[kristina]

I have a 16 week old Boxer, Cash. We went to the lake this past weekend, and he would not even touch the water, I tried everything! Does anyone have any suggestions?! Or are Boxers just not water dogs?

 

[Samson]

Samson would not go close to the water as well. Untill we went swimming at a friends house. He saw me and my friends kids in the pool and he wanted to get in. There was a ledge about 12 inches below the water most of the way around the pool that he started to walk on. Soon he was loveing it. He got a little comfortable and stepped off the ledge and he sunk like a rock! SO BE VERY CAREFUL.... Boxers cannot swim "Right out of the box" so-to-speak (Well at least mine didnt)... I had to grab and pull him up.. Once I got his head above water I worked with him getting the doggie paddle down. Soon he was swimming to the edge on his own.He got brave and somehow ended up on the water slide. He saw the kids on it and decided he wanted to give it a shot. It was so funny. He ended up going down it twice on his own... I wish I had pictures...

 

[nano]

You can teach them to like the water but it takes time.  You have to make it sound fun to go near the water and try to coax them to go with you don't force them, it took Talia several months or so to wade right in and she doesn't swim yet.  You have to teach them to swim.  Samson is right, boxers sink like rocks.  I had one, Osmond, that absolutely loved to swim but I had to teach him how.  He would wait for permission to swim in the pool and if I said you want to go swimming he would go crazy.  Then I'd say "let's race" and he'd jump right in and race with me across the pool and try to win.  I wished I had movies of him he was so much fun!

Nano

 

[Barbs2Ks]

Kiah does not swim well, but she likes to be in the water.  She followed a bunch of dogs at a Boxer Meetup into the water otherwise I am not sure if she would have gone by herself.  Keegan sank the first time, scared me really bad, water is not his favorite thing.

 

[samsonsmom]

We started with Buck right when we brought him home at 10 weeks in the pool...My ex would pick him up and walk around in the pool and just let him feel it...Gradually we would turn him loose and guide him towards the steps..It does take time, but not all Boxers are swimmers, so be prepared if yours isn't...

 

[zulu]

Zulu from the word go jumped in head first and swam like a duck, if there is water around he will head straight for it :lol:

As said before though, just make sure your pup can swim first, a lady that went to our hyro pool had taken her new rescue there to teach him to swim as her last dog swam out into a lake and drownt, they were frantic but as there were so many under water plants and things they couldnt get to him till it was too late.

Zulu NEVER free swims, i let him swim on a flexi, that way i can always get to him if i need to but if its a pool then he goes it alone, with supervision of course :lol:

Happy swimming     Im sure he will love it once he gets used to it!