Controlled swim/ swim by handler help - Page 1

I am all out of ideas how to train my 9mo GSD to swim by me or circle around. Now that he is swimming really well, I have to train him not to climb on top of anyone in the water and circle around, probably about a foot from a person. 

Any thoughts how to go about that?

Thanks!



 

You don't really train the dog, you train the people to stay to the sides of the dog. As the dog feet only move parallel, staying to the side of their shoulder makes it impossible to be clawed. You can gently turn the dog and guide him with a little pressure on the shoulder. He will move, but you need to as well. 

Oh, and it also helps to gain their trust by getting them to allow you to "carry" them. Start slowly with this, for seconds at first and build up to longer stretches. When you release them use the touch on the shoulder to turn them, but remember always you must move to stay at their sides. 

Hope this helps.

Thanks, Beetree, I will try staying by his side tomorrow, though if I recall correctly from last weekend, he always tries to turn and face me. I've done the carrying, he really likes it and now is completely relaxed when I hold him in water. Though in the beginning there was a lot of splashing. He would also sit in water with his front paws in front, like begging and splashes the water at me :) How do the dogs that do water rescue learn to position themselves to the side or the front of the person who needs rescue? I've been searching online and found a lot of reference to controlled swim, but no explanation how to go about it.

It is conditioning like everything else. You have to be in the position and guide him with shoulder touches. The more you do this, the more he will become accustomed to the position. I guess, just like teaching a dog to heel. I think the use of the shoulder touch also reassures them. The turning towards you is natural at this point, just stay cool, and make a command for him, like say Circle!, give a guiding touch, and when he paddles away from you, give the reward.... say good doggy! If he comes at you, say, NO! Give the touch, and reward when he stays to your side, or where it is you want him to go.

Just get the side thing going first, and the shoulder turnings, then you can build on the rest. At least that's how I do it!

I would love to see some videos of this type of work.  If someone can send me a link or too, many thanks.

with my internet, I cannot go to YouTube to hunt and peck for a good video.  I can go directly to 1 video though.