Shelties and Water!

BarbV · May 7, 2009

Hi

What's the experience out there with Shelties and swimming?

I've never had a Sheltie that was a swimmer. Every Sheltie that I ever encountered would not go near pools or lakes. Water was for drinking, and maybe to help spread mud a little more evenly! :rolleyes2:

We opened up the cottage this weekend. I've noticed that Indy seems to be taking far too much interest in the water on the river, and a couple of times looked like he was getting ready to jump right in! At the least, instead of walking down the middle of the dock, he likes to "walk on the edge". I can easily see Bacca coming up beside him and shoving him easily into the water. :eek2:

A couple of problems:

1) We don't have a "beach". Our shoreline starts at 6 feet of water and quickly dips to 30 then 50 feet depth. To get in and out of the water, requires climbing up a swim ladder. The dogs cannot just walk their way to the shore.

2) The water temperature is currently 50 degrees. Brrrr! I don't relish the idea of having to take an early spring swim if Indy decides the water looks great!

So, what are the chances that a Sheltie will purposefully take the dive? Do Shelties have the same instinct as other "water" dogs in knowing how to swim, even if they've never done it before? (I'm trying to figure out if I would have to dive in after him to save him, or whether or not I would have the time to coax him back close to the dock in order to fish him out, without having to jump in)

Crystal1 · May 7, 2009

Yes, shelties instinctively know how to swim. We had a funny experience at the boat dock, in the fall. The falling leaves had covered much of the dock, and especially at the water end of the dock it was completely covered. We went down to check the boat and my sheltie was with me. She walked down the deck and kept going, she walked on the leaves and suddenly there was no more dock and she fell into the water. She swam fine--but was not a happy camper. We hauled her up and wrapped her in a blanket and she was fine.

davemize · May 8, 2009

Crystal1 said:
Yes, shelties instinctively know how to swim. We had a funny experience at the boat dock, in the fall. The falling leaves had covered much of the dock, and especially at the water end of the dock it was completely covered. We went down to check the boat and my sheltie was with me. She walked down the deck and kept going, she walked on the leaves and suddenly there was no more dock and she fell into the water. She swam fine--but was not a happy camper. We hauled her up and wrapped her in a blanket and she was fine.

I wonder what that thick double coat does when submerged in water?... act like a sponge? Wonder if it weighs the sheltie down?

Having raised basset hounds for many years, I know that they didn't like to swim. Their heavy bone structure and short legs just didn't work out so well in the water.

Aztec · May 8, 2009

Every year we go up to Michigan, and there a few times we stayed on a lake. The water started out incredibly shallow...and the deepest it got was about 9 ft.

Aztec absolutely loved the water. The first time he got in I think he felt he was keeping in eye on my sister, as she was playing in the water so he jumped in. He spent hours playing in the water, and loved barking at canoes. However - he was not a good swimmer. As soon as the water became deep enough for his feet to leave the ground, he turned around and started back to shore. So yes, I think shelties do enjoy playing in water - but not necessarily swimming.

I think there would have to be a compelling reason for a sheltie to jump in to start with though. Like I said with Aztec...He ran along the shoreline barking forever, and then seemingly worried he was never going to get his "sheep" back he jumped in. (Then discovered he liked it)

Caro · May 8, 2009

Yes - Deska took a dive, then regretted it and now I can see Tully contemplating it!

Last winter it was -5degrees and we were walking around the lake and Deska got in one of his silly moods and decided to chase some ducks into the lake. Then when he got some way out he realised where he was and started sooking and looking at me as if to say "mum come and get me!" I used treats and coaxing and couldn't get him out - he was stuck and I think part of that was his coat weighing him down and of coause the cold. I was getting worried I would actually have to swim in and get him.

In the end some old hobo came up and said he would watch him while I ran away and hid behind a tree with Tully. That made him swim to shore - thank god. Afterwards he was very proud of himself but he has never ventured near the water again.

I did a blog on the puppies' website after this incident on the top 5 reasons shelties should not swim
1. Just because I'm warm on land when it is -5 degrees doesn't mean I'll be warm in the water.
2. It's embarrassing when Lassie has to be rescued!
3. My long thick double coat may look pretty, but when its wet it weighs more than me.
4. It takes a long time to dry off.
5. I look really scrawny and pathetic when my fur is wet.

HopeShelties · May 8, 2009

My Shelties LOVE to swim! In fact, a friend and I are teaching a couple of our shelties dock diving. They'll hopefully start competing later this year.

Chris · May 8, 2009

Bits loves to splash in the stream below our house. Annie despises water and barks furiously if anyone gets wet. Layla will wade, but not in the ocean. She plays sandpiper with the waves. When she fell into the Pokomoke River skylarking on the bow of the kayak, she was very surprised, but swam beautifully!

BarbV · May 8, 2009

Chris said:
Bits loves to splash in the stream below our house. Annie despises water and barks furiously if anyone gets wet. Layla will wade, but not in the ocean. She plays sandpiper with the waves. When she fell into the Pokomoke River skylarking on the bow of the kayak, she was very surprised, but swam beautifully!

That's what I need to know - that is, if one or other of the boys, falls in accidentally, that they can keep themselves afloat long enough for me to figure out how to rescue them without having to dive into 50 degree water myself! Brrr!

Thanks alot!

BarbV · May 8, 2009

HopeShelties said:
My Shelties LOVE to swim! In fact, a friend and I are teaching a couple of our shelties dock diving. They'll hopefully start competing later this year.

Do you teach them to climb the swim ladder back up to the dock too! :razz:

That's the part I'm interested in.

I'd also be interested in how you are teaching dock diving! How to get them to go in? I'm not convinced I want to encourage this, but it still would be fun to know. It might be fun to swim off the dock with my pups! :smile2:

Crystal1 · May 8, 2009

A neighbor had a doughboy style pool and had built a deck around it. They had also put a blue tarp over the pool, because it was winter. A neighbor girl came to my house and said that my dog had been swimming in the pool for 2 or 3 hours, but wouldn't let anyone rescue her (you no how some shelties are about strangers). I ran down and pulled her out of the water, and she seemed fine. Later that night I was going somewhere and opened the car door for her, but her legs were so weak she couldn't get in, so I put her in the car. That was the first time Crystal had ever swam. I think that your boys will be able to swim, if they need to. Just don't wait too long to go check on them.