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Pups on the Beach!
I just spent a wonderful few days relaxing at the beach and I saw many pups having the time of their lives jumping into the waves and frolicking! I’m curious: who among you let your pups swim at the beach and who is overly cautious like me? I loved watching people’s dogs enjoy themselves, but I don’t believe I will ever feel comfortable allowing my own dogs to swim in the ocean. Thoughts? Any advice for an over-protective dog mom?
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25 Replies
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Ahh yes, beaches… Wai is not much of a water dog, despite his name and where we live. Lol ????
But once in a long while, we will go to the beach, while there aren’t any dogs and let him play in the sand. He loves zooming in the sand ????️ . But with busy busy lives and the amount of dogs that frequent dog friendly beaches, it is much harder. Sorry, I don’t know if that helps! ????
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Glad you were able to relax at the beach! ❤️ Definitely a relaxing place. ???? ✌????
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Thank you! Xoxoxo
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What a peaceful pic, @LisaOMy . I’ve never had to make that decision as my many dogs have never shown an interest in swimming while at an ocean beach, though they LOVE zooming around in the sand near the water. I used to live near Lake Michigan which actually had small waves and my lab mix loved to fetch sticks in the water there.
Are you worried about the waves, undertow, or sea critters lurking below?
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Worried about all of the above lol. Call me Annoying Mom lololol
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Not annoying at all, just looking out for their safety!
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@LisaOMy I totally understand your concerns! Riptides are terrifying.
I grew up going to the northern California coast and most recently lived near the Oregon coast… and the riptides, undertow and frigid waters make it quite risky to allow swimming. That said, I’ve had very few dogs who were terribly motivated to go into that water. I always allowed free choice, and never threw the stick/toy into the waves to tempt them. At worst, most just got their legs wet. I sometimes would see the odd field-bred Lab who was crazy to do it, but even then, it was because the owner was tossing in a stick. Those waves are no joke and running on the beach was a safer and more pleasant option.
When the girls and I were on the Gulf in TX, I did encourage them to go into the water with me; neither was too thrilled with it. Joy thought I needed rescuing and Bliss hadn’t learned to swim, yet. Even those waves were tough to battle, if they hit you wrong. I felt like the girls had it right; let’s stay on the beach.
Now that Bliss is an expert swimmer, we swim a lot together in Oklahoma lakes which are lovely, but only after I’ve done an algae check!
I don’t know if any of that helps, but you might try with a biothane longline and wading at the water’s edge where there isn’t a drop off, and see what your dogs choose to do. They may surprise you with zero interest in going past the froth. 😉
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Catherine, what a gorgeous pic of Bliss!
Ooooh, a biothane long line attached to a harness is such a great idea, as long as there aren’t tangle hazards. One could also add a floaty vest on the dog for extra peace of mind.
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LOVE the life-vest idea, Virgina, and omd this is a cute photo.
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WildeBean looks a bit constipated in this pic.
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I think she looks a bit sedated… kind of like when a pup wears the Thundershirt… just …. chillaxed.
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Omg love the life vest
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So cute! Love the pink. ????
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What a beautiful picture! Bliss is a natural doggie model. ????
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Honestly; it’s like living with a supermodel… no one even sees me. ????
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Yes! The undertow terrifies me. Starla is a water enthusiast, but we keep it to lakes and pools for her. And, like you, I am always concerned about algae. We leash her by the ocean and allow toe dips only because I’m a helicopter mom ????
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???? – warranted!!
It’s a fine balance, giving our dogs agency and enrichment, without risking their lives.
Your dogs are LUCKY to have you!! @LisaOMy !
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Another thing to consider — some dogs will actually drink the salt water and that is no good for them. So being at the ocean requires consistent access to clean/fresh water, and perhaps monitoring those nutsy dogs who will actually lap up the salt water.
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Excellent point!! Some dogs will absolutely dehydrate that way. Great reminder to monitor their consumption and limit their access accordingly. Thanks, Virginia!
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Love the life jacket for pups! Also, the long line is good. I think some of us expect our dogs to want to swim, due to breed predjudices (myself included), but they have no interest or just simply don’t know what to make of a huge body of water!
I always thought, here’s a Lab…just add water…not true in my Tara’s case. She had never experienced water and was not confident when we introduced her to the river at age 5. The waves came along and she needed to be rescued. My Samoyeds enjoyed chasing waves and my beagle would fetch after her prized floating toy, begrudgingly…My Berner actually got a huge blast out of the river and lake nearby. Even tried jumping off a dock… Surprised the heck out of me!
A further idea…teach your dog to swim, at a swim school just for dogs! I think this is just a super cool thing that has popped up around the Chicago suburbs. Wow! Swim schools for dogs!!! I am a former aquatics director and never saw that coming! One of my training clients has a Beauceron that she is taking to a weekly swim lesson. They have a ramp and the dog is on a long line or leash and the instructor is right there in the water with the dog. It’s a private lesson. A few weeks ago, she showed me a video clip of Indy getting to fetch a Chuck it ball! She still looked a little unsure, but much better than her first time.
@LisaOMy You are being responsible and kudos on keeping your pup-kids safe! Water is no joke. A lot of people are beginning to realize the urgency of water safety for children, but still don’t watch their dogs around it enough! I hope if you enjoy the water, it will rub off on them. Dogs are naturally curious about things we like. ????
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@bernerlabreclectus — ” here’s a Lab…just add water ” — thanks for the first guffaw of the morning!! ????
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We go to the beach, I grew up near the beach and the pups love it !
However I keep them on a long lead and technically they don’t go deep enough to get all 4 feet off the ground to swim. If it looks like they are going too deep for my comfort I call them back.
Ask yourself , if they got caught in a riptide or too fatigued to swim back in – could I physically swim out to save them, bring them back in and provide cpr if needed ?
Most of all have fun , let them splash and dig !
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Great advice, @juli .
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