I have a 5 month old that I really want to have a good experience when I expose him to water. My old dog never really liked water, she never refused to get in the water, but at tests she was NOT a stylish dog at all. I'm hoping this pup will enjoy the water much more. So, at what water temp do you think is good to expose a young dog? I am thinking about heading down to OK in April, not sure what the water temp will be, but it's gonna be alot warmer than NE.
Water temp for pup
K.S.
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I have a 5 month old that I really want to have a good experience when I expose him to water. My old dog never really liked water, she never refused to get in the water, but at tests she was NOT a stylish dog at all. I'm hoping this pup will enjoy the water much more. So, at what water temp do you think is good to expose a young dog? I am thinking about heading down to OK in April, not sure what the water temp will be, but it's gonna be alot warmer than NE.
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55 plus. That's my opinion
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The pup does not have to be completely swimming in order for it to realize that water is a good thing. When I got my pup it was mid feb in ks and since he not from any kind of line or anything I wanted to make sure I made water a good thing for him early. So anytime he went outside there was sometimes a puddle (2" deep) he had to walk through. Initially he would jump over it but when he started to walk through it I poured on the praise. I repeated this many times through out his puppyhood. Then when it was warmer out I introduced him to swimming with my older dog who loved the water and my pup followed us out there.
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my 4 mo old lab followed my big dogs into the only part of the pond that didn't have any ice on it i was worried about it but he seemed to enjoy it, then about a week later he went into the mississippi river so i guess it wasn't that big of a deal i think he will love water when it gets warmer
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HAHA! That's Awesome!
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Mine was exposed at 12 weeks old in 40 degree water.... She loves water, can't keep her out of it. She would rather lay in the water and wait for birds and get hypothermia than stay out of it. She also has a few screws loose.
But I would say 55-60 at least would be good.
But I would say 55-60 at least would be good.
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We have a place we flood for ducks, at 8 weeks I took Jet with me to restart our water pumps. I was letting him run around while I messed with the pumps. Next thing I knew he was out playing in the water, having a ball. couldn't keep him out of it. 2 weeks later I took him with me when I put out decoys on Friday afternoon. I use an 8 ft john boat I pull behind me with the decoys. So I put Jet in the boat because there had been ice the day before. Well Jet kept bailing out of the boat and following me in the water. I would put him back in the boat and he'd bail out. The cold water didn't seem to bother him.
IF, you are going to introduce the dog into cold water make sure you let the dog decide and do not force the dog into cold water. If he goes in on his own GREAT, if not wait til the water is warmer.
IF, you are going to introduce the dog into cold water make sure you let the dog decide and do not force the dog into cold water. If he goes in on his own GREAT, if not wait til the water is warmer.
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This was probably the dumbest thing ever, and I did not do it on purpose, but my dog's first exposure to the water was in the Gulf of Mexico in March.
I left the little sucker on the beach above the water line and went to see how cold the water was. Just as I was deciding it was much too cold for him to get into, what do I see but his yellow behind right there with me. He ran from the waves a couple times, but he stayed in and had a large time.
Maybe it worked because I did not in any way force him to get in. I think he had spent so much time with me by then that he figured if I could do it he could. He's still like that today, and he has absolutely no problem getting into cold water.
I did see an owner try to force a very young pup into some cold water this weekend, and it was about 35 degrees with about a 20mph wind at the time. Luckily some others in our training group talked him out of it.
I left the little sucker on the beach above the water line and went to see how cold the water was. Just as I was deciding it was much too cold for him to get into, what do I see but his yellow behind right there with me. He ran from the waves a couple times, but he stayed in and had a large time.
Maybe it worked because I did not in any way force him to get in. I think he had spent so much time with me by then that he figured if I could do it he could. He's still like that today, and he has absolutely no problem getting into cold water.
I did see an owner try to force a very young pup into some cold water this weekend, and it was about 35 degrees with about a 20mph wind at the time. Luckily some others in our training group talked him out of it.
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