# Length for swimming?



## Anne1906 (Mar 17, 2015)

I would like to give my 5 month old puppy a chance to swim in our pool after it gets warmer here. Is a 2 inch cut short enough to allow her to swim easily and still insulate her from the sun and heat?


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Most Havanese aren't enthusiastic swimmers, though a few are. I think you'll just need to experiment. 

When Kodi was little, we had a pool, and we taught him to swim and how to get out of the pool if he accidentally fell in. He CAN swim, but those are the ONLY times he has aver been in water deeper than wading. He makes it vey clear that Havanese are NOT water dogs! 

He has always been in full coat, so I can't give you any advice on hair cuts.


----------



## Anne1906 (Mar 17, 2015)

Thanks for the information. I want to be sure to teach the puppy where the steps are and how to swim to get out for safety. At that point, I would not encourage swimming unless she was interested. Although our pool is fenced separately, I would never rely on that. My parents actually had an older dog drown after some workers at the pool left the gate cracked. I could not bear it if that happened to my baby. Any hints on teaching her? My son's lab, of course, never really needed instruction- but we did have to teach her to exit at the steps.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Anne1906 said:


> Thanks for the information. I want to be sure to teach the puppy where the steps are and how to swim to get out for safety. At that point, I would not encourage swimming unless she was interested. Although our pool is fenced separately, I would never rely on that. My parents actually had an older dog drown after some workers at the pool left the gate cracked. I could not bear it if that happened to my baby. Any hints on teaching her? My son's lab, of course, never really needed instruction- but we did have to teach her to exit at the steps.


That's EXACTLY why we taught Kodi. (though the pool has since been filled in) We started with me in the water holding him, first above the water, then with just his toes touching, then gradually deeper, until he was swimming, though supported by my hands. Like all dogs, he swam instinctively&#8230; no real "teaching" was needed other than to show him he COULD do it, and not to panic&#8230; then to be able to THINK while not panicking so that he could orient himself toward the steps.

When he had proved to me, several times, that he could get to the steps with me nearby to catch him if he was in trouble, we left it at that. The added (unintended) "training" was that his aversion to the pool was strong enough that he never willingly got NEAR the edge of the pool. He wouldn't even go on the deck unless we were there and he wanted to be with us. Then he stayed as far from the water as possible, keeping a person between him and the water! DEFINITELY not a water dog!!! 

We do take him boating and kayaking with us from time to time, but he always wears a life jacket when out in deep water, and his goal is to stay ON the boat and out of the water!!!


----------



## Anne1906 (Mar 17, 2015)

Do you have a particular brand of life jacket that works well? I know sometimes they don't keep the head up.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Anne1906 said:


> Do you have a particular brand of life jacket that works well? I know sometimes they don't keep the head up.


I'm pretty sure his is Outward Hound.


----------

