How Long Should a Dog Swim For a Good Workout?
Active dogs need around 20-30 minutes of pure swimming for a good workout while others might only need 10-15 minutes.
A dog’s swimming workout can vary depending on their personality, age, and overall health.
Some dogs are more into it than others so everything from 5 to 60 minutes is possible.
Usually, my dog needs to be enticed to go swimming with a toy but as long as you’re throwing it, she can easily swim for 30 minutes.
Plus, once you cross a certain threshold or constantly use toys to entice your dog, the risk of dry drowning and other issues is actually increased.
Photo by Mr Nai on Shutterstock
If you’re not sure how long your pooch needs to swim for a good workout, start with 5-10 minutes at first then work up from there based on his response.
Can’t get to 10 minutes because your dog immediately jumps back out?
No worries, you can try encouraging him with a ball or water toy but don’t push it.
If your dog just gets his paws wet, that’s fine for the first sessions.
In case your dog is not having fun or you can tell it’s just too difficult, don’t hesitate to end the swimming session sooner than planned – there will be other opportunities.
Don’t expect them to jump right into it and instead gradually increase the time spent in the water or distance covered each day.
If available in your area, check out hydrotherapy and discuss whether or not it’s suitable as exercise for your dog.
Keep in mind that in hot climates, it’s important to provide your dog with an adequate phase of getting used to the cold water.
Going from cold water to hot asphalt immediately might run a medical risk.
Another thing to keep in mind is that their skin might get dry, they might drink more lake water and thus ingest more bacteria, and so on.
While these are important factors to keep in mind, they generally shouldn’t hold a healthy dog back from an appropriate swimming workout.
Is Swimming or Running Better for Dogs?
Swimming is less stressful for the joints when compared to running and while it won’t replace regular walks, swimming can definitely take your current jogging or biking exercise spot.
Supposedly, the canine physiologist and clinical nutritionist DVM Arleigh Reynolds equates 1 minute of swimming to 4 minutes of running.
That’d mean that a 15-minute swim can be sufficient for a good workout since it equates to an hour of walking.
Double that time and you’re at 30 minutes swimming = 2 hours of walking which is on the higher end for regular walks.
Additionally, you can swim with almost any dog while running is generally limited to healthy adult dogs and even then certain breeds just aren’t supposed to run much at all.
Swimming with a pup? Sure thing if you limit the time in the water.
Wanna go for a swim with a senior? No problem, it might actually be the best exercise for them.
On the other hand, serious running would be restricted for a dog who’s still growing (which can be up to 2 years for large breeds).
What makes your dog happy on walks is using their sense of smell which you might be losing out on when running.
Some high-energy dogs do need longer sessions or more demanding exercise (don’t forget mental exercise!) but even my Rottweiler prefers smelling on extended walks over running next to the bike, although she’s fine with both.
Wash Your Dog After Swimming in the Ocean
To keep your dog’s fur shiny even after swimming in the ocean, it’s important to bathe them with fresh water afterward.
Don’t just target the fur. Rinsing their skin is key! You can use tools to help the fresh water penetrate down through their thick coats, such as ZOOPOLR Pet Silicone Shampoo Brush.
Saltwater does not always cause dry skin, but you should never skip this essential routine for the health of your pup.
My Dog Rents a Swimming Pool
If you own a puppy or an adult dog, you might be curious if they know how to swim or not.
You might also be wondering how long a dog can swim and how long you can keep them in the water.
Knowing your dog’s limits is important before you take them swimming because you want to make sure they have the stamina and endurance to finish the swim and stay afloat.
If your dog is new to swimming, it can only swim for about 5 to 10 minutes. Once they reach the 10-minute mark, you can slowly increase their time by a few minutes each time. Make sure you watch them closely the first few times you take them swimming to make sure they don’t drown.
You might be curious about the best time to take your dog swimming and how you can use swimming as an exercise.
We will cover some tips in this article to make sure you have all the information you need before taking your dog out into the water.