A dog that is good at swimming

Generally, medium and large dogs are good at swimming, such as Labrador, Golden Retriever, Irish Setter, Newfoundland, etc., all of which are excellent swimmers. The swimming ability of these dogs is mainly due to their strong limbs, but this ability may also be present in their genes.

Dogs that are not good at swimming

Dogs with short heads and short legs are not suitable for swimming, such as bulldogs, dachshunds, boxers, pugs, etc. Dogs with short legs don't have enough leg strength to keep them afloat in the water. Dogs with special facial structures such as brachynosed dogs have short noses. In order not to choke in the water, they will try their best to raise their heads to breathe, causing the back end of the body to retract and sink, making them unable to swim in the water for too long.

Notes on teaching dogs to swim

1. You can prepare floating swimsuits for dogs that have just started swimming so that they can float on the water and avoid the risk of drowning.

2. You can take your dog swimming in person. On the one hand, you can protect the dog, and on the other hand, you can encourage the dog to swim in your direction. Never let your dog swim alone!

3. It is recommended to teach dogs to swim in the shallow water first, and use toys to encourage them to slowly swim to the deep water. When you first start swimming, you can drag the dog’s abdomen with your hands to train the dog to swim with all four limbs, not just Only with forelimbs.

4. If the dog's swimming posture is standing, it means that the dog cannot swim yet. The dog should be taken out of the water in time instead of waiting.

5. The dog's tail plays a very important role in balancing. If you find that the dog's tail is drooping when teaching the dog to swim, be sure to hold it firmly and do not let go, otherwise the dog will sink.

6. Don’t forget to set a scientific and reasonable swimming time to prevent your dog from being exhausted from swimming.

7. After swimming, remember to give your dog some encouragement, praise, and snack rewards.

8. Remember to clean your dog’s ears after swimming to avoid infection caused by water ingress.

9. Don’t force a dog that hates swimming.

How to give first aid to a drowning dog

Step one: Turn the dog’s head and body upside down. For small dogs, you can lift them directly upside down and press the belly so that To expel choked water, large dogs can lift their hind legs to help spit out water;

Step 2: Remove water, sediment and other dirt from the dog's mouth and nasal cavity, open the dog's mouth, pull out the tongue, and keep it open;

Step 3: Check breathing. If breathing stops, perform artificial respiration.

Artificial respiration steps:

(1) Make the dog lie flat on its side;

(2) Remove the dirt in the mouth that blocks the respiratory tract;

(3) Press the ribs next to the shoulder blades with both hands to squeeze the air out of the lungs;

(4) Every time you press the chest 5 times, blow evenly into your mouth and release your hands quickly. Repeat the third and fourth actions repeatedly until the dog resumes breathing.

If you are still not breathing, perform CPR. Place the palm of your hand on the heart of the chest (near the position when the left front elbow is bent to the chest). Large dogs need both hands to press.

Drowning for dogs can be fatal instantly. First aid only takes 2-5 minutes. Once drowning, it is a narrow escape. If first aid measures are not taken, the possibility of survival of the dog will be greatly reduced. Regardless of whether the dog can swim or not, owners should always pay attention when the dog enters the water to prevent the tragedy of drowning.