Train Dogs for Water Rescue
Although there are many breeds of dogs that have been bred with water rescue in mind, any dog can be taught to jump in the water and save a drowning victim. All it takes is a little patience, some treats, and lots of praise and pats in just the right places. Here are a few pointers that will help you turn your pooch into a lifesaver.
Instructions
1. Train your dog to fetch small items, such as sticks, balls, gloves, shoes or anything else that can easily fit in his mouth. Start in the house and/or in the yard. Be sure to reward him with abundant praise or a small food reward each time he retrieves the item you have thrown.
2. Find a spot near calm water that has no current or waves, and throw items that your dog is comfortable fetching into the shallow end of the water, giving her the "fetch!" command. Be sure to lavish her with praise and/or a treat each time she returns the item.
3. Increase the distance of your throws until your dog has to swim a distance to retrieve the items thrown. Be sure that your dog appears comfortable swimming and has easy access to the shore.
4. Increase the size of the items you throw into the water gradually, until your dog is capable of swimming with a full-sized mannequin in his mouth.
5. Once your dog is accustomed to "rescuing" thrown items on command, have her repeat her tricks from the deck of a boat until she becomes used to diving from a moving surface.
6. Practice water rescue with your dog in different environments--rivers, streams, marshes, lakes, the ocean and other aquatic situations. Be sure that he is completely comfortable navigating his way around obstacles in the water and that he can submerge his head willingly to retrieve an object under the surface.
7. Encourage your dog to swim in circles around a person in the water on command, so that a drowning person could grab hold of her neck and be towed to safety. Do this by having a person in the water give her a reward each time she circles the "victim."
8. Train your dog to jump from all kinds of surfaces and heights so that he will be completely comfortable doing so in the event of a water emergency. Do this by rewarding his jumps with praise and treats, and by not rewarding him when he hesitates to jump.
Tags: each time, completely comfortable, Dogs Water, Dogs Water Rescue, person water, reward each