Finally got my own pup awhile back and been tied up with him here lately, yellow lab he was born April 3rd and his name is Colt. He is a little on the shy side but all it takes is some excitement and he'll go nuts over chaseing a tennis ball. Took him to the park today and he was a little skiddish of the water but he willingly waded in about a whole body length and almost to his belly but not quite.
My brother has his brother that is the exact same age and he dives in head first and swimming like he's been doing it his,whole life. Anyone got any good suggestions on coaxing in a pup that is not quite sure at first? He'll chase a ball in as long as its on the edge but any further he just looks at it and whines. Even if I'm in the water calling him.

Colt

Have you had him around his brother while in the water. Sometimes they will jump in if others are in

Yeah they were together. His brother would charge into the pond all the way in and swimming but then mine(Colt) would walk in to about a whole body length in and put on the breaks quick. They have two completely different personalitys. My brothers (beau) is by far the most advanced pup I've ever seen. He's barely 3 months old and can make a full retrieve in the water, while mine (Colt) is really laid back and takes some encouragement to take a few steps in the water. Even playing fetch I have to run around in circles and get him really excited before he'll start chaseing the ball. Once he's going though he'll chase them all four or five times I throw it and bring it back to me.

Just wasn't sure if anyone else had a pointer or two on other things to help convince him the water isn't scary.

He will come around. Get in with him daily ankle deep sit down, call him to you and just splash around

Quack,

Mine was scared of wet grass for quite awhile. But just kept at him and he turned around. And being around other dogs was the key. Now no worries. Just put an above ground pool up and he jumped over the side to get in. He'll come around. Great looking pup.

Exactly the moment when he learned water was fun.

I'm hoping that keeping him with his brother and working with them both around water will help convince him to follow his brother in. I bought one of those little Kidde pools earlier and sat down inside of it with him sitting between my legs and had someone else turn the water hose on and gradually fill it up till it was about belly deep on him he stayed sitting down in the water the whole time it was filling up. I was holding him but he wasn't trying to get way just sat there, second I let go he calmly stood up and walked out. I stayed in the water and after a few minutes he came back and was running around the pool crying and I could tell he wanted in but he just wasn't quite sure if he REALLY wanted in.. Our actual swimming pool has a beach entrance he'll walk down but again he only goes belly deep even when I'm in swimming around. I talked to a neighbor of mine today that used to train dogs way back when and he said just pick him up and carry him in and hold him in my arms in water deeper than he's been going. That's what I've been avoiding doing as I don't want to scare him but I'm just saying that here to get other opinions on that
I know sometimes people prefer to do things different now than they used to...last thing I want or need is a dog that's scared to get in the water...I'm already worried enough about how he's going to take to gun shots and the noise of the boat motor when the time comes..

Well didn't take as long as I expected. Went to a local "pond" that had a relatively shallow boat ramp that we could wade down I to the water about waist deep. I took the bumper and just waived it around in front of his face splashing a bunch of water around and sure enough he jumped. Then all I had to do was toss it in after that and he swam out and got it every time. We got home and were swimming in the pool and I tosed it in for him a few times and he ran in and got it then he got to where he would jump in with us just calling to him. I put him out side of the pool to dry and chill out for awhile and in the mean time we were playing around in the pool and out of no where he ran jumped in no bumper, no calling him or anything! It was a awesome feeling to see my very own pup baling in the water like that.






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That's awesome. Funny video when he dives on the other one to get the bumper.

Good deal, sometimes instinct just takes over




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He's growing to dang fast. Had him for a month the now and he's already gone from 15lbs when I got him to he's 35lbs now..lol

Yea just wait till a year when he is about 80lbs. Or in the case of Ibfishin when his dog was 80lbs at 3 months. Good looking pup quack

Thank you. I have a feeling he'll be pushing 75-80 easy by a year if not alittle sooner. His dad was a very short and stout 80lb dog and his mom was a very tall and mid size dog probably 70ish pounds.

Right on. Mine is around 75-80 at year old. Tail like a Louisville slugger.

Haha I hear ya on that. He's a really laid back and chilled out dog. He just minds his own business and usually isn't very hyper...until he sees the white bumper. Then its game on. Soon as I pull the bumper out he's a whole different dog.

That's great. Mine stays mild mannered. He loves to play but doesn't go berserk. Which I like.

Well im jealous, keep us updated on your progress.. You plan to follow any certain training program or send him off?
Pretty dog!


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Nice pup, good luck.

Mine is 10 months old and a little over 90 pounds. He is clumsy as hell and leaves a trail of destruction if you don't watch him like a hawk. Here is a picture of him at 9 months in a leather "big man" chair.20160704_061103.jpg

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Dang he's big lol. Good looking dog.
Mines finally starting to grow into his feet a little and is,actually able to run pretty hard a little bit.