Do All Golden Retrievers Like Water?
Water and Golden Retrievers have always gone hand in hand; the two seem to just naturally fit together. Whether it’s playing fetch at the beach, a game of catch in the pool, or hopping off the dock, water activities are often associated with this beloved breed. But do all Golden Retrievers like water?
Do all Golden Retrievers like water?
A simple answer is no! It is quite true that many Golden Retrievers like water since their actual purpose is to help hunters catch water birds, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t unique ones that don’t want to have anything to do with water at all.
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Why doesn’t my Golden Retriever like water?
Some Golden Retrievers don’t want anything to do with water at all. Be it swimming or bathing. This may be their nature, or a factor or another could have influenced it.
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Some of which are:
It might have had bad past experiences with water
Some Golden Retrievers may not like water because they are going through post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from a past bad experience it had with water. It may have drowned once or almost died in the waters and, for that reason, became very scared of any kind of water body.
It might be an inherited trait
Some Golden Retrievers were born scared of water, probably because their parents or grandparents were also hydrophobic.
The dog might be unfamiliar with water
Some Golden Retrievers may not be familiar with water, especially if their breeders didn’t get them used to water as puppies.
How to get your Golden Retriever to like water
Golden Retrievers are known as water dogs, and if yours doesn’t like water, there are a few tricks you might want to try out before giving up.
Some examples include:
Make bathes a Positive Experience
Use positive reinforcement to make bathtime a good experience for your dog. You can use a few treats and positive words to help them have a fun experience with water during bathtime.
Train it
Training your dog to like water might seem impossible at first, but there’s nothing a little persistence cannot do. You can start taking your dog to a lake and luring it into the shallow parts with treats.
Always watch your dog while it is playing in the water. Watch for signs of your dog feeling tired.
Take it to a dog beach
Taking your Golden Retriever to the beach is another significant step towards progress. Seeing other dogs play in the water might just be the motivation it needs.
Why You Should Get Your Golden Retriever To Like Water
There are a few advantages to getting your furry friend to like water. The benefits cannot be overemphasized as they don’t just benefit your dog but you too.
Examples are:
To help keep cool in the summer
Summer is hot for dogs too. They need to cool off and what better way than to take them swimming.
Exercise
Swimming is exercise just like running. Getting your dog to like water will help it frequently exercise through swimming.
Easy baths
Your dog struggles less during bathes if it already loves water. This helps your dog and you!
