Has anyone heard of a boxer drowning?

[Lizzie]

Diva loves to swim and is really good now, but the first half a dozen times or so were quite scary as she would seem to sink and then come up again. I think she was just getting her co-ordination together. She now has a very fluid and graceful style - it does look funny though as she will only swim for a tennis ball and she holds it in her mouth on the way back to shore! She will only swim at the beach. To be honest I think it is the waves she enjoys jumping and surfing more than anything!

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Diva, three years old, dark brindle and white, natural ears, docked tail

 

[El28]

Every summer we buy our girl a kiddie pool, she also loves the sprinklers, puddles etc. Well last summer we sold our house and we lived w/ my inlaws while our home was being built and they have a pool. Toby went out to the pool, and stepped right off the side and sank like a dead weight!! Our 15 yr. old son had to jump in and bring her up, and let me tell you her eyes were as big as saucers! She was starting to use her legs and I think she'd probably make it to the surface, but we did'nt take a chance! She coughed up so much water, and never did that again! The farthest she would go was on the first step and lay down. Pretty scary!

 

[FlashyTitus]

When I picked Titus up from his breeder she told me that her boxers go swimming every day. She has 9. Maybe you have to take them at a early age and let them learn. I have always had German Shepherds and they have had no problem swimming. Titus is my first boxer so I am still learning about the breed.

 

[Mandy1155]

Ever since I posted this Clarice has done nothing but get better at swimming!! We went Thurs, Sat and Sunday and she fetched sticks and balls out of the water. She had a couple incidents when grabbing the ball and her head went under a bit and seemed to shock her but is getting better. I put a life vest on her and she was able to swim out 30 feet or so. When I didn't have it on her I only threw it about 5 feet or 10 at the most so I could grab her if she sank or something. I am buying a life vest on Tuesday so I don't have to stand right on the edge ready to jump in all the time.

 

[Dempsey J's mom]

This seems to be a popular thread in the summertime, but I am always interested in hearing how other boxers react to the water...

Dempsey J. is a great swimmer. He did not come by it naturally, and had to actually learn. We have another dog who is a leonberger (part newfie), and wehn Dempsey J. saw her swimming he wanted to learn. In searching the forums, it seems that many boxers, if not most, can not or do not like to swim. It also seems that their bodies aren't exactly made for paddling throught the water.

That said, when we go to the dog park that has a little pond, I just watch Dempsey J. carefully. He has never had a problem (knock on wood) but I know it can only take a moment. When we go to visit my parents' cottage on a lake, I also allow him to swim near shore. If we go out on the boat, though, it's life jacket time. I don't trust him not to fall in and bonk his head or something. If I don't feel that we're in a place where I could get to him, I make him wear a jacket.

People with other kinds of dogs laugh at the life jacket (they just assume that dogs should be able to swim) but better safe than sorry, I say.

 

[jburso]

Swim or not to swim..

It looks like the concensus is that Boxers can't swim. We two have had two boxers in our life time and both of them loved the water but before they knew what it was about, dove in and sank! They learned their limitations, whether is was ocean, lake or pool, not to go in above thier chests. If they did get caught out too far, they had enough sense to paddle themselves back to a safe level, but never went too far on purpose. Boxer babies are big, heavy and have no web feet. Therefore, do not do well in water .... although they will wade,splash and play with things in the water until you drag them out dripping. Just keep your eye on them.... you never know what they'll try next.

 

[Bxrlvr]

Lexi swims like a fish. We did get her a vest for the fact that boxer don't have much body fat, so they don't float very well and get tired easy from swimming. We got her the K-9 float coat by Ruff Wear. It is great. She loves it. Our 6yr old won't go past his chest. Happy Swimming!!

http://www.ruffwear.com/products/floatcoat/

 

[Mandy1155]

I bought a Lotus vest for Clarice. We borrowed it from a friend and it worked perfectly and she could care less that she has it on. I am so happy with it! I feel a lot better and we actually have had nothing but compliments at the dog park... I thought some of the lab, retriever owners might laugh or something.