Alaskan malamutes are always ready for some outdoor activity. Their owners always need to take care of this habit of such dogs. They need to be taken out daily and they also need to spend a lot of time doing various exercises.
Swimming is one such outdoor activity but we need to find out if the malamutes love swimming.
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Do malamutes hate water?
Alaskan malamutes can swim but this is not a by-birth quality in them. They can be taught swimming and for that, they need a proper training session. When they learn to swim, they would love to swim in moderately hot water.
When they feel hot or when the weather is not too cold, they love to take a dip in the pool or spend time inside the pool playing with various toys.
Why Alaskan malamutes do not know to swim?
Alaskan malamutes are really good at serving various duties, they can carry heavy loads and also can draw the sled. These qualities come into them naturally, whereas swimming is not such a quality that they possess.
They are originally from the arctic regions where the land remains snow-covered for a long part of the year. Pools or ponds are seldom found there, and the water bodies are mostly frozen. So being from such a part of the world, malamutes can withstand harsh cold weather but they do not need the ability to swim to survive in those places.
Alaskan malamutes are dogs with personalities, and they will take some time to learn to like the water. As they are an intelligent and smart breed they will not blindly follow your direction and jump into any water body.
Also, the double coat of the Alaskan malamutes makes them quite clumsy once they get wet. So they may not like the heaviness after they get drenched in the water.
Do all malamutes love to swim?
This is not a general fact that the malamutes love to play in the water. In fact, dogs have individualistic characteristics and they may or may not find swimming interesting. So if you know for sure that your Alaskan malamute loves to swim then you can let it play in the pool, or beforehand, can engage a professional trainer to teach the dog swimming.
How can the Alaskan malamute swim?
The swimming process of Alaskan malamute is much different than regular process of swimming of other regular dogs. Wading or hopping is the first step they start with while learning swimming. They do not go to the deep water and rather stay in the shallow water for the first few days.
They stay submerged and try to hop under the water, and their head remains above the water level. But the owners should be careful not to take them into deep water as that can cause accidents.
When should you start teaching the Alaskan malamute swimming?
If you plan to teach swimming to the Alaskan malamute, then it is best to start at a very young age. They can adopt any new trick when they are young. Also, their liking and disliking stay volatile, and thus they would not be afraid of the water if swimming is taught at an early stage.
How can you manage the fear of the Alaskan malamute if it is scared of water?
If you find that your Alaskan malamute is not really like the dipping session in the water and yet you want it to learn swimming, then you have to use some tricks to make it love the water.
The processes that we describe here will not start working immediately, but with time you will be able to see the result of your dedication.
First you need to keep the dog around the pool. If you have a pool in your backyard, then take the Alaskan malamute there, let it roam around it, and make it comfortable in the presence of the water body. In case you do not have a pool, a sprinkler or a shower will be enough to make the malamute water friendly.
If the dog does not like to stay around the water, make sure to stay at that place, and also accompany the dog by staying near the water body. This way the dog will be adjusted with the presence of water around it.
However, if you see the dog is getting anxious after a day, then give it some break and take it on the next to next day near the pool.
Allow it to have some treats when it goes near the water. Also, keep some toy bones or squeaky balls near the water body or sometimes you can keep the toys floating on the water. These are the ways the fear of water will be faded from the dog’s mind.
The process may take longer than you thought, but you need to be supportive and keep the dog motivated through the time.
What can happen if you put the Alaskan malamute into water?
If your dog has not taken the swimming lesson and you have put it to the water, then it can face the problem of drowning. Do not think that just by putting the dog into water it will start swimming automatically. It will take time and gradually it will be able to learn swimming. There should be a proper process for it.
How can you teach your malamute to paddle in water?
The first step into the water should be initiated by you. You need to take the malamute to the water and before that, you should make the place attractive for the dog. Keep some toys floating on the water that will make the dog allured towards the pool.
Let the dog walk through the steps inside the pool. Or else if there is not step and it is a shallow water body then hold the baby malamute and release it in the side of the pool. If it gets anxious then try to draw its attention to some squeaky toy in the water.
How to make the swimming lesson secure for the malamute?
As we already know that the malamutes are not natural swimmers, you should take a life-saving jacket or vest for the training session. Make the dog wear the vest which will ensure that it stays safe even it accidentally slips into the deep water before knowing how to swim properly.
How important treat for the swimming training session?
To control the anxiety and irritation you should always keep the treats handy. Malamutes, when they are puppies, can be afraid of water and can be agitated when they are taken near the water. Keep some treats handy to make the situation easy and also to control the dog.
What should be done after the dog is taken out of water?
Let the malamute come out of the water itself. See how it manages to come out of the water, which will boost its confidence.
When the dog comes out of the pool, it should be washed to remove the chlorine, and then it needs to be pat dry. The ears should be checked if there is water stuck inside, and then the canals should be cleaned and dried.
Let the malamute puppy play and encourage its effort of going near or into the water by offering it some treats or toys.
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