For the non-swimmer

My dog is very timid near water, and for this reason it was necessary to let him experience swimming on his own terms. The best place I have found to do this has been Wasaga Beach. This beach has a large section dedicated to dogs and their owners. Therefore my dog was able to not only gain comfort by swimming with my boyfriend and myself, but also with other dogs.

The beach is also relatively shallow, this enabled my dog to walk a distance before needing to swim. The depth level also moves up and down as one moves out, allowing him breaks between swims. Under these conditions my dog, who has never enjoyed swimming, had a fun and exciting time at the beach.

The one problem I do have with my dog, on any beach, is sand. He frequently rubs his face and body in the sand, presumably 'drying off', but consequences are unpleasant for both of us. He gets sand in this mouth, eyes and nose, and is entirely 'dirty'. Therefore I also bring my dog his own towel to dry himself off. As long as it is held on the ground, he recognizes the benefits of a towel to sand.

This being said. I have also taken my dog swimming at places other than beaches. In these instances there was no gradual progression of water depth, and he displayed considerable fright was faced with the prospect of swimming. Thus in the future I would like to invest in a dog life jacket, and perhaps he will feel more secure with his swimming abilities.

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