Swimming
 
Swimming is healhty for dogs. An dog will use all his muscles with swimming and the joints will be getting used without burden. Some dogs just swim right on, other dogs needs to be learned to swim. You can learn dogs to swim, but not every dogs will to like to swim.
When our Keshia had her leg broken, that healed very well. She did need some exercise with no burden that was good for her after she was healed. We learned Keshia swimming and she does like it a lot.

Keshia is a real bal lover, so we throwed the ball into the water and she did get the ball. First we throw the ball on the line of the water and later on more and more deeper in the water. We learned her swimming during playtime.
Keshia was'nt affraid of water, she always look over the water and first she does look where the ball was ended and than she swimmes the shortest way to the ball. Keshia likes to get the ball out of the water, more than she likes to get the ball on land. If you want to learn you're dog swim they like it  to walk in to the water, she needs a floor that she can walk of into the water.

If you want to learn you're dog swim:
* Let him get used to water
* don't trhow him in the water
* go with you're dog into the water and make fun with him and swim a while with him, till you know for sure that he can swim.
* Don't let you're dog go directly very deep
* Take a ball or toy what he likes and first throw that on the waterline, and every time a bit further if he brings his toy back


Waterfun in the summer, one is swimming, an other goes till her tummy in to the water, and again an other will go further in to the water. No sheltie is the same! We have also shelties who stay safe on the side!

Reasons to let a dog swim:

Artrosis:
A dog with artrosis has a lot of gain from swimming. Swimming is slowing down the corrosion of the joints. Corrison of the joints exist through damage of the cartilage or joints. A dog will not use his joints during swimming and that will give less pressure on the joints. Through the movements there is made more jointfluid, this is good for the feeding of the cartilage and the flexibility of the joints. During a ballgame on the field, the dog can make scharp movements, in the water this is'nt possible. The overburdening with ballgames is in the joints, the tendon and bandage. The erosion of the joints advance the tearing of the tendon and bandage.

For a good development of the hips:
A dog will be moving straight in one line into the water with his backlegs, this will train the buttockmuscle right as it needs.  Strong muscles are taking care for that the joints are closing good on each other. This is very important for a good development of the hipjoints. 

For dogs with a long back:
Through swimming in quit water the backmuscle from a dog with a long back will be getting stronger. Just think of a Dachshund. The spine will not loaded, because the water makes the body almoast weightless.

Muscles are getting massaged by the water

The salty water from the see will help heal many sorts of skininflammation.
 
Two playing shelties in the water. They swimming both

 

Reasons to let you're dog not swim: 

Dogs younger than 6 months old
 

A dog who loves water, but can not swim. Dogs who can't swim just can love water. Check always first if a dog can swim before he goes into the water alone. Look if he can hold his head above the water! The front legs as the backlegs need to make a powerfull propelling movement to swim.

Don't let dogs swim in smal little pools or little waters.  

Don't let dogs swim in cold water. The muscles can get cramp.

Don't let dogs swim if the sea is to rough or there is a undertow

Don't let dogs swim in water were is algae growth. Dogs get itchie from algae

Don't let dogs swim in the sea if you know you're dog gets itchie from seawater!
 

 
© Copyright Jacqueline Bosch