefer to lie down on the back seat, the floor of the back seat, or the way back of a vehicle, with little or no guidance. They just seem happy to be with you no matter what else is going on.

Other Bostons pace nervously in the car, and if allowed will attempt to climb into the front seat, and sometimes into your lap. You may need to crate him in the car, even for short trips.

We need to mention here that while many dog owners choose crating as a relatively safe car restraint option, this can be an excellent choice, and it does have drawbacks. To be super-safe, the crate needs to be fastened securely in the back of the vehicle. Space is another consideration. Crates require a lot of room.

f you have a small vehicle and there is no room for a crate, you need to explore other options, like canine seat belts. Many dogs ride comfortably and calmly secured in their seats with a belt designed for just that purpose. To avoid the potential for serious injury to a dog’s neck, be sure to select one that attaches to a harness, not your dog’s regular collar.

If you choose the seat belt route, be aware that the air bag danger that precludes small children from riding in the front passenger seat applies to dogs, also.  Either disable your passenger air bag, so Buster can ride in the front, or strap him into his seat belt in the back seat. Do not assume that since air bags provide protection for humans, they would provide the same protection for pets traveling in the car. Air bags deploying at an average speed of 200 mph, would be a bone-breaking force for an animal.

Details

Written by Donna