This time of year the dogs get in a lot of swimming. Swimming is fantastic exercise. It is low impact and since it is usually paired with running for our training, it burns a lot of calories.
Storm and Freighter did a several water blinds during training last Saturday.
A blind is where the dog is sent to retrieve a bumper but the dog does not know where the bumper has been placed.
The dog must rely on voice commands and arm signals to direct it to the bumper which we call “handling”. Before the dog starts handling in the water, we make sure their handling is solid on land.
Still water blinds can be challenging. The can be 100+ yards long.
The preference is for the dog to swim in a straight line following the line its handler gives it, but dogs who are just learning tend to veer off course. Even dogs who are good at water blinds can get pulled off line by something interesting in the water, scent, or a strong current.
When this happens the handler has to realign the dog using an arm signal or a voice command.
The blind itself may require a lot of swimming, but if the dog goes off course a lot, it can add a lot of extra swimming and a lot of extra exercise.
A summer of water blinds makes for dogs in excellent condition.
Thanks to SlimDoggy, MyGBGV Life, and To Dog with Love for the FitDog Friday Blog Hop!
Dogs in water early yesterday…before the heat! Macha just likes to swim and dive, who knows what she sees? Erynn is jinterested in the pond surroundings. We used to take the Chessies to the Maumee but there are issues with runoff. Hope everyone has water today and tomorrow.
Happy Mother’s Day!
hmmm… water… I better watch you wile you have fun there :o) but you could invite glory to a pool pawty on weekend, bet she will love to swm with you :o)
Ohhh Yesss swimming!! I have never gone swimming but my Mom used to lifeguard, she was on a swimteam and she taught swimming for YEARS back in the day! It’s the best! Barks and licks and love, Dakota
Swimming is wonderful exercise. We have to be on leash, so we do more wading in the water, but your pups get a great workout! Thanks for joining the hop.
Swimming is definitely great exercise. It’s funny though, only one of my huskies likes to swim. My other two seem scared of the water. I will be working with them again this year to try and help them feel more comfortable in the water.
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
We’re taking the dogs to Big Bear again this year and hoping to get Jack more interested in swimming. It’s such good exercise for our seniors…well for anyone.
I wish we had some place near us where we could take the dogs swimming!! It would be especially good for Callie’s arthritis.
Can’t imagine how cold that water must be. I can’t wait to take Kilo to our local dog park that’s on the lake this summer.
I learned something new today. That orange thing in the water is called a “bumper”! Haley has one and she loves to retrieve it from the water when we throw in it, but she’s just a “wanna be” hunting dog, lol! Every dog’s gotta dream a little though. 🙂
Great pictures and thanks for teaching me something new today!
The dogs are going to be super buff in time for their hunt tests!
No doubt your pups will be in excellent condition after their summer-long swimming “camp” 🙂
That’s awesome! I’ve been trying to get my two in the water more as well. So far I’m too chicken to try tossing a toy out there!
Swimming is awesome! Hadn’t thought about the handling part … since we do all our handling on land! That IS a challenging skill.
That just has to be the best exercise for them! I can’t wait to get Luke and Sheba swimming, but our water is still pretty cold (40’s they’re saying).
We think swimming is the best exercise and swim as often as possible. Even Aspen swam out of the deep water his first time like he had been swimming since he was born 🙂
We love this time of year for the water work. Our pond is full of gak already so off to bigger water. Awesome ears storm.
I really wish there was somewhere I felt comfortable taking Delilah to go swimming. She loves it so but rarely gets to enjoy it, I bet it would help her burn off some of that energy. 🙂
Nice work! I haven’t been able to get our guys in the water other than my little pond, the water’s still cold, muddy and debris from the spring runoff. Dogs don’t mind cold water when they’re hunting, but don’t care for it when training!