# Swimming pools and puppies?



## Alicia (May 9, 2009)

We are getting an inground swimming pool. In a few months, we hope to bring home a GSD pup. How would you introduce the puppy to the pool? 

BTW, we have a toddler so we decided to not have the pool attached to the house and it will have a chain link fence around it. The corner has steps suitable for a small child and maybe a puppy. We'll see. 

Also, have you guys ever seen this:
http://www.skamper-ramp.com/home.asp?pid=1

What do you think?


----------



## JazzyGirl (May 25, 2009)

That ramp is pretty cool. If the animal is smart enough to figure it out it would be a lifesaver.


----------



## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

I've seen it, but the dog would still have to learn where it is. Why not just teach him where the exits are? Mine learn where the swimout is and where the steps are.


----------



## Lem (May 30, 2009)

My Pup is 5 months old now. I've had him near our inground pool but he shows no interest in it. I'd also like to know how I would go about introducing him to the pool.


----------



## Alicia (May 9, 2009)

Angela_W- Yeah, that's what I was thinking originally. However, I have no experience with dogs and pools so when I saw that dog ramp, I thought I'd ask in case I was missing something.

Lem- I hope someone wanders over to this thread to guide us a little!


----------



## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

We have an inground as well. I've had jake and jaxson both in the pool. They normally will be around the edge if we're in it. At that point, I will pick them up and bring them in (be careful not to get scratched). I hold their chest and their bellies, and let them paddle as I guide them thru the water. After a couple go arounds, I ask them if they want to go out, and guide them to the steps, still using go out so they learn to associate an exit with the stairs.


----------



## Alicia (May 9, 2009)

Well, that makes sense! How old were they when you brought them into the pool?

Thank you!


----------



## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

They were about 3 1/2 months when I first took them in. We've had a bunch of rain over the last month so it's cooled down a bit, so I haven't been back in yet.


----------



## Duke-2009 (Apr 13, 2009)

I had Duke in our in ground pool at 3 months. He is 5 months now. He does not show much interest in jumping in. He likes to run around the edges. He has fallen in a handful of times. When he is in, I hold him and then point him to the walkout and let him swim. I don't think he is going to be a jumper like the lab next door. She will make a b-line for my pool if the gate is left open! Our other dog is 4 year old and he also has no interest in jumping in. I have gotten him to sit on the stairs in the water on a hot day.

Are GSD's know as water loving dogs?


----------



## BigArn (Apr 23, 2009)

We have good friends that have a large in-ground pool, but with a liner in it. So how do you keep or discourage a GSD to not go in it?
Rocky is about 4 1/2 months old, and we have a date set in a couple of weeks to go over there, and I want to make sure we are not buying a new liner for our friends.
Sorry for the high-jack of the thread currently going on.

Cheers
Mark S.


----------



## Lem (May 30, 2009)

You know, I have to say, I still cant get Keanu into our inground pool, but today he surprised me. No, he didnt get into the pool, but he was very interested in the shower. LOL. He popped his head in and I encouraged him to come in. He got halfway in and that was it. I would guess that this means he can still learn to love water being hes definately showing interest.


----------



## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

My dogs don't like pools - think it's the clear water since they'll happily play and swim in a murky pond...


----------



## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

I would introduce the pup to your 2 year old's plastic pool first. Otto didn't have much interest in the kiddie pool at first, even though the kids and my older dog were constantly in it. When he was about 4 months, the pool became the funnest thing for him. The kiddie pool is always full (we use it as a footbath) but now he wants to get in the above ground. 

I spent a month telling him to get his big fat feet off the rail. Then one day he was jumping for water I was bailing off the cover and somehow he ended up in the pool with the cover stuck to his legs. Once again, me pulling a soaking wet dog out of the water - he hasn't stood on the rail since!


----------



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Stark LOVES the water if it is a lake, pond, river or small pool. He will swim for hours if I let him but he will not swim in my parents inground pool.

We have had him sitting on the steps and that is about it. I did take him in further once when he was trying to jump in from the side and he paniced so I brought him out.

He will even go underwater while swimming to fetch a ball or stick in the lake, rivers, or ponds but will not swim in the larger pools.. weirdo... haha.

Try introducing the new pup to smaller bodies of water first such as a kiddie pool, then introduce the stairs of the new larger pool.. don't push, let them make the first attempt.

Good luck!


----------



## Lem (May 30, 2009)

Keanu will go by the pool, and go so far as to drink from the pool, But to get in, even when I taunt him with his favorite ball, he still wont budge. LOL.


----------



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Haha.. Stark does the same thing! He LOVES to swim in the lakes, rivers, etc. will even go as far as going UNDER to get rocks.. ugh.. but to swim in the inground pool.. nope, no way that is happening!

Silly pups!


----------



## Lem (May 30, 2009)

He cracks me up. He just stands there on the edge watching every move that ball makes. Waiting for me to throw it. After I have my fun, I toss it to him so he can catch it. LOL. Then I try again. One day i'm hoping he gets in and likes it.


----------



## meisha98 (Aug 27, 2008)

Lainey loves the water and hogs the kiddie pool. She'd swim to forever in our local pond if I let her. She is wary of the ocean though. If I gave her a chance, she'd probably go into a pool. Beau is the total opposite- wants nothing to do with the hose or the pool. He just wants to get his feet wet and get out!


----------



## rockhead (Jul 8, 2007)

Eich started off in one of those plastic kiddie pools at 8-10 weeks. We had our above-ground pool installed when he was a year old and it was an instant hit with him. I recall having to coax him in with his Kong, but that was all it took. He loved swimming and usually embarrassed me at the lake by whining and crying if I wouldn't let him go in.
















Rookie is still in the kiddie pool phase and has gone swimming in the local lake via the boat ramp. He's leery of the pool so far, but I'm not pushing him.


----------



## Lem (May 30, 2009)

Today Keanu was playing with my autistic 12 year old brother, Jordan. They were in the pool area, but there were 5 adults in the pool. Keanu was chasing Jordan around the pool because Jordan likes to tease him with the tennis ball. Well Jordan went too close to the pool steps and Keanu went to block him. Actually i think he was also trying to get the ball from him. Anyway, Keanu's hind end went into the pool. He didnt much like it, and he acted all butt hurt over the fact that he had fallen in. Jordan though thought it was hysterical. LOL.


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i think you have to watch your child and pup to no end
when you have a pool. i would lock the gate to the pool so my child or puppy/dog couldn't get in it. i would also have alarms in the pool and an alarm on the gate.


----------



## Lem (May 30, 2009)

That'll work to keep out Keanu and Jordan, but not Marley. He goes right through the fence cause hes so little. Marley's been in the pool with supervision before, so he knows not to go in it. We watch him anyway though because he'll use it as a giant water bowl. LOL.


----------

