Puppies are much like people when it comes to water. Some pups can’t wait to jump into the water, and others will do anything to stay safe and dry. The bottom line is a few dog breeds are more comfortable around water and are better swimmers than others.
For instance, Pugs, Boxers, and Bulldogs are pretty heavy in the chest region, making swimming a challenging task. If your canine friend gets anxious or frets at the sight of water, they probably won’t like paddle sports.
Don’t involve your scared puppy in the water sporting activity until they are acclimated to the watercraft of your choice. This is an essential step, so you don’t have to deal with a puppy frenzy while paddling the watercraft in the middle of the water.
At the same time, consider having the best pet insurance to help your fur baby with timely medical care in times of accidents, injuries, and emergencies that are most likely to occur while engaging in water activities.
Remember that pet insurance cost can be much less than the hefty vet bills you may need to pay during unanticipated health conditions, which is why you must contemplate purchasing a policy. Meanwhile, read this article to learn some effective commands that help in a paddle sports setting.
Quick commands
Finding proper commands to communicate with your pet pooch is essential to have a safe and enjoyable paddling experience together. So, focus on command training your puppy before both of you take it to the water.
Suppose you want to go kayaking with your puppy; you can use regular commands like “Sit”, “Stay”, “Lay down”, “Go”, and “Come”. All you may need to do is train your fur baby how to respond to these commands during a water sporting session. Also, you can come up with some special commands to instruct your puppy not to panic, stay calm, etc.
How to use the commands?
- Order your puppy to “Stay” until you safely enter the kayak.
- Later direct your puppy to “Come” and “Lay down” to get them to rest in it comfortably.
- Consider bringing a waterproof dog bed that allows you to say “Go” during rough tides. This way, your puppy can stay still on the bed minimizing the chances of panicking the kayak, and the familiarity of your puppy’s bed will help keep its peace of mind.
- As you reach shallow waters, you can use “Stay” to tell your puppy not to jump out of the kayak immediately. Allow your puppy to leave the kayak only when you have reached the land. Ensure a safe landing to avoid accidents and injuries. Also, consider having someone to receive the puppy while getting out.
You should also buy a puppy safe floatation device to secure your pet during the water ride – no matter how confident your dog is in the water. Just like humans need life jackets, so do dogs.
Also, take care not to exhaust or bore your puppy because it has very little work to do apart from sitting. Pull over to the banks occasionally so your puppy can stretch, walk around, and be prepared for another ride.
Consider being prepared with the best pet insurance to effectively tackle the many health risks associated with water activities. The fat vet bills you might have to deal with during distressing health scenarios helps you realize that pet insurance cost can be more bearable. So, make a wise decision.
