# Are Maltese swimmers?



## Maltese&LabMommy (Apr 20, 2010)

We live right on the beach in Okinawa and our lab LOVES to swim every chance she gets. I was just curious if anyone has a malt that swims, or if it is common!?


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## CloudClan (Jan 31, 2007)

Be careful with malts and swimming. They should always be attended. I have heard horror stories of Maltese drowning in pools. Also, if they are in long coat, sometimes the weight of the coat can pull them under.


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## Maltese&LabMommy (Apr 20, 2010)

Yes, thanks!
I was going to add (but forgot) that I ALWAYS attend and keep a CLOSE eye on my dogs in the water. I usually swim w/ them! I treat them like I do my kids! I would NEVER leave them near water alone!


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## Katkoota (Feb 18, 2006)

I live with CRAZY ABOUT SWIMMING Snowy, and "if Snowy can do it, so can I" Crystal who wont miss out the blast that she sees Snowy has when doing things like swimming and playing fetch that she didn't really think that it will be fun in the first place (then changed when trying them herself).

Maltese can swim. Some like it; others don't! My two LOVE it SO MUCH! If Snowy was in control, he will go swimming everyday. 

I allow them to swim, while being supervised of course, more often in Summer season (once a week or once every 2 weeks). After their swim, they get a good wash in the tub and ears get cleaned and dried pretty good too. 

Here is one of the swimming videos that I have of then in case you wanted to see the two *water maltese*




 
Kat


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## Maltese&LabMommy (Apr 20, 2010)

I LOVED your video! Thank you SO much for posting it!!!!!!!!!


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

Mine hate the water,only water they want is in their water bowl. Our cockers,German Shepherd and Dalmatian used to love the water. 2 of our malts are in full coat ,I let them try to swim once and they just about sank under all that hair,plus they hated it . 

If you have a pool put an incline ramp with some sort of grips going across it for them to grab onto,near the steps or somewhere in shallow end of the pool. Dogs will tire easily and just give up and drown,so having an incline ramp will aid them in pulling themselves out of the pool should they fall in.


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## uniquelovdolce (Mar 10, 2010)

how do u know if ur malt can swim , is this like a natural thing?


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## Gabby (Feb 21, 2009)

uniquelovdolce said:


> how do u know if ur malt can swim , is this like a natural thing?


I'm wondering that too!!...

... I loved the video!!!, it looks like your pups are having SO much fun!!!... were they swimming in cold water? they didn't get sick for that??, I think mine would catch a cold inmediatly...


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## drclee (Jul 16, 2008)

If you want to see if your malt can swim, you can get a life vest for them and then go into the pool with them and see if they like it. I found that Jack & Jill can swim, but I'm not sure yet if they like it. I'm planning on swimming with them more often this summer.


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## Hunter's Mom (Dec 8, 2008)

My dog is in a short coat and he always wears a life jacket around the pool

View attachment 86217


He likes to swim

View attachment 86216


But he really loves to float
View attachment 86218


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## uniquelovdolce (Mar 10, 2010)

omg how cool is that! can maltese swim w.o life jackets?


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## Hunter's Mom (Dec 8, 2008)

uniquelovdolce said:


> how do u know if ur malt can swim , is this like a natural thing?


It might be unconventional but prior to ever putting Hunter in the swimming pool I filled out tub up really high and got in with him and held him with just his legs in the water. He started kicking right away and we worked on this skill all winter and spring.

When summer came we then put him in my in-laws pool.



uniquelovdolce said:


> omg how cool is that! can maltese swim w.o life jackets?


Hunter can swim without his life jacket but he is more stable with the life jacket and he appears more comfortable when he has it on. We tend to leave the jacket on him because he is allowed to run free in the yard and on the deck of my in-laws and while the pool is gated and he can't get to it, I want him to get used to wearing it since he has to wear it when we are in the boat as well.


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

How lucky Hunter is to have such devoted family--and obviously lots of fun! :biggrin: :wub:

(I'm still waiting for the video to download over my dialup connection--that sounds like fun, too.  )


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## CeeCee's Mom (Sep 14, 2006)

Both Hunter and Crystal & Snowy bring back such memories of them swimming. Love to see the pics.......they all look like they are having so much fun~~~~Your baby may love it too. Take pics and let us see how they do!!!!:wub:


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## Katkoota (Feb 18, 2006)

Maltese&LabMommy said:


> I LOVED your video! Thank you SO much for posting it!!!!!!!!!


Glad that you liked it 



Gabby said:


> I'm wondering that too!!...
> 
> ... I loved the video!!!, it looks like your pups are having SO much fun!!!... *were they swimming in cold water? they didn't get sick for that??*, I think mine would catch a cold inmediatly...


Living where we live, we don't get that very cold weather that other places get. Winter season is beautiful; summer season is hot. Snowy&Crystal's grandma's pool is temperature controlled that suites both kids and malts:wub::wub: nop, water doesn't really get cold or hot - pool temperature is perfecto :thumbsup: and they both love it

I do think that dogs have the instinct to swim. If not all, most dogs (although I am more certain to all ) ... Few incidents and stories I came across with other dogs. Snowy's story at 4 months of age is one example when he fell in the pool by accident (while we were there since he isn't allowed in the garden alone) and started swimming ... His story can be read *here* together with how I discovered that he is a swimming addict. 

Kat


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## Katkoota (Feb 18, 2006)

Hunter's Mom said:


> My dog is in a short coat and he always wears a life jacket around the pool
> 
> View attachment 86217
> 
> ...


Hunter, you rock in da pool and on da float :rockon:



uniquelovdolce said:


> omg how cool is that! can maltese swim w.o life jackets?


Snowy & Crystal swim without a life jacket in their pool .. They jump in and know exactly how to get out! They jump in when they want to (in "you are allowed to swim" days) and get out when they want to. I allow them to do what they love to do - nothing beats seeing them happy while being safe of course.









Kat


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## uniquelovdolce (Mar 10, 2010)

TheMalts&Me said:


> Hunter, you rock in da pool and on da float :rockon:
> 
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> ...


 
i read ur story about snowy jumping in the pool , and i saw the pic of him in the ocean n i cannot wait to get home to see the videos , youtube is blocked here at work , but that is amazing to me , too cute.


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## jenniferhope423 (Jun 25, 2007)

I have one that HATES water and one that LOVES it! Bailey is the one that detests water in every form, rain, baths, and swimming. Sophie is only 5 months but she loves water! She knows where the bath tub is and cries to get in! She jumps around the tub splashing water everywhere. I think that I will put her in the pool this summer to see if she may like to swim. I'll have to find a lifejacket small enough to fit her


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## nekkidfish (Aug 25, 2009)

I want to get a little ramp for the spa and the pool, for when we start Poppy swimming. But, all I see are great big expensive ones. I just went out and measured, and the top step to the deck is one-foot exactly.

Does anyone know if anyone sells tiny ramps for toy breeds? Or, maybe a homemade one that we could make?

I had not even thought about the bath tub ... we have a big roman style tub ... I think we might just start taking him in there first!! I don't know why I didn't think of that. LOL

HUGz! Jules


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Sure they can! When I let a dog swim at the ocean, lake, or river, they wear a harness with a long-line attached for safety. My 2 year old hops in the river any chance he gets. Soda, as he has gotten older, sticks to the hot tub LOL


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## drclee (Jul 16, 2008)

TheMalts&Me said:


> Snowy & Crystal swim without a life jacket in their pool .. They jump in and know exactly how to get out! They jump in when they want to (in "you are allowed to swim" days) and get out when they want to. I allow them to do what they love to do - nothing beats seeing them happy while being safe of course.
> 
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> ...


What a great picture! I love it! :chili:


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## sarnoak (Apr 7, 2010)

The Dog Park where I take Ramsey has a little pond for the small dogs. Ramsey loves to walk into the pond right up to his belly, however he never swims and won't go in too far. I have a lifevest for him so I will have to try the pool this summer.


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## Gabby (Feb 21, 2009)

Hunter's Mom said:


> My dog is in a short coat and he always wears a life jacket around the pool
> 
> View attachment 86217
> 
> ...


LOVE IT!!!... didn't know 'bout the life jackets for dogs!!... I'll try to find one for my baby, we have a pool and I don't allow my baby girl outside alone, so I'm always runing after her...


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

Lacie really doesn't care for the swimming part, but she loves to walk on the beach with me and when at the pool, she loves to sit on the float with me.

Tilly loves to swim and loves to jump into my big spa tub at home. 

I currently don't have a pool at the house. I swore that I wouldn't have another pool once I left Phoenix. Too much work and upkeep, and I never used it enough to justify the expense.

Both Tilly and Lacie have life jackets for going on the boat, are in the pool when visitng relatives.

I know that Tilly would be just like Snowy if we had a pool in the yard.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

jmm said:


> Sure they can! When I let a dog swim at the ocean, lake, or river, they wear a harness with a long-line attached for safety. My 2 year old hops in the river any chance he gets. Soda, as he has gotten older, sticks to the hot tub LOL


Lol Jackie about Soda. My friend here in Surprise has a terrier mix and he loves the hot tub too. Her shi tzu does not want to have anything to do with it.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

> I currently don't have a pool at the house. I swore that I wouldn't have another pool once I left Phoenix. Too much work and upkeep, and I never used it enough to justify the expense.


Our yard here could easily fit a pool. But we decided against it. Like you said, too much work and upkeep and we would not use it enough either to justify the expense. My husband always wanted a pool until he did the upkeep for 3 weeks of a friend's pool.


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## Silkmalteselover (Apr 1, 2010)

*LOVED it all*

:aktion033: LOVED all the videos, and Hunter's mom's description of how she prepared him for swimming...such good ideas. MAKES me want to have a pool when we move to our new place... Just another FUN thing for my clan to do. On a sad note.. I did just hear yesterday of a Maltese drowning.. Jeanne


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## nekkidfish (Aug 25, 2009)

For those that have malts that get in their bath tubs or hot tubs ... what temperature do you have the water at?

I spoke with the guy that owns the grooming salon I go to about this today ... and he told me to make sure to just have the water lukewarm, as little dogs can overheat real fast.

HUGz! Jules


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

My kids also wear their life jackets when hanging out by the water...



















Archie LOVES to go out on the kayak with me, Boats excite him so much that he's actually jumped into the bay when one went by us one time. I just grabbed his lifejacket by the handle and plucked him up and he was right back in the kayak - he never even realized it....he was so intent on getting the boat, LOL.


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## Maltese&LabMommy (Apr 20, 2010)

I LOVE the kayak pic! I LOVE to kayak!!!


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## uniquelovdolce (Mar 10, 2010)

oo my god this is such a cool thread , they r so little n cute in the water i obviously dont have a pool since i live in the city , but i will try the bathtub.. too cute.


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## njdrake (Apr 23, 2007)

I have 2 that hate the pool and 1 that loves it. 
Here's a thread with pictures from last July on the day Emy discovered she liked the pool. She's not as good as Snowy and Crystal because she preferred the float to the swimming. 

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/64-picture-posts/98573-fun-sun.html


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## Twinkle (Apr 24, 2010)

I put my maltese in a pool once..she was not very happy with me. Twinkle is afraid of the pool and basically hates taking a bath. You guys are lucky to have dogs that love swimming! That sounds so fun!


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## heartmadeforyou (May 16, 2009)

Bogie went into the pool last year by accident. He was running back and forth on a long floatie and went right into the water. I had him out so fast he seemed stunned, like... what in the world just happened?

I loved your pictures! Crystal and Snowy are super cute and you are a really good photographer to get all those great shots.


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