Can all dogs swim

[mrmiskin]

I have a pit and although she is not really a hunting dog, at least in the traditional sense, pits are used for catch dogs. any how she does not go over her chest when she does go into the water. i am not going to force her and she likes splashing around i was wondering if the breed had trouble swimming. just watching her around the house she is a little stiff and i think the bull in the china shop phrase was coined from watching a pit. she charges headlong into everything and nothing phases her. any how that was the question way back there and i do have a half lab half feist that loves to swim so i can go duck and squirrel hunting on the same day. thanks

[fabsroman]

Believe it or not, all dogs can be taught to swim, and not all labs just take to swimming like they were born to do so. Lab puppies should be introduced to the water with a hand under them to support them and to allow them to learn how to swim. If they are a natural, then everything is easy. I think the same thing can be applied to your Pit.

I had to deal with a Golden Retriever that was scared to death of the water because his previous owner had just thrown him into deep water thinking that he would just start swimming. The owner had to go and rescue the dog. It took a while to get the dog to even get his feet wet when I threw a bumper into the water. Eventually, I had to get wet with the dog to show him that he could actually swim.

[gumpokc]

I agree with Fabs.

When i was 11or 12 we had a pit, grat dog too.

We took my grandads little 16 foot boat out to the lake for a family picnic.

Stepdad, mom, brother, myself, and our pit, he didnt mind shallow water, but he would not go past his chest liek your dog.

Partway through our ride, the shifter linkage broke, so we pulle dup to shore and triedt to do a quick fix...no dice....so my stepdad figured i could ride by the engine and shift the linkage for him.

we started backing out to turn around, wind had comeup, small breakers building, and the linkage froze solid in reverse.
breakers came over the back because we were heading into them, and we flipped the boat over.

[gumpokc]

I agree with Fabs.

When i was 11or 12 we had a pit, grat dog too.

We took my grandads little 16 foot boat out to the lake for a family picnic.

Stepdad, mom, brother, myself, and our pit, he didnt mind shallow water, but he would not go past his chest liek your dog.

Partway through our ride, the shifter linkage broke, so we pulle dup to shore and triedt to do a quick fix...no dice....so my stepdad figured i could ride by the engine and shift the linkage for him.

we started backing out to turn around, wind had comeup, small breakers building, and the linkage froze solid in reverse.
breakers came over the back because we were heading into them, and we flipped the boat over.

Of course shore was close, we all made it, but after having the pit dumped into the water...we couldnt get him out:P goofy mutt :)

stepdad walked back to dock to get the car and trailer, while we wait (hour and a half) and that goofy pit played in the water the whole time.

[Jack]

I have seen a number of dogs that didn't like to swim.
At the same time, I can't recall ever seeing a dog that couldn't swim.