When can we swim?

**Mollyprada** · 12-20-2011, 07:43 PM

Hi all would love some advice as to when labs can get in the water. Molly is 8wks she loves running water & I have put her legs in the pool & she seems to like it & moves them in a swimming motion. Was hoping to get her in the pool christmas day if it's good weather!

**BigBrownDog** · 12-20-2011, 08:32 PM

Are you talking about a baby pool or a real swimming pool? She's much, much too small for a big swimming pool.

**deidra** · 12-20-2011, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by BigBrownDog

Are you talking about a baby pool or a real swimming pool? She's much, much too small for a big swimming pool.

i agree! I would wait till she is at least 6 months or older to get her swimming in a big pool. A baby pool should be just fine!

**Tanya** · 12-21-2011, 07:54 PM

ask your vet. lepto is a concern with lakes so you want to wait until your dog is immunized for it.

**silverbyrd21** · 12-21-2011, 08:11 PM

we started Libby out in the kiddie pool when she was around 11 wks. She was about 14 wks when she first went in a big pool. Took to it immediately. She had her lepto vacine

**dub113** · 12-28-2011, 06:44 PM

My 13 week old female has been a water maniac since she first got in the pond at 10 weeks..

**Baloo317** · 12-29-2011, 01:49 PM

You want her to be able to do it at her own pace and not push it, bad experiences in puppyhood can turn into serious aversions in adulthood. Baloo was in the lake by our house at 12 weeks old, but we didn't push it and let him go at his own pace. He LOVES the water now.

**Mollyprada** · 01-12-2012, 01:21 AM

thanks everyone for your responses i meant a normal inground pool we end up putting her in christmas day we held her & she paddled around - she was 9 weeks. we have since been to the beach as well. i dont think we have lepto in Australia as i have never heard of it!

**Sophiesmama** · 01-12-2012, 03:50 AM

Don't know about the lepto, I'd ask my vet. I would get your puppy a kiddie pool to play in. Sophie loves hers. That way she can play in it when you aren't in the big pool. We have a pool too, and Sophie will move Heaven and Earth to get in it! Be careful, your girl will sneak in if not closely watched. Results could be tragic. We fenced off our deck and still at about 4 months, Sophie knocked the fence down, and was on the pool cover that was standing in water. We were so afraid she would get under the cover and drown before we could get to her. Now, we have better fencing so that she can't get to the pool when our backs are turned for a minute...

**Samson** · 01-12-2012, 04:50 AM

Originally Posted by Mollyprada

thanks everyone for your responses i meant a normal inground pool we end up putting her in christmas day we held her & she paddled around - she was 9 weeks. we have since been to the beach as well. i dont think we have lepto in Australia as i have never heard of it!

I believe that you can get Weils disease wherever there are rats ! Not sure whether the regular vaccines cover this but I would be extra careful with a young pup personally at least until their immune system had a chance to kickstart wherever you are. We usually fill a paddling pool for ours when it is hot as you can change the water easily every time.

Leptospirosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wiki only mentions the US and Canada but I know it is a risk here as well and I would imagine anywhere in the world !

Even with my older boys I try to avoid stagnant water for this reason alone !