How to Get Your Dog to Go in a Kiddie Pool

Know your dog's temperament. Some breeds, such as a Golden Retriever, instinctively take to water. Dachshunds, Corgis and other short-legged dogs are less able swimmers and may be less receptive to water. If your dog has a history of pond swimming or being cooled off with a garden hose, water may not be an issue. A dog that is game for new adventures adapts to water more easily than one that is naturally shy. If you train a puppy, you are clearly at an advantage because you can introduce your pup to water in a non-threatening way while it is young. In all cases, it makes sense to take a dog's history and training style into account.

Acquaint your dog with the pool in safe, gradual steps, similar to the process of introducing a collar and leash. It's smart to set the stage. Don't simply plunk your dog into the pool and repel it with a bad initial experience. Plan for the dog's first encounter with the pool. Ensure the pool's water temperature is not too cold or hot. If you plan to bathe your dog, expose it to bath products in advance; for example, let it sniff the shampoo, and practice rubbing it with a sponge or cloth and toweling it down.

Let the dog investigate the pool. Allow your dog to approach the pool on its own, take a sniff and scope out the situation. Some dogs hop in a pool on their own; others need more time or repeated exposure.

Urge your dog gently into the water, coaxing it up the ramp if you use a ramp to the pool. If the dog doesn't get in the pool unassisted, lower it carefully into the water. Reassure and praise your dog once it is in the pool, and introduce bath products slowly if you plan to bathe the dog. If it resists, hold it calmly and talk to it until it relaxes.