[littlebird]

We have known for a while, that our pup, Luna, likes to swim. We often take her to the river to play fetch, and she has a great time paddling around with the other dogs.

So yesterday we took her there and we were playing fetch, and DH threw in a stick and it sank to the bottom. Luna jumped in and stuck her head right under to get it. So we tried again and kept throwing it a little farther out and a little deeper each time. She can stay under for about ten or fifteen seconds! Her rear end bobs around on the top most of the time, but she's turning out to be quite the swimmer!

Any one else have a diving dog? I'd never seen it before yesterday.

We're going back tonight, and I'm taking my swimsuit!

 

[Maura]

America's Funniest Home Videos wants you

 

[mamahen]

I had a border collieXGerman shepherd girl that would lay in a kiddie pool, with her head under water, blowing bubbles :shrug:

 

[Pops2]

my catahoula/bulldog cross dove under a tree fallen in the river to catch the ear of a hog. to pull him off i had to grab his tail & drag him back under the tree. we went back & forth a cuople of times before he stayed off so we could drag the hog to where we could tie it.

 

[JasoninMN]

On T.V. I have seen a couple dogs that could swim to the bottom of a swimming pool and get their toy. Our neighbors had a springer mix that would dive under water in lakes to get rocks. My dogs all they can do is stick their heads under water in the shallows. If you want to teach her to swim under I would find something thats sinks and is light in color so its easier to see under water.

 

[littlebird]

I'm going to start and try that, thanks JasoninMN. I googled and found a couple of videos of dogs diving to the bottom of pools too. I bet she's a natural, she just doen's think anything of it, just dives down like a duck!

 

[cricket]

My Bella won't dive but she does snorkle.... She'll blow bubbles and then bite at them. It's kind of funny to watch her try and "sniff" the bottom. I'll have to see if I can get it on video next time I go to the park so you can see what I mean. Meanwhile you seriously need to get that on tape!

 

[BusyBees2]

I have a siberian husky that will stick his entire head into the kids' pool and look around under the water for a toy! never thought he'd like water as much as he does!

 

[Caprice Acres]

I had a golden that would 'clean' the lake bottom. He would feel around with his front feet for a rock. He wouldn't dive down deep, but he would stick his head down to grab the rock. If it was too deep for him, he would scoot the rock between his back legs to shallower area, then go down and get it. He would return it to shore off to the side and go out for another. His favorite was when I played 'fetch' with him with rocks.

It's interesting, his aunt and his mother both did exactly the same thing, but he was never with his mother or aunt when they were doing it, so it wasn't learned but hereditary. Interesting that the kind of knowlege it takes to realize that it would be shallower and therefore easier to get the rock up near shore, and then how to go about getting it there is hereditary.

 

[littlebird]

WIHH, I think I know what you mean. The sight of *any* dog swimming makes me chuckle. Not sure why...

Next time we go I'll bring my camera. The funny thing about swimming with her is that she's like a little kid. The first few times she would flail wildly with her paws above water before she learned to keep them down. Now if she gets tired she'll swim to me and try and get me to pick her up (which I do, who could resist!). She's started swimming little circles around me, with a goofy "look-what-i-can-do" face on her.

Dogs are the best.