meet Lexie, a very energetic German Shepherd, and her cousin Cookie. Apparently they are having so much fun swimming. While not all dogs have the innate ability to swim, most of them can or can be taught to swim.
Thanks to Judy Plourde-Webber for sharing…
What Can Swimming Do For Your GSD
Swimming is a fun exercise for your dog. It offers a lot of benefits too. The resistance of water will help your furry buddy improve his muscular strength as swimming will make him work harder than walking or running on land. Through swimming you can improve your dog’s cardiovascular and respiratory systems without the risk of damage that most concussive exercise on land entail.
If you have a healthy GSD, you could use swimming in conjunction with other exercises on land for stronger bones and good bone density.
Dog trainers also use swimming as a therapy as it can help dogs relax and release any pent-up energy. Even veterinarians recommend swimming as a therapeutic exercise for pet dogs. Research shows that swimming in warm water can speed up the recovery time from injuries as well as reduce pain.
For working dogs, swimming is often use to help them improve their mental well-being.