Swimming?

[Zoeymil]

Hi. Can anyone tell me if mastiffs are good swimmers? My girl is almost a year but seems like a big chicken where water is concerned. She goes up to it but can't bear to jump in! Lol. Does this breed like to swim?

 

[northernmastiff]

Took Daisy swimming for the first time yesterday and she enjoyed it. Not as much as my lab but enough. Any dog can be conditioned to enjoy water but some dogs will like it more than others. Our bulldog absolutely loves it but she sinks like a stone after two or three strokes. She goes in with a life jacket.

When you are training a dog to water, take a favorite toy, toss it in right at the bank so she doesn't even have to go into the water for it. As she gets used to the water, toss it in a little farther so only her front feet have to go in and so on. This is how we used to teach hunting dogs to like water as not all labs are sure of it. It can be very scary for a dog. Never put her in the water or force it. If you do, your dog will hate water for the rest of her life. Also, lots of encouragement when she is close to or in the water.

If you have another dog or a friend with a water loving dog, then bring the dog along as they will usually encourage the other dogs into the water. Petey has taught both Rascal and Daisy that water is a great thing so we never really had to do the training thing with either of them. Of course, Rascal learned how to ride her surf board in the water before she even learned that she would need to swim.

 

[Kelly]

My EM/BM loves to play in the water but she doesn't actually swim. The canal at the dyke doesn't really get deep enough that she has to swim. My lab/pitt swims in water that she walks in. So I think she can dogpaddle if she has to, but for the most part just walks and plays in the water.

 

[Duetsche_Doggen]

Thor doesn't like the water when we go the beach he'll wade in the water but no swimming. I'd like to see what he does around a pool though.

 

[NeoBull]

I can't wait to find out if Branka likes swiming this summer, she LOVES playing/splashing/running through the GIANT muddy puddles in the park, but they're only chest deep so she hasn't had to actually swim yet.

 

[Smart_Family]

Tess our shepherd will wade. I took Azlin out in the water yesterday by using treats to get her to follow me and once she was deep enough I held her up while she attempted to swim. We will keep practicing so by summer she's a pro.

 

[ShaunaMcP]

Yes! Mastiffs swim. Our 3 months old OEM jumps in the shower with us, drinks with two feet in the bowl, and jumps in our in-ground swimming pool like super dog. However, our previous OEM lived a long happy life disregarding all manner of water. I think it's a personal preference!

 

[stephanieb]

our EM/BM cross swims like a fish! We have a water kong on a 100 rope that we throw in the river for her and she whines, cries and barks (she never does any of these things any other time) until we throw it and then she BOLTS through the water and swims like crazy till she gets it and brings it back. Repeat. For over an hour. I am tired of being at the river before she is. Our EM on the other hand will go out as far as his chest.... if he has to, but is happier puddling around the edge with me, people and other dogs. So yes, some can swim, and well, while others either will not or can not. The funny part is Ren (EM/BM cross) is a total princess and if it rains does not want to go outside and flat out refuses to walk through puddles (ICK!) and makes a point of walking around them. LOL

 

[h2os23]

Our 2 yr old EM loves the pool. Swims effortlessly and loves to grab all the pool toys remove them from the pool. Our 6 month old EM pup will swim but doesn't have the same grace and passion for the pool. Although he loves to be with the family when we are all swimming he ends up coming in anyway

 

[Gunny]

We're hoping to get a house soon with a pool and I've been wodering the same thing. Gunny seems to love being in the tub and sometimes plays in his water bowl. He'll even stick his head under the water in the tub to grab the rag and will do the same in his water bowl and just blow bubbles (which makes quite the mess).

 

[raechiemay]

Our first EM lovvvvvvvved the pool. Loved it so much that even when no one was outside swimming, she would help herself to the pool & just sit on the step & hang out. We had another step across the pool right under our waterfall where she would swim to & just sit over there. That step was usually more shady that she enjoyed to get out of the sun. I remember times where we had to use pool chairs to block the entrance to the pool so she would quit getting in even in the winter time.

Our new pup hasn't had a chance to swim yet, we were waiting till she got a little bit bigger & more coordinated.

 

[ruby55]

Our 3 (bullmastiffs) like to wade, but they pretty much sink like stones. No grace at all in the water. Princess Bella screams if we try to put her feet in the kiddy wading pool at home, but if we take her to the beach or the harbor, she wades in chest deep & sits. Go figure.



Magee (RIP) the blind one, had to be kept close, because she would just keep on walking until she was so deep she would lose her footing. She still didn't swim though.

 

[Chrissy]

My 6 mo old OEM loves to swim! Had to get him swimming lessons though! Above poster was right - they can sink like a stone if they forget to use their back legs! Sampson started with a life jacket. Now he jumps in and loves to swim and retrieve. After about 20 minutes though he is exhausted and done for the day.