[gregga]

Hello all,
We have had our Sadie now for two weeks (10 weeks old now) and she's a lot of fun!
She does still nip a bit when she's playing and we continue to work with her on it (even though it's driving my 4 year old daughter crazy).
She has been out in the backyard (fenced) a few times to run around and release some of that energy!!!!
I'm now getting close to opening up my inground pool and now have some concern.  How are these dogs around water?
Will she constantly try to get in?  I really don't want her "swimming" in the pool as a rule.
Anyone else out there have to train your dog to stay out of the pool?
I'll try to post a pic of Sadie here:

 

[southerngirls]

Well i have never owned a big enough pool myself (only kiddie pools) but my first boxer buttercup LOVED the water. We would take her to the lake and she would swim and splash around as long as we would let her. seems as though she would never tire!! I am not sure about Savannah or Reese-i have not had them long enough to know how they feel. Some dogs love the water some dont-just like a human let us know her reaction and how things go!

 

[tootsie]

I've never had to train my dogs to stay out of the pool. I've always tried to get mine to go in the pool!!  :roll:
Mine would have nothing to do with the pool. I tried to get Buster in the pool ever since he was a pup....he didn't want anything to do with it. He would go in the water at the beach, but I think maybe because he was able to walk in and control the depth himself. With the pool, he was in over his head...literally. He was like a cynderblock. He would just sink. When I first got Maddie, she chased a duck into a lake and swam real good, but she doesn't like the pool at all either. So, in my situation I don't really have to worry about keeping the dog out of the pool. I have an in ground also, but I also have a fence around it because I have kids too, so I don't have to worry about anyone accidentally falling in.
When we have to pool area open (fence down), Maddie will go all around the pool, but still will not get too close!  :snooty:

 

[caillou]

Even if you don't want her in the pool at all provide some kind of "escape route" or barrier for the her to get out if she falls in accidently whilst you're not looking. This has happened to my dog at someone elses place and he couldn't climb out - luckily i came along quick and rescued him. Pond & pool - he's fallen in both! :roll:

 

[tootsie]

Good Tip!
Yes, the dogs don't do well if they fall in and they don't know where the stairs are. They don't climb the walls well at all. The first thing I teach my kids is how to get out of the pool. I even take the dogs in the pool and guide them to the steps and  let them get out on their own. I don't know if they will remember that, but at least once a week when the pool is open, I will take Maddie in and make her get out on her own....You just never know what can happen.  :wink:

 

[samsonsmom]

Yes, you can teach them how to escape from a pool...When we brought Buck home at 10 weeks, that was our top priority...My ex would nightly take Buck into the pool, hold him and walk away from the steps a bit, then turn and nudge him back towards the steps...Boxers can swim and very well if they so desire and my Buck was a champion at it...He fell in once in the deep end and managed to get himself to the ledge that we had in the deep end and waited patiently for us to retreive him as he couldn't climb out at that point. As he got older, he was in the pool anytime someone else was and besides the fact it is great exercise and also a lovely way to keep cool. He used to sit on the steps in the water and just lay there....Now Tia didn't want any part of the water, so you just never know....If you are worried about hair build up in the filter, don't...We never had that issue at all.....

So I guess I didn't train mine to stay out, I wanted them to use it for the exercise and as a way to cool themselves...Not much help, was I?

 

[Honeyec]

God, I would LOVE to have this problem to worry over!  The weather in Ireland isn't exactly conducive to outdoor pools!  The hottest day of the entire year here last year was 23 Celsius - that's 73 to you in the US!  Ha ha, and people were actually complaining that it was too hot!

I think we are going to buy a paddling pool for the dogs this year, though, as we are actually supposed to have a summer this year.  (As opposed to three sunny days a row in August, which is what usually qualifies as the Irish summer!)

 

[JeepKuntry]

Charlie is my first dog ever and I made the mistake of putting him in the water at about 12-14 weeks.  I gave him to toss and thought his instincts would kick in and he'd swim back to me.  Instead he just sunk and I had to swim and help him.  He doesn't like baths that much but it's getting better.  I'm hoping I can take him to some of the local boat docks this summer and get him in the water again.  This way he'll be able to walk around and control how deep he wants to go!  Now we're thinking about another boxer, I know somebody that has a white female.  Maybe Princess Sadie will like the water if I work with her.

 

[ssimmons99]

Chloe at 12 weeks fell into our pool and sunk to the bottom like a rock - we had to jump in and get her.  After a few weeks of taking her in she naturally started doggy-paddling - but she would always go to the closest wall - which they usually are not strong enough to pull themselves out.  

It took about 30 times for her to head straight for the shallow end and climb out on her own - but this year we had to start all over - she has forgotten to swim to the shallow end.

 

[JessiesMom]

My sister lives right on the water, they have a doc and a boat slip in the back of the house... ( brother in law is a fisherman) and maggie repeatedly has jumped off the doc or of the boat into the water... she swims but cant get back in the boat with out help..

also this past winter the water was frozen, and my brother in law went out to check and make sure the doc was ok, and maggie jumped the gate and went out onto the ice... by BIL didnt realize it and he turned around just to see her back legs disappear into the water... she was able to react quick enough so that she didnt go all the way into the water and she was able to get away... but that could have been disasterous!

 

[boxer2crazy]

all of my boxers don't like water very much....so i don;t have to worry about pools...

 

[mybaddogs]

My 6yo loves the water and it is extremely hard to keep her out.  I had to teach her to heal because as soon as a door would open she would be out running across the street to jump in the lake, one time while we were sledding even.  I have not had my little guy in the water yet but the warm weather is here.

 

[Diesel-and-Kira]

My parents dogs bolt for the icky pond behind their house nearly every time their outside. but their labs, it's to be expected =P

 

[gregga]

My biggest reason for wanting to keep Sadie out of the pool is the liner could get torn from her nails.

 

[samsonsmom]

Ahhh, ok I can understand that..Maybe you need to get a retractable cover or something, but that's not going to help if someone is in the pool..You may need to just keep her on a long tie-out when you are out there.