How to Prepare Your Dog for Their First Swim

Most first swims that go badly go badly for reasons that had nothing to do with the water. A full stomach, a desperate dog who needed a toilet break, an owner who was nervous, or a session booked at the end of an already exhausting day.

Before you leave the house

• Do not feed a big meal beforehand. Leave a couple of hours between food and swimming.
• Give them a proper toilet break. Ideally right before you go in.
• Bring a towel. There is a towel dry afterwards, but your own towel for the car is worth having.
• Bring a favourite toy, if it floats. Familiar things help enormously with a nervous dog.
• Check the 48 hour rule. Dogs should not swim within 48 hours of a vaccination.
• Bring your own swimwear if you want to get in. You are welcome in the water with them.

Set your own expectations first

Decide now that a successful first session might involve almost no swimming. If your dog spends twenty minutes standing on the steps deciding, that is a good session, not a wasted one. Dogs read disappointment quickly, and a session where the human is willing to let it be slow is the session that goes best.

On the day

Arrive with a few minutes spare so the room is not a rush. Let them sniff around before anything gets wet. Stay light, keep your voice normal, and let the staff lead the pace. Finish while they are still enjoying it.

Afterwards

Expect a tired dog, and a tired dog after swimming is more tired than you expect. Dry them properly, particularly around the base of the tail. If their tail hangs limp for a day or two afterwards, read our piece on limber tail, which is common after a first big swim and usually settles with rest.