1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: Hey, everyone, Welcome to Houndations. I'm your host Tony Peterson, 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:10,719 Speaker 1: and today's episode is all about water introduction with your dog. 3 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:19,959 Speaker 1: So often the idea for some of these podcasts comes 4 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: from my real life experience. And I had one hell 5 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 1: of a time with my current puppy trying to get 6 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: her to really love the water, and it made me 7 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: realize that a lot of people struggle with this, and 8 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: it's something that we often kind of take for granted. 9 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: With dogs, it's like they're just gonna jump in the water, 10 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 1: they're gonna swim, they're gonna know how to do it. 11 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: But it doesn't always work that way, and there is 12 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: a process to this stuff, and that's what I'm gonna 13 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:50,879 Speaker 1: talk about right now. Do you ever wonder if everyone 14 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: you know has a phobia? Maybe the people we meet 15 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: who claim they don't just haven't figured out what it 16 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: is that strikes in irrational fear into them. The thing 17 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 1: about phobia is that they are mostly irrational, so they 18 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: seem kind of funny or stupid to folks who wann't 19 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: grip by paralyzing fear over certain things. For yours, truly, 20 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: it's spiders. Now. I'm six to two and I go 21 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: to the gym a lot. Now. I don't say that 22 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:17,760 Speaker 1: like I'm trying to push my OnlyFans on you or something, 23 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: probably because that would be far less lucrative for a 24 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 1: fellow with my looks than writing squirrel hunting articles. I 25 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: say it because by most accounts, spiders are not a 26 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,479 Speaker 1: big threat to me. I don't have an irrational fear 27 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: of snakes or bears or a whole lot of stuff, 28 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 1: But spiders trigger something in me that just isn't fun. 29 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: I hate them. In fact, I'd much rather speak in 30 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: front of a huge crowd, which is a fear that 31 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,200 Speaker 1: a lot of folks have, than have to touch. I 32 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: don't know any kind of big harry spider, or worse, 33 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: have a great big harry spider have to touch me? Now. 34 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 1: Even worse than those like tarantula like spiders are those long, 35 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: thin legged ones that look like they're just kind of 36 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: up to no good. Now, if you don't know what 37 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 1: I mean by that kind of spider, look up those 38 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 1: click baity articles that keep popping up on the euro spider, 39 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: which is spelled JR. That type of spider is the worst, 40 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 1: and apparently they can get to places simply by sailing 41 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: on a bit of web, so essentially they learn to fly, 42 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: and judging from the articles about them, they're taking over 43 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:20,520 Speaker 1: the East Coast. And this is only a guess on 44 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: my part, but probably the rest of our country in 45 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 1: the world soon enough. There's nothing that makes me want 46 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:28,359 Speaker 1: to hit the eject button on life more than that, 47 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: somewhere bury deep in my bloodlines where some folks who 48 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 1: dealt with spiders in a way that left an epigenetic 49 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: scar that hasn't quite healed over, although I'm certain it 50 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: has had quite a few generations to do. So. That's 51 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: my one real phobia. Now I have a good buddy 52 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 1: who has quite a few, but one that is kind 53 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: of odd, given the fact that he loves to fish, 54 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: is that he's aquaphobic. He's scared of the water. Even 55 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: when you're fishing in two feet deep water that has 56 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 1: a nice sand bottom and it's one hundred and twelve 57 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: degrees out, just bait in the boat. He'll have a 58 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 1: life jacket on. He won't take any chances, partially because 59 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 1: he can't swim, which brings us full circle to his aquaphobia. 60 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 1: There's no reasoning with him on it, as is the 61 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: nature of phobias when they settle in for whatever reason, 62 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 1: they intend to stay. This is why it's a total 63 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: dumb ass move to push a young dog off of 64 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 1: a dock into a lake or a river. If the 65 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: dog won't get in on its own volition, forcing it 66 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 1: is a great way to get that dog to always 67 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: fear the water and worse fear you. That's a double 68 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: whammy that can forever alter the arc of your life 69 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: with that dog. So don't do it. Now. I get 70 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:44,119 Speaker 1: why people, and by people I mean us silly men 71 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: and are equally silly egos would be tempted to force 72 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 1: a dog in. After all, what if you have a 73 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: Labrador Retriever, for example, a dog destined for the duck 74 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: boat that simply refuses to get into the water. That's 75 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: a frustrating situation that I I know very well. My 76 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: three year old black lab Sadie is by all accounts 77 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 1: a total chicken shit, But to her credit, when she 78 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 1: gets even a smidge of confidence in something new, she 79 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: goes all in and her initial reticence tends to disappear 80 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: quickly and stay gone. This, however, was not the case 81 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,159 Speaker 1: with the water introduction. Now, I don't know why because 82 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 1: I feel like I did everything right. I took her 83 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,719 Speaker 1: to a spot on a really slow moving river by 84 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:31,279 Speaker 1: my house during the summer, just to see what she 85 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: would do. What she did was run right up to 86 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: the water to her belly line and then stop. Now 87 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: was it now? Since she was young enough, I didn't 88 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: think it was a big deal, but I took it 89 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 1: a step further on the water introduction d and I 90 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: looked at the forecast. We had some days in the 91 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: upper nineties coming our way, which is an ideal setup 92 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:52,679 Speaker 1: for water introduction. So I took Sadie to the park 93 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,720 Speaker 1: when it was blistering hot. We worked on some retrieves 94 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: and some obedient stuff, and then I leashed her up 95 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:00,720 Speaker 1: and we headed right to the canoe land on that river. 96 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 1: The water there is warm, gin clear, and featured a 97 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 1: nice hard sloping bottom. All of those things are great 98 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: assets to have when you're first encouraging a young dog 99 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: to become a swimmer. And she hit that water and 100 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: she drank quite a bit of it, and she waded 101 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: out to her chest and stopped. Sometimes she'd go far 102 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: enough that her back legs would float up, but that 103 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: dog would not go any farther. After going through this 104 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:27,160 Speaker 1: a few times, I figured I just upped the anne 105 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,600 Speaker 1: a little bit, and I brought a pocket of dog 106 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 1: kibble with me. Now, if you want a lab to 107 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: do something, or really any food driven dog, a handful 108 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: of dog kibble can go a long way toward connecting 109 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: desired behavior to a command. At this point, I fully 110 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 1: believe she'd become one badass duck dog, so I wasn't 111 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,720 Speaker 1: too worried. What did worry me is that I went 112 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 1: through the motions of training her in the heat to 113 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 1: get her primed up for a little swimming, and she 114 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:56,160 Speaker 1: still hit the brakes. When I held a piece of 115 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:59,279 Speaker 1: kibble by her nose and got her attention, she'd stretch 116 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 1: as far as she could to try to get it, 117 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 1: but she wouldn't swim. Her feet were planted on the bottom, 118 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 1: and that's where they were going to stay. I don't 119 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 1: know why she had such a fear of the water, 120 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: but it started to get to me. I'd never had 121 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: a dog that wouldn't just take to the water naturally, 122 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:18,239 Speaker 1: so this was uncharted territory and it made me mad, 123 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 1: which is a character flaw I will own all day long. 124 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: It just stings to hit a wall when you're training 125 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: a dog, especially when you don't expect that wall to 126 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 1: be there. I was stumped. I also knew that forcing 127 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: her into the water would have been a mistake, even 128 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: though I secretly wanted to pick her up and just 129 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 1: heat her halfway across the Rum River so she'd have 130 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: no choice but to learn how to doggy paddle. I 131 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:42,840 Speaker 1: took the better route, and I called a trainer buddy 132 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: of mine and I just laid out my situation. He 133 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: knew i'd already introduced Sadie de pheasant wings, so he 134 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 1: asked me how she felt about them. I told him 135 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: that she seemed to think they were the closest thing 136 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 1: to dying and going to heaven, which wasn't much of 137 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: an exaggeration. He said, switch up the environments, go someplace new, 138 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 1: and then bring a wing into the mix. He figured 139 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 1: she might just have an aversion to that canoe landing 140 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: for whatever reason, and that shaking things up location wise 141 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: and reward wise might seal the deal. Now, this is 142 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 1: a guy who has more dog training knowledge and is 143 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 1: pinky than most of us have in our whole bodies, 144 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 1: but I was still skeptical. I had already followed the 145 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: prescribed plan for a water introduction and had gotten me 146 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 1: nowhere over the course of like two months. I just 147 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: didn't have high hopes for the latest attempt. But I 148 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: loaded up that little hydrophobic pup and it brought her 149 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 1: to a different part by my house that has a 150 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: small frog pond in it. We trained in the midday sun, 151 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: and then I busted out the pheasant wing and let 152 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 1: Sady get a whiff of it. With a lot of 153 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: doubt in my heart, I brought her to the edge 154 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 1: of that little pond and tossed the wing into the middle. 155 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: Then I sent her and I'll tell you, when that 156 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: pup hit the water and eventually swam out to grab 157 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: that wing, it was like the weight of the world 158 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 1: lifted off my shoulders. I mean, the relief was palpable. 159 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: After that. She was a swimmer, and it didn't matter 160 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: where we went. She'd jump off the dock, up at 161 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: the lake, she'd swim at that canoe landing that had 162 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 1: earlier terrified her. Didn't matter whatever the fear was that 163 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: she had disappeared in that moment. Maybe it was just 164 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 1: a confidence thing, which is about half the battle of 165 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 1: training a dog. But maybe it was something else. The 166 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 1: thing that I think about a lot, besides how that 167 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 1: whole thing tested me as much as her, is that 168 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 1: it could have gone wrong quickly. I think that little 169 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 1: pup could have gone either way with water, and I'm 170 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 1: really glad I didn't push it too far in the 171 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 1: wrong direction. A lot of people do, though, and that's 172 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,439 Speaker 1: not fair to the dog. This goes for breeds that 173 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: are just generally more comfortable in the water, and for 174 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 1: breeds that you'd be surprised to see at anytime in 175 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 1: a duck blind. Now. When I say that, I mean 176 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: it too. I've interviewed a lot of dog trainers in 177 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 1: my life, and one thing that has surprised me is 178 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 1: how often they talk about having to try to help 179 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: a lab or some other super water friendly dog get 180 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 1: over their fear of the drink. I know that might 181 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 1: seem crazy, because if there's a breed that is forgiving 182 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: when it comes to water, it's labs. But it happens 183 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: all the time, not to mention pretty much any other breed. 184 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 1: Take German short hairs for example. Anyone who knows that 185 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:29,320 Speaker 1: popular breed knows that on paper, they can do just 186 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 1: about anything you need them. To do in the field, 187 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: and some of them can do it in the water too. 188 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: Some can't, though, And even if you never plan to 189 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 1: lower yourself to the level of a duck hunter, every 190 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:42,680 Speaker 1: dog owner out there should want a dog that is 191 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 1: comfortable in the water. Just think about it from a 192 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: safety perspective. Do you want a dog that you can 193 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,080 Speaker 1: take out on the pontoon for a little joy ride 194 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: that won't sink to the bottom if it falls off 195 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 1: while trying to grab a hold of a lily pad. 196 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: Worse than that is a dog that will steadfastly refuse 197 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: to even get on a boat or into the water, 198 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:03,960 Speaker 1: and will literally fight tooth and nail to keep itself safe. 199 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 1: That's no bueno, and it happens a lot. There's also 200 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: the aspect of how good swimming is for dogs. We 201 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 1: don't think about this until they tend to hit about 202 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 1: nine years old, but even a dog that loves running 203 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 1: more than anything in the world is also pounding on 204 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 1: its joints while it's doing so. That might not ever 205 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 1: catch up to a dog that has a lot of 206 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:26,520 Speaker 1: earth to run on, But a dog that does any 207 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:29,959 Speaker 1: amount of running on paved streets or asphalt paths maybe 208 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,719 Speaker 1: next to your bike is a dog that definitely has 209 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 1: the potential to develop joint issues. Hell, even a dog 210 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:38,559 Speaker 1: that has never run more than half of a football 211 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 1: fields distance at any time might develop joint issues for 212 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 1: genetic reasons. The option to get a dog swimming is 213 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: huge one in all of these cases, as it is 214 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: for just trying to get dogs exercise in the summer 215 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 1: when the temperatures might be too miserable for a session 216 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:57,839 Speaker 1: of long distance retrees on land. So here's the thing 217 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:01,679 Speaker 1: about fostering a love of water and dog. While you 218 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:03,559 Speaker 1: might get lucky and have a dog that just jumps 219 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 1: right in and never looks back, you can't count on 220 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: that you could win the lottery and retire that way. 221 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: But you might want to just contribute to the old 222 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 1: four to oh one k every month just in case. 223 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 1: If you get my drift. The process is a relatively 224 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 1: simple one, as I've mostly described already. It's up to 225 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 1: you to gauge when your pup is ready, but I 226 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: usually start a spring pup in the water when they 227 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 1: are maybe four or five months old, which tends to 228 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:31,400 Speaker 1: coincide with the hottest weather and the warmest water. These 229 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:33,680 Speaker 1: two help your cause. No one wants to jump into 230 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: thirty five degree water for their first swim ever, or hell, 231 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 1: they're ten thousandth swim. A hot day with warm water 232 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: is a perfect scenario for water introduction, but not all 233 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: water is the same. Moving water can generally be a 234 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 1: bad idea unless the river is real slow, or you 235 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 1: can tuck into a backwater area with little to no current. 236 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: But then you need to consider the bottom. A muddy 237 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: or soft bottom is no good. You want to gradual, 238 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: hard bottom so the dog can slowly walk in and 239 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: not experiences any surprises like sinking in or walking off 240 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 1: a ledge. A little wrinkle in the plan, like an 241 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 1: unexpected drop off of just six inches, can scare the 242 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:16,520 Speaker 1: Bejesus out of a dog and set in stone a 243 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 1: phobia that is not easy to chip away and remove. Now, 244 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 1: on top of all that, and I need to stress 245 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,559 Speaker 1: this again, do not force a dog into the water. 246 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: This is just a prick move and has the potential 247 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: to spiral into something you might never get a handle on. 248 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:34,199 Speaker 1: Don't do it. Set your dog up for success the 249 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:37,200 Speaker 1: right way. Also, as a word of caution here, I 250 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:39,520 Speaker 1: got to just throw this in. You should pay attention 251 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: to blue green algae, which can be toxic to dogs. 252 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 1: The hotter it is, especially when it comes to stagnant 253 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: fresh water, the more likely it is to get a 254 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: bloom of this puppy poison. If you have any concerns 255 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 1: about whatever swimming hole you choose, pay attention to the 256 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: algae situation. While it's rare, it's a really bad deal 257 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:03,560 Speaker 1: with dogs to swim in this stuff. All right. Here's 258 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: another thing at least to think about when you're getting 259 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 1: a dog to be a swimmer. Some love it so 260 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 1: much they won't quit. This is the other end of 261 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: the spectrum from the kind of puppy that I started 262 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: with my last one. And I got to watch this 263 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: play out twice with my brother in law and his 264 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: yellow lab, Lenni. Lennie never had any qualms about taking 265 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 1: a swim, even as a young puppy, but the moment 266 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 1: she got enough confidence to really go for it, she 267 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:32,600 Speaker 1: really went for it. She was chasing bugs on the water, 268 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:35,800 Speaker 1: and her young dog brain didn't even consider coming back, 269 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 1: although she was definitely being told to. She just went 270 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:41,640 Speaker 1: feral and my brother in law had to go for 271 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:44,439 Speaker 1: an impromptu swim through a pretty huge bed of lily 272 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:46,439 Speaker 1: pads and wild rice to get a hold of her. 273 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 1: I don't know if you have ever swam through a 274 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: bed of thick weeds in a lake, but it's about 275 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: as comfortable as the prep for a colonoscopy. The only 276 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:57,680 Speaker 1: thing that made me laugh harder than watching him go 277 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:00,439 Speaker 1: through that was when it happened to in a week 278 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 1: later in exactly the same fashion without a really solid recall, 279 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 1: which a lot of us just don't have. On young dogs. 280 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 1: Be careful with the water go getter type of pop. 281 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:15,760 Speaker 1: A good way to head your bets, at least a 282 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:18,319 Speaker 1: little bit, is to employ a check cord here. Now, 283 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 1: a lot of people will look at that and assume 284 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 1: that the light nylon rope of a check cord could 285 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 1: get tangled on something and potentially become dangerous. You know, 286 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 1: this is a concern, but not much of one if 287 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 1: you choose your spots wisely. But it also allows you 288 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:34,040 Speaker 1: to catch your dog much more easily if you need 289 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 1: to know. At least it gives you a fighting chance 290 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 1: anyway when there's a fifteen foot rope trailing behind that dog. Now, 291 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 1: I'll talk more about the simple training tool on a 292 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: future episode, but don't be afraid to use a check 293 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: cord with a young dog in the water and a 294 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: hell of a lot of other circumstances on land. Just 295 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 1: make sure if you do, there isn't something that the 296 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 1: dog could get tangled on, like a dead fall or something. 297 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: And if there is, don't use the check cord, or 298 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: make sure you're gonna channel your inner Michael Phelps. If 299 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 1: you need to get out there and get things squared away, 300 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: I'm joking here, don't let your dog do that. Don't 301 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: let your dog get in danger now, is the last 302 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,560 Speaker 1: thing I'll say on this front. There is the option 303 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:17,000 Speaker 1: for a neoprene vest. This is something you rarely see 304 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 1: a duck dog without when it's time to do this 305 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: job in the fall. Neoprene vests, ones that are actually 306 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:25,280 Speaker 1: cut correctly to fit your dog, do an amazing job 307 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 1: of keeping water away from the skin. The benefit there 308 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 1: is warmth, obviously, but they also provide a bit of 309 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: floatation too. It's not like having a full on life 310 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: vest like my cowardly fishing buddy, but it's not nothing either. 311 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: This is a consideration for dogs that will be asked 312 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: to train or hunt in cold or water, but also 313 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 1: might be a good idea for dogs that aren't known 314 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: for being super good with swimming. Often these dogs have 315 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: extremely short coats, so even water that wouldn't be cold 316 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 1: to a true water dog like a chessis might be 317 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 1: too cold for a so sol water dog without much hair. 318 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: Pre invest can be a difference maker here, but you 319 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: want to make sure it fits correctly and that your 320 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 1: dog has been introduced to it long before you go 321 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 1: swimming dogs like some toddlers. On how some older folks 322 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 1: in certain communities in Arizona hate wearing clothes, asking them 323 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 1: to vest up is like asking them to do something 324 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 1: very unnatural, and it takes a little bit before they 325 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: connect an neoprene vest to something fun that they actually 326 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:27,320 Speaker 1: want to do. It's worth it, though, especially if you 327 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 1: have a dog that doesn't have a lot of fur 328 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 1: or meat on its bones and you still want it 329 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: to swim. So get your doggies out there and get 330 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: them swimming. My friends, just make sure you don't do 331 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: anything that can make them aquaphobic, because as irrational as 332 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: it seems, that fear is real and it's hard to overcome. 333 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 1: And when you do get back from the old swimming hole, 334 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 1: come back from more houndations in a couple of weeks 335 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 1: when I'm going to talk about a subject that some 336 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 1: of us don't really want to hear about, which is 337 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 1: what is a healthy weight for our four legged buddies 338 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 1: and what do we do if they aren't worth they 339 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:04,399 Speaker 1: should be in the pounds and ounces department. That's it 340 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:06,639 Speaker 1: for this week. I'm Tony Peterson. This has been the 341 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: Houndation's podcast. Now I'm pretty sure I speak for everyone 342 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 1: here at meat Eater, but I just want to say 343 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 1: that we really appreciate your support, you know, whether that's 344 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:18,040 Speaker 1: listening to this podcast, or maybe reading a few articles 345 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 1: at the medeater dot com, or I don't know, heading 346 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:24,199 Speaker 1: on over to FirstLight dot com to grab some new camel. 347 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,119 Speaker 1: We are nothing without you, guys and gals, So truly 348 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:30,680 Speaker 1: thank you for your support. However you show it, we 349 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 1: really appreciate it.