Reintroduction to Water?

[Schatz's Pop]

How do I go about re-introducing my 4 1/2 year old dog to water.

As a pup she would wade in and swim small circles, swim out 10' or so for bumpers, etc.

But now she is reluctant to go swimming, she is a Drahthaar and her parents were great waterfowl dogs swimming alongside kyacks.

She had one bad experience that I know of: she swam out to my rowboat when I wasn't looking and I couldn't get a hold of her to pull her in, after a little scrambling she swam back to shore.

She may have been dissuaded from coming in wet from a pond when I left her with a friend a couple of weeks.

My trainer and I try to get her to chase a wing clipped duck, bumpers etc. but all she will do is wade to her belly and then chase frogs.

I even tried swimming myself out 10-15 feet to a small island and call her over, sometimes she will swim it but very reluctantly.

Any non-conventional ideas to get her swimming again??

[gundogguy]

How do I go about re-introducing my 4 1/2 year old dog to water.

As a pup she would wade in and swim small circles, swim out 10' or so for bumpers, etc.

But now she is reluctant to go swimming, she is a Drahthaar and her parents were great waterfowl dogs swimming alongside kyacks.

She had one bad experience that I know of: she swam out to my rowboat when I wasn't looking and I couldn't get a hold of her to pull her in, after a little scrambling she swam back to shore.

She may have been dissuaded from coming in wet from a pond when I left her with a friend a couple of weeks.

My trainer and I try to get her to chase a wing clipped duck, bumpers etc. but all she will do is wade to her belly and then chase frogs.

I even tried swimming myself out 10-15 feet to a small island and call her over, sometimes she will swim it but very reluctantly.

Any non-conventional ideas to get her swimming again??

Water challenges can be almost as devastating as gun shy problems Not knowing all of situations that this poor beast found herself in as a pup One really has to weigh the upside and downside of even pursuing the situation. At 4yrs plus it might be a battle that has no good conclusion. I would focus on the upland and enjoy her that way. Has she been bird hunting? does she accept gun fire? is she pointing? does she retrieve? does she go home with you at the end of the hunt? if the answer is yes to all then you already have 75 % more than most people ever have in a gun dog!!!

[Cicada]

Try to find an Island on a lake or small river leave the dog on the island and float away slowly in the boat if the dog is like most it would rather swim than be left alone. It will wade out to get closer soon it will be swimming and gaining confidence. If you can find a spot that allows you to get on the opposite short and walk away all the better.


Grant

[Nutmeg247]

I haven't dealt with this with a dog that initially liked water, but did have a pointer who was 7 months when I got him and initially pretty reluctant to swim. I didn't think of it as being similar to gunshyness in terms of desensitization and counter conditioning at the time, but it makes sense that it is. Since your dog already knows how to swim you have some good things in place already.

Consider, with her on an empty stomach, taking something like hot dog pieces and a kickboard or float, and wading in progressively further and giving her one piece each time she swims out to you. Don't go too far in one session/end on a high note. Make sure the water is warm. A shallow slope is much better than steep. Be mindful of wind chop/surf/boat wakes because one more bad experience early could be much more impactful than after her confidence is back up a bit.

[DonF]

You went to where she'd wade out to her belly then the next step was to 10 or 15 feet of water, I wouldn't go with you either. Do it in baby steps!

[Schatz's Pop]

Hey!!

I just spoke with her trainer and she is swimming and retrieving ducks off a pond. He said she really likes it. I guess a wing clipped or shot duck is what did it for her.

Probably focused her attention on getting that dang duck and not the water. I am really proud of her!

Her upland work is also doing very well.

She points (and then sits) at birds. Holds relatively well to whoa at the shot and does great finding and retrieving all the way back. Not yet hold to hand, but that's ok with me. Sitting on point is not an issue with me either, she is not a trial dog.

But she really works hard a finding downed birds, just got a grouse mount back from the taxidermist. She spent 10 minutes finding that bird and brought it back to me still flapping. ( and with that "wish you were a better shot Pop look" ha!)

I am so glad she is getting the water work. Picking her up Thursday, I do miss having her around.