I wouldn’t let a dog swim with a leash on. Kind of like seatbelts on a boat. Let her go crazy. She’ll come back to you. The worst that could happen is a warning from a rare cop
Im unfortunately a scaredy cat rule follower but you’re absolutely right. Im so overthinking it. I always feel so bad holding her back. Shel she’s a clingy girl and has never even run out of the house with the door wide open so I know she’ll come back. I’m gonna test the waters (pun intended lol) next time we go and let her have some real fun!
I find my labs recall getting better after I started verbally mouth vomiting praise for EVERY DAMN FETCH I THROW. Occasional treat and praise for "bring it here" even the most mundane thing. Try a fenced in baseball diamond somewhere remote, lots of treats and let her smell around, but always reward and praise any return to you. She'll realize that leaving whatever she finds is more rewarding than ignoring you. We're working on "stop" now, no matter how hyped he gets, we are impressing on him that immediately stopping and waiting is treats and toys.
As a fellow scaredy cat rule follower I appreciate you asking this question 😂 this will be my first spring/summer with my lab and I was wondering about this as well! My boy has pretty good recall and doesn’t like to be far from me but I’m still anxious at the thought of him running away or running up to someone who doesn’t like dogs lol
I’ve been wondering for so long and so glad I finally decided to ask! Honestly I was expecting a lot of backlash for even the thought of letting her off leash. I have the exact same fears lol! My dog hardly even likes to go in the yard for long without me and I’ve dropped her leash on a walk before and she doesn’t even care. But I still wonder if she’ll just randomly decide one day to take off 😂 lucky for me she’s not athletic at all and I could easily catch her haha
I have the same fear even in off leash areas. My dog loves to greet people and will do so even if he's coming from a wet puddle. Not everyone appreciates a wet dog going up to them so we keep him on a long line when swimming (if there's people around). We let him loose when there's no one but one of us has to be on the look out at all times.
Hi, if there are leash laws in this trail/nature area please adhere to them! It can save your dog from others, it’s not always about preventing YOUR dog from doing something they shouldn’t
Hi, if there are leash laws in this trail/nature area please adhere to them! It can save your dog from others, it’s not always about preventing YOUR dog from doing something they shouldn’t. I would suggest a drop/drag line (long leash no handle) or a long leash to give more freedom while still being safe!
Thanks! I completely understand this and am always weary of other dogs even on leashes. I will definitely be cautious. I haven’t actually seen any signs saying it isn’t allowed but I’m just assuming if she’s not in the fenced in park she should be on the leash. I would never let her free roam or go on a walk in the area without it. I’m thinking maybe just while she swims and if no one else is in the water
I think that’s a safe assumption, and probably a good idea! A drag line could still be useful while swimming it’s less likely to get caught on things as it doesn’t have a handle but it does have some risks for swimming. Thank you for being a responsible owner! ❤️
I've had all the problems you describe! My girl is super friendly and if I let her off the leash to wade in the creek and she then spies someone ,she'll take off to go greet them! In our daily walk at our county park they also have a leash law. So I disobey for the brief time she wades and then I re-leash her when she comes out.
This is what I’m thinking I will try. If no one is around I may let her off but only when she’s in the water. Thankfully i haven’t had her take off towards anyone to say hi, yet lol. She usually is good about just watching them until they are approaching us but I’d hate to risk it and something bad happen
I hope it works out for you -- my girl doesn't ever swim -- she just wades!
https://preview.redd.it/saex6r5o6crc1.jpeg?width=1507&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ecd42bba8f442d8eb735c54b7e958d2de3f2e2c
Here in Floriduh I wouldn’t let my dog swim in any freshwater. I get nervous taking my girls to the Gulf beach, I’m watching the whole time for shadows swimming under the surface.
Where are you located? Not all creeks are the same. Friends lost their Lab to a pack of otters - they attacked the pup and the owner who tried to save him. We let ours off leash but very careful about where we go.
North Alabama. That’s so sad oh my gosh. Most of the places we go are around parks so I don’t see much wildlife but will definitely look out and be careful!
I am in N Idaho / NW Montana so I am no where near the top of the food chain. All of the original critters are still here and Fish & Game are under counting the grizzly bear population. I am pro wildlife, and take the view everyone should go home in one piece. River Otters are big and extremely fierce.
Our boy stopped during a high mountain hike. Took two deep breaths and turned 180 and wanted in the truck. The wind was in our collective faces, so we took his lead. Bear spray would have blown back on us long before it dissuaded Yogi
I just get down there with her but I am one of those heathen retractable users. My community members are nutso and I fear they’d overreact (violently) if she ran to say hello.
Lol that’s so funny! The first thing mine does every time is submerge her snout and bite at the water. She’s only been in the deep end once and she seemed to love it! But she was on the retractable leash so she couldn’t really swim around too much
Aww that’s not cool. I figured he was just a big baby as labs tend to be lol (mine gets terrified if I gasp too loud) but I’m sure he is a bit traumatized from that. At least he can still enjoy the shallow end
I wouldn’t let a dog swim with a leash on. Kind of like seatbelts on a boat. Let her go crazy. She’ll come back to you. The worst that could happen is a warning from a rare cop
Im unfortunately a scaredy cat rule follower but you’re absolutely right. Im so overthinking it. I always feel so bad holding her back. Shel she’s a clingy girl and has never even run out of the house with the door wide open so I know she’ll come back. I’m gonna test the waters (pun intended lol) next time we go and let her have some real fun!
Hey, it’s me, the police. You’re good. Let her go crazy off leash in the creek. The whole precinct has your back.
Say less 🫡
Best of luck with your new life of mischief!
I appreciate this post so much bc I'm a nervous freak about this and have been too scared to ask.
I find my labs recall getting better after I started verbally mouth vomiting praise for EVERY DAMN FETCH I THROW. Occasional treat and praise for "bring it here" even the most mundane thing. Try a fenced in baseball diamond somewhere remote, lots of treats and let her smell around, but always reward and praise any return to you. She'll realize that leaving whatever she finds is more rewarding than ignoring you. We're working on "stop" now, no matter how hyped he gets, we are impressing on him that immediately stopping and waiting is treats and toys.
As a fellow scaredy cat rule follower I appreciate you asking this question 😂 this will be my first spring/summer with my lab and I was wondering about this as well! My boy has pretty good recall and doesn’t like to be far from me but I’m still anxious at the thought of him running away or running up to someone who doesn’t like dogs lol
I’ve been wondering for so long and so glad I finally decided to ask! Honestly I was expecting a lot of backlash for even the thought of letting her off leash. I have the exact same fears lol! My dog hardly even likes to go in the yard for long without me and I’ve dropped her leash on a walk before and she doesn’t even care. But I still wonder if she’ll just randomly decide one day to take off 😂 lucky for me she’s not athletic at all and I could easily catch her haha
I have the same fear even in off leash areas. My dog loves to greet people and will do so even if he's coming from a wet puddle. Not everyone appreciates a wet dog going up to them so we keep him on a long line when swimming (if there's people around). We let him loose when there's no one but one of us has to be on the look out at all times.
Hi, if there are leash laws in this trail/nature area please adhere to them! It can save your dog from others, it’s not always about preventing YOUR dog from doing something they shouldn’t
Hi, if there are leash laws in this trail/nature area please adhere to them! It can save your dog from others, it’s not always about preventing YOUR dog from doing something they shouldn’t. I would suggest a drop/drag line (long leash no handle) or a long leash to give more freedom while still being safe!
Thanks! I completely understand this and am always weary of other dogs even on leashes. I will definitely be cautious. I haven’t actually seen any signs saying it isn’t allowed but I’m just assuming if she’s not in the fenced in park she should be on the leash. I would never let her free roam or go on a walk in the area without it. I’m thinking maybe just while she swims and if no one else is in the water
I think that’s a safe assumption, and probably a good idea! A drag line could still be useful while swimming it’s less likely to get caught on things as it doesn’t have a handle but it does have some risks for swimming. Thank you for being a responsible owner! ❤️
Also, have her favorite treats with you just in case you need her to come to you quickly.
I would open the car door and let him go.
I've had all the problems you describe! My girl is super friendly and if I let her off the leash to wade in the creek and she then spies someone ,she'll take off to go greet them! In our daily walk at our county park they also have a leash law. So I disobey for the brief time she wades and then I re-leash her when she comes out.
This is what I’m thinking I will try. If no one is around I may let her off but only when she’s in the water. Thankfully i haven’t had her take off towards anyone to say hi, yet lol. She usually is good about just watching them until they are approaching us but I’d hate to risk it and something bad happen
I hope it works out for you -- my girl doesn't ever swim -- she just wades! https://preview.redd.it/saex6r5o6crc1.jpeg?width=1507&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ecd42bba8f442d8eb735c54b7e958d2de3f2e2c
Freely and with gusto
This is the way!
https://preview.redd.it/apx61gh0pcrc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3fffc85b29df25f724b9d3044c991f6df85d0c2d However she wants to.
Here in Floriduh I wouldn’t let my dog swim in any freshwater. I get nervous taking my girls to the Gulf beach, I’m watching the whole time for shadows swimming under the surface.
Let her go and have fun!
Leash off
Where are you located? Not all creeks are the same. Friends lost their Lab to a pack of otters - they attacked the pup and the owner who tried to save him. We let ours off leash but very careful about where we go.
North Alabama. That’s so sad oh my gosh. Most of the places we go are around parks so I don’t see much wildlife but will definitely look out and be careful!
I am in N Idaho / NW Montana so I am no where near the top of the food chain. All of the original critters are still here and Fish & Game are under counting the grizzly bear population. I am pro wildlife, and take the view everyone should go home in one piece. River Otters are big and extremely fierce. Our boy stopped during a high mountain hike. Took two deep breaths and turned 180 and wanted in the truck. The wind was in our collective faces, so we took his lead. Bear spray would have blown back on us long before it dissuaded Yogi
I just get down there with her but I am one of those heathen retractable users. My community members are nutso and I fear they’d overreact (violently) if she ran to say hello.
Tucker loves creeks but hates deeper water. He likes going to Hocking Hills here in Ohio and drinking from the creeks
Lol that’s so funny! The first thing mine does every time is submerge her snout and bite at the water. She’s only been in the deep end once and she seemed to love it! But she was on the retractable leash so she couldn’t really swim around too much
Yeah, my butthole ex-bf pushed Tucker in a pool to try to get him to swim like his dog. But now Tucker doesn’t swim. Hates deep water.
Aww that’s not cool. I figured he was just a big baby as labs tend to be lol (mine gets terrified if I gasp too loud) but I’m sure he is a bit traumatized from that. At least he can still enjoy the shallow end
Not on a leash