Is Swimming Good Exercise for Dogs?
Is swimming good exercise for dogs? Yes. The water holds the dog up while the muscles still have to work, so it’s real exercise without the pounding of running on land, and the AKC says swimming “is great for dogs with joint problems, as it provides low-impact exercise.” But not every dog is a natural swimmer, so start slow in a life vest, keep sessions short, and never leave a swimming dog alone.
Short sessions on purpose: in the AKC’s guide to teaching a dog to swim, dock diving judge and behavior consultant Michele Godlevski suggests keeping swimming sessions to “10 minutes maximum” to help prevent water toxicity, which happens when a dog swallows too much water.
By Christopher Lee Moran, working dog trainer, about 10 years and around 400 client dogs, Controlled Freedom method. I designed the Whimsy Stick. Check with your vet before swimming a dog that’s recovering or has a heart condition.
Who this is for
Maybe your dog is carrying extra weight, or coming back from an injury, or just getting older, and hard running on land is a problem now. Swimming can be a big help there. You just have to do it safely.
- Your dog is heavy and needs exercise that’s easy on its joints
- Your dog is older or stiff and sore after hard walks
- Your vet cleared your dog for gentle exercise after an injury
- You’ve got a high-drive dog and a safe lake, pool or swim center nearby
- Summers where you live are too hot for much land work
- Your dog already goes for every pond and puddle
Why water works so well
The water holds the dog up but the muscles still have to push against it. The joints carry very little, so a dog can work hard without the pounding it’d take on a run. That’s why swimming comes up so much for heavy dogs, stiff dogs and dogs coming back from an injury with their vet’s ok.
The AKC’s swimming article adds that a life vest helps a new swimmer use all four legs. Godlevski says a learning dog often paddles with just its front feet while the back legs dangle, and that with a vest the dog’s back stays level and “all four paws paddle.”
Not every dog is built for it
Some breeds were made for water, the AKC points to Labs and the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, bred to retrieve water birds, and breeds with “water” in the name like the Portuguese Water Dog. Others aren’t. Godlevski says some breeds have “a weight distribution that would not make it possible for them to swim very well without a life vest,” and the AKC adds that short-legged or long-bodied breeds can struggle too. It’s a myth that all dogs are natural swimmers.
How to start a dog swimming safely
Life vest first
For Godlevski, buying and fitting a dog life vest is step one. Pick one that fits snug, with a handle sturdy enough to actually lift the dog out of the water. Even confident dogs can get in trouble, she says dogs running into water for the first time often do it “like a cartoon character running off a cliff,” and a vest lets them float while they figure out how to paddle.
Never throw a dog in
Godlevski is blunt about this: throwing a puppy or young dog in the water “may, in fact, damage the dog’s courage about swimming for life.” Let the dog go in on its own, with a toy or with you in the water, and don’t pull it in.
Shallow, slow, rewarded
Start in shallow water with a gradual slope and let the dog just get used to wet feet. Move deeper only when it’s happy where it is, use a lot of praise, and if it gets overwhelmed go back to the shallows. Wear a life vest yourself too, cause a panicking dog might climb on you.
Teach the way out
The AKC says to show your dog how to get out, pointing it to the shore or the pool ramp, and to stay near the exit if you’re not in the water with it. A dog that can’t find the steps out of a pool is in real danger.
Water safety
- Watch every second. The AKC says never leave your dog unsupervised in or near the water.
- Mind the temperature. Godlevski’s rule of thumb is that water temperature plus air temperature should be at least 100°F before a dog swims. Cold water risks limber tail, where the tail droops and won’t wag, and hypothermia, and puppies are especially sensitive.
- Keep it short. Up to 10 minutes per session to help prevent water toxicity. Throwing up after swimming is a common sign.
- Small, flat toys. She suggests a soft flying disc over a big toy, so the dog isn’t gulping water around it.
- Watch for wildlife and fish hooks. Snakes, snapping turtles, alligators in some southern waters, and baited hooks a dog will swallow whole. A swallowed hook is an emergency vet trip.
- Shade and fresh water. Give your dog shade and clean drinking water whenever it’s out in the sun.
Vet first for some dogs. If your dog is recovering, has arthritis or a heart condition, or is very overweight, get your vet’s ok before you start, cause swimming is easy on joints but it’s still real work.
What swimming doesn’t cover
Swimming is a great workout for the body, but that’s only part of it. It doesn’t give a dog the chase and the catch, the predatory motor pattern a lot of high-drive dogs are built around. So a dog that only swims can still be restless in the head. I’d pair it with brain work and, for a dog that’s cleared for it, some chase on land.
Balance the week
| Need | What covers it |
|---|---|
| Cardio, easy on joints | Swimming |
| Strength on land | Canine conditioning exercises |
| Brain work | Puzzle feeders, scent games, training |
| The chase and catch | A flirt pole session on land, once the dog’s cleared |
That’s how I’d put a week together, not a rule. Plan it out with the dog exercise guide, and for a heavy dog pair water work with the diet plan in how to help an overweight dog lose weight.
Dogs that won’t swim
Some dogs just hate it, and that’s fine, don’t force it. If water’s not an option, how to exercise a dog without walking has other low-impact ideas.
For the days you stay dry
You can’t always get to water, and swimming doesn’t scratch the chase itch anyway. That’s what a flirt pole is for. I bought the flirt poles I could find, handed them out to clients and watched what broke, then designed my own and tested it on high-drive client dogs for years before I sold one. The Rugged XL is one 46-inch piece of reinforced fiberglass with no joints and an 800-lb Dyneema line, for dogs 30 lbs and up. Under 30 lbs? That’s the Standard, with a 450-lb Kevlar line. What clients tell me in general is their dogs are a lot more relaxed and calmer and seem more satisfied.
Rugged XL
- Dogs 30 lbs and up · 1 lure
- 800-lb Dyneema line · free US shipping
Rugged XL + 3 Lures
- Same pole and line, 3 lures to rotate
- Dogs 30 lbs and up · free US shipping
Rugged XL Pro Kit
- The XL with 5 lures and a spare line
- For dogs that shred lures · free US shipping
The Standard
- Dogs under 30 lbs · 450-lb Kevlar line
- $20 flat US shipping, cause it goes in a longer box
Every order has a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you pay return shipping unless the pole failed.
Want more of this in your Google results? Add Whimsy Stick as a preferred source.
Swimming as dog exercise, FAQ
How long should a dog swim for exercise?
Shorter than you’d think. The trainer in the AKC article suggests 10 minutes max per session to help prevent water toxicity, and a new swimmer should start with less than that.
Is swimming better than walking for dogs?
For joint-friendly cardio, it often is. But a walk gives a dog sniffing and time on land a swim doesn’t, so I’d do both.
Can all dogs swim?
No, the AKC calls that a myth. Some breeds are built heavy in front or have short legs or long bodies, and they need a life vest to swim well, if they swim at all.
How do I teach my dog to swim?
Life vest on, shallow water with a gentle slope, let it go in on its own with a toy or with you, lots of praise, and teach it where the way out is. Never throw it in.
Does my dog need a life vest?
For learning and for open water, yes. Even good swimmers get tired or lost, and the vest buys you time. Get one with a handle strong enough to lift the dog.
Is swimming good for an overweight dog?
It’s a great option, cause it spares the joints while the dog works. But weight loss still comes mostly down to food, so pair it with a diet your vet sets.
Why did my dog throw up after swimming?
It may have swallowed too much water, which the AKC article says is a common sign of water toxicity. Keep sessions short, use a small flat toy, and call your vet if your dog seems off.
Is the water too cold for my dog?
The rule of thumb in the AKC article is water plus air temperature should add up to at least 100°F. If your dog shivers or stops using its tail, get out and see a vet.
Water days. Dry days. A tired dog either way.
Swim short and safe, and give the chase drive its turn on land. The Rugged XL is made for dogs 30 lbs and up, it ships free in the US, and you’ve got 30 days to send it back.
Add the Rugged XL, $75Under 30 lbs? See the Standard, $56
Based on my own experience training dogs. Not veterinary advice. Exercise disclaimer.
