My 14 Month old BLM takes on water while swimming which I think has caused him to not particularly like water. First few water retrieves he seems positive about the retrieve but he usually returns and throws up (allot of water not just a gag) then his attitude about going in the water changes. He does not seem to be keeping his head up high enough out of the water on the return and since he has a bird or bumper in his mouth he is taking in water all the way back. He does not stop or slow down or leave the mark but when he returns after delivery he throws up. Not sure if there are any exercises to help him with this. Anyone experience this, do they finally catch on ? I think it is having a negative effect on his water attitude. Any help would be appreciated.
Taking on water while swimming
chasd
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My 14 Month old BLM takes on water while swimming which I think has caused him to not particularly like water. First few water retrieves he seems positive about the retrieve but he usually returns and throws up (allot of water not just a gag) then his attitude about going in the water changes. He does not seem to be keeping his head up high enough out of the water on the return and since he has a bird or bumper in his mouth he is taking in water all the way back. He does not stop or slow down or leave the mark but when he returns after delivery he throws up. Not sure if there are any exercises to help him with this. Anyone experience this, do they finally catch on ? I think it is having a negative effect on his water attitude. Any help would be appreciated.
G
Guest
·taking on water is typically the result of either a thirsty or stressed dog. If he's throwing up, that means he's probably swallowing it purposefully? I don't know. I've never heard of a dog doing this repeatedly on water.
Are you training on land prior? Any chance he needed a drink at some point prior to your water training? I have heard of folks that train a good part of the day without offering water (which I think is not a very good idea)...
Would be curious if others have had dogs do this to this extent. Do you notice any difference between more difficult marks and easier ones?
Dogs will gulp when nervous or anxious... Not sure if that's the case.
-K
Are you training on land prior? Any chance he needed a drink at some point prior to your water training? I have heard of folks that train a good part of the day without offering water (which I think is not a very good idea)...
Would be curious if others have had dogs do this to this extent. Do you notice any difference between more difficult marks and easier ones?
Dogs will gulp when nervous or anxious... Not sure if that's the case.
-K
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Kristie-I have a BLM that will drink for 24 yards on a 25 yard splash mark. Looks like he's about ready to deliver a litter of pups when he get back. Doesn't always throw it up.
water
I am sure it is not being thirsty. He has water in his box (trailer) available once we get there. If you swim against water with your mouth open while trying to hold onto something you will take on water. I think some dogs figure out how to "close their throat" or keep head high enough not to have this happen. Mine has not...
I am sure it is not being thirsty. He has water in his box (trailer) available once we get there. If you swim against water with your mouth open while trying to hold onto something you will take on water. I think some dogs figure out how to "close their throat" or keep head high enough not to have this happen. Mine has not...
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No it's not that they're thirsty Kristie. Unfortunately I've have, had dogs that do this. Seems like they do it more when they're on their water drills. I keep the drills short and get done with them as soon as I can.
It seems to go away with time. They have to figure out how to keep their throat closed while swimming with something in their mouth. It comes and goes sometimes with the level of stress once they've basically gotten over it.
Don't keep swimming your dog once it takes on water. Let them throw up or burp and then continue letting them retrieve in the water.
It seems to go away with time. They have to figure out how to keep their throat closed while swimming with something in their mouth. It comes and goes sometimes with the level of stress once they've basically gotten over it.
Don't keep swimming your dog once it takes on water. Let them throw up or burp and then continue letting them retrieve in the water.
G
Guest
·With some dogs it is... But this "condition" sounds scary and I'm glad I've never had a dog do it. Would make me really nervous re: GDV and other problems.Angie B said:
G
Guest
·I was asking my husband if he's ever seen this... He said he'd check for laryngeal problems just in case.... something to consider.
-K
-K
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Otey Brabston's yellow male "Max" was doing this regularly for a while. I know at one time, Otey was very concerned about it, thinking it could lead to torsion or some other complication.
I'm not sure what, if anything they did about it.
Funny, Otey would describe it the same way as MIDTN - looking like he was about to deliver puppies.
I'm not sure what, if anything they did about it.
Funny, Otey would describe it the same way as MIDTN - looking like he was about to deliver puppies.
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I notice most dogs, including mine, do that little "cough" as they come back with a bird in the mouth. I just figured that was their way of keeping water clear of their throat? Does your dog do this while he is returning?
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It can lead to torsion. A seven year old qualifier for the National Am had to have emergency surgery the day before the trial due to this very habit. Thankfully, the owner knew what to look for and got him to the vet on time. He would take on water even during blinds, behaving like the poster describes. Be careful and read up on torsion.
LM
LM
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Dogs who are bad swimmers or dogs who want to get to the bird immediately in the water can take on too much water
If you have a dog who does take on too much water, you need to make sure you walk it and purge all the water before you put the dog up
Ted
If you have a dog who does take on too much water, you need to make sure you walk it and purge all the water before you put the dog up
Ted
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Taking on water
Sadly my male Maxx was sent to a pro trainer who will be unnamed but when he was in swim by he is such a strong dog that he just ducks his head when receiving a correction with a e collar. That resulted in him filling up with water.. I brought him home with me when I saw this and have been able to correct it by a lot of patience and VERBAL corrections in water. It was disheartining to see him in pain still wanting to retrieve. I ran a BUNCH of single marks and when he returned I threw him a happy bumper on land and caused him to BURP.. helps a bunch......BE SURE TO GET YOUR DOG to burp before putting him away......can result in torsion if you don't..... I was lucky .....
Sadly my male Maxx was sent to a pro trainer who will be unnamed but when he was in swim by he is such a strong dog that he just ducks his head when receiving a correction with a e collar. That resulted in him filling up with water.. I brought him home with me when I saw this and have been able to correct it by a lot of patience and VERBAL corrections in water. It was disheartining to see him in pain still wanting to retrieve. I ran a BUNCH of single marks and when he returned I threw him a happy bumper on land and caused him to BURP.. helps a bunch......BE SURE TO GET YOUR DOG to burp before putting him away......can result in torsion if you don't..... I was lucky .....
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Does this happen in just one pond or all ponds? It happened once to Kimo, but over time I figured out it was the pond I was doing re-hab in. It was new and muddy and I think just enough mud to weigh him down to take on water. It hadn't happened on any other pond. He needed to go to the bathroom frequently for several hours after.
One thing is you could try is to strengthen his neck muscles. Have him carry a bumper uphill looking at you and gradually add weight/water to the bumper to make it heavier.
mary
One thing is you could try is to strengthen his neck muscles. Have him carry a bumper uphill looking at you and gradually add weight/water to the bumper to make it heavier.
mary
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Taking on water
I just got a dog back from a pro, 12 months old. One of his issues was taking on water during big swims which would eliminate him from big water series. My observation was that the dog didn't have the stamina and his throat was opening so wide for air that he was taking on water. It is summer and extremely hot in North Mississippi. I started a Long Distance roading program and what a difference that has made. I am doing it with all of my competition dogs and am seeing some really neat results. I took for granted that my dogs were in good physical condition. I train 5 days a week and my dogs are fed a high performance premium dog food and look great. When I roaded my best dog and at .9 of a mile he threw up and looked and me like he would kill me if I turned my back. I realized my dogs are not in as good a shape as I thought! We started running them with a 4-wheeler 5.5-6.0 miles an hour in the mornings, started at 1 mile. Keeping records of temp. & humidity and condition of each dog after the run. It has been a lot of fun. We have taken it a step further and are taking their temp. before the run, after the run, & again 5-10 minutes later.
I just got a dog back from a pro, 12 months old. One of his issues was taking on water during big swims which would eliminate him from big water series. My observation was that the dog didn't have the stamina and his throat was opening so wide for air that he was taking on water. It is summer and extremely hot in North Mississippi. I started a Long Distance roading program and what a difference that has made. I am doing it with all of my competition dogs and am seeing some really neat results. I took for granted that my dogs were in good physical condition. I train 5 days a week and my dogs are fed a high performance premium dog food and look great. When I roaded my best dog and at .9 of a mile he threw up and looked and me like he would kill me if I turned my back. I realized my dogs are not in as good a shape as I thought! We started running them with a 4-wheeler 5.5-6.0 miles an hour in the mornings, started at 1 mile. Keeping records of temp. & humidity and condition of each dog after the run. It has been a lot of fun. We have taken it a step further and are taking their temp. before the run, after the run, & again 5-10 minutes later.
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I have a dog that does this. He will be 4 in Sept. and it has greatly improved in the past year. He only takes on water while swimming back with certain things in his mouth. He doesn't do it with birds. Some of the foam ducks he does it with. He rarely does it with bumpers now. Sometimes it is a combination of air and water and sometimes just water. I always made sure he either belched or barfed it up before continuing. He would be uncomfortable but was always willing to go!
Tom
Tom
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Re: Taking on water
I remember when you had just gotten him back in your possession and it was a real worry for you. I don't know if you remember it, but you did one day describe it as he looked like a pregnant female ready to deliver!
So when you refer to verbal corrections, you are not saying you issued verbal corrections to stop taking on water. What you mean is you discontinued e-collar corrections in the water to stop his head ducking?
How did it work out? Did you get him completely out of it?
Hey, I'm judging a KY event in September for Derek and company...you going to be there?
Chris
Hi Otey,Sundown49 aka Otey B said:
I remember when you had just gotten him back in your possession and it was a real worry for you. I don't know if you remember it, but you did one day describe it as he looked like a pregnant female ready to deliver!
So when you refer to verbal corrections, you are not saying you issued verbal corrections to stop taking on water. What you mean is you discontinued e-collar corrections in the water to stop his head ducking?
How did it work out? Did you get him completely out of it?
Hey, I'm judging a KY event in September for Derek and company...you going to be there?
Chris
I am currently training a dog that takes on water while doing water retrieves. We did four marks this morning and after the last one, he looked pregnant. He acctually spit the bumper out to throw up the water. He's done this a couple of other times during drills. After reading the thread, I'm a little concerned about torsion. Anybody else have input about this?
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