Training Your Dog To Save a Life In Water

Occasionally watching Animal Planet does have its advantage. You can really learn how to train your dog for different situations.

There was a program on in August, 2005 about a dog that loved to swim in a nearby lake. Whenever the dog left the house, you would find him in the water. The dog would just wade in the water for hours. The family would then need to go into the water and get the dog out.

Instead of going in a getting the dog out of the water, why not train the dog to get people in trouble out of the water. So the owners decided to teach the dog to save lives while enjoying the water at the same time.

Of course, an expert was brought in on training the dog to actually understand that if there is someone drowning in the water, what actually needs to be accomplished.

As a matter of fact, in the past, when the owner's daughter was having difficulty in the water, the dog was able to bring her to the dry ground but just left her there and went back into the water. Good on one hand, but what if she was unconscious?

So the training began with a long leash. The dog had a long leash on. The trainer just threw a favorite toy in the water. The dog retrieved it and came back out of the water.

The trainer then threw in 2 balls covered in a sheet tied at the top so this way the dog couldn't actually grab the balls but was able to take the knotted material in his mouth. That is what this dog did. The dog dragged the material with the balls out of the water to safety. The material acted just like a human's clothing where the dog would say grab a collar or loose clothing the person was wearing.

Then the next step they did was to use a boat with 2 people in it. The trainer threw in a favorite toy, I think it was attached to the rope outside the small boat. The dog brought back the toy and the rope attached to the boat to safety.

Their goal was to train the dog to possibly save lives on a boat that was unable to get to the shore safely. Also, if anyone was drowning, that the dog would pull the person to the safety of the ground and to get help.

This particular dog was very smart and was picking up what the trainer was doing. So if you are looking to train your dog to save lives in water, then using a long leash and doing what the trainer did above, can start you on your way.

Of course, you can find books on this very specific training method.

Copyright 2005 Fern Kuhn, RN
Specializing in Diabetes

http://www.dogtrainingcenter.info

http://www.diabetestestingcenter.com

You may reprint this article as long as you keep the links active.

---

17 Tips Thatll Safeguard You and Your Family From Dog Bites or Attack

Did you know that more than one million north americans... Read More

Does Your Dog Miss You Too Much?

Your dog seems to be driving you up the wall... Read More

Tips For Dog Toys

Toys are fun both for our dogs and us. Lucky... Read More

Preparing For Your New Dog - What You Need to Know Before He Comes Home

Preparing yourself and your household before, during, and after your... Read More

Defend Your Dog and Stop that Hurting Paw!

Of course, we humans use shoes to protect our feet.... Read More

Christmas Gifts For Cat Lovers

The act of offering Christmas gifts is always enhanced if... Read More

Treating Dog Arthritis With Natural Supplements

Dog arthritis is one of the most common diseases that... Read More

Rabbits As Pets

Rabbits are one of the most popular pets, apart from... Read More

Clown Loaches

Scientific Name: Botia macracanthus Other Scientific Name(s): Cobitis macracanthus, Botia... Read More

Decorative Bird Cages

Whether purely for looks or for a bird's home, bird... Read More

Syrian vs. Dwarf Hamsters, What Should I Get For My Family?

As pets go hamsters are fairly easy to take care... Read More

Clicker Training For Dogs: Positive Reinforcement Training

There is nothing more adorable than a new puppy. Large... Read More

The Gifts We Give Our Dogs

Whoever coined the phrase, "It's a Dog's Life" wasn't familiar... Read More

Animal Ethics

IntroductionA long time ago, before evolution turned the primate into... Read More

Dog Breeds for Allergy Sufferers

Allergies to dogs can strike anyone at any age, yet... Read More

Dog Travel - Taking a Vacation with Your Dog

Like most dog owners, you probably take your dog with... Read More

Identifying and Treating Health Problems in Your Dog

An essential to your dog's health is his/her regular annual... Read More

Train Your Buddy To ?Walk? & ?Dance? - Warning: Not All Dogs Can Do It!

Standing and walking on the hind legs are tricks that... Read More

Pros and Cons of Buying Pet Medicine Online

Pets are many things in many ways but they are... Read More

Dog Health Conditions and Terms You Should Know... Part 2

Cryptorchidism is peculiar to male dogs and a condition present... Read More

The Cat Learned How to Work the WHAT?

When I carried him home, he was this tiny little... Read More

Dog Doors: Giving Your Pet Freedom to Come and Go as They Please Helps Solve Behavior Problems

Dog DoorsWhen we think of dog doors, we think of... Read More

Chances Of A Lost Pet Being Recovered Increase

Every day we are looking for ways to make our... Read More

Dog Trick To Cure A Nuisance Barker: Training Buddy to ?Speak? on Command

All breeds and sizes of dogs can be taught easily... Read More

How To Stop Your Horse From Rearing And What To Do If He Does It Unexpectedly

There is a dangerous problem that horse owners should be... Read More

How to Make Your Cats Life, and YOUR Life, Happier - Training Your Cat

Imagine that you are scolding your cat for scratching at... Read More

Tips that May Help Your Arthritic Dog

Arthritis refers to inflammation or swelling in a joint. The... Read More

Training Collars: Teaching Your Dog Basic Obedience and Breaking Bad Habits

Training CollarsTraining collars are a tool many pet owners utilize... Read More

How To Use Leading Your Horse To Get Control And Response

I've been around many people who try to lead a... Read More

Distemper in Dogs - Home Detection Tips

Distemper: Spotting This Dog Killer Before it's Too LateCanine distemper... Read More

Introduce Your Puppy To New Situations And Ensure Good Behaviour For The Rest Of Her Life

They may seem to be bold explorers - sniffing at... Read More

Caring for an Older Cat - Cat Health and Cat Care

Cats are living longer lives thanks to dedicated care from... Read More

5 Things to Know about Animal Rescue Groups

Over the past decade, breed rescue groups have become a... Read More