Do Beagles Like Water or Swimming? Breed Preferences Explained

Beagles are active and energetic dogs that were originally bred as hunting dogs. These dogs are adaptable when it comes to being outdoors. However, their affinity to water will depend on the individual dog’s personality and preferences. Some Beagles will love water and are natural swimmers, while others may not enjoy swimming at all.

Do Beagles Like Water?

The likelihood that your Beagle will enjoy water and swimming depends on what experiences it’s had with water. Therefore, it’s important to slowly introduce swimming in water to your Beagle in manageable steps.

Make sure that the water is at a comfortable, warm temperature. You also don’t want your Beagle’s first experience to be in choppy waters. A small bathtub will be a more appropriate setting than a beach.

If your Beagle has no issues with being inside a tub full of water, you can move to a kiddie pool. Work in increments to gradually increase your Beagle’s confidence in the water. You can also use some of its favorite treats to create a more positive association with water.

Can Beagles Swim?

As adventurous hunting and tracking dogs, being outdoors should feel natural to Beagles. However, they don’t really have any particular physical traits that make them exceptional swimmers. Dogs bred to swim often have webbed paws or water-repellant double coats. Some also produce more oil to help repel water while they swim. These dog breeds also tend to have a more muscular build and have high levels of endurance that enable them to swim for more extended periods of time.

While Beagles don’t share these traits, they can still be good swimmers, and you can always try to teach them to swim. Start your Beagle in a kiddie pool or bathtub with a mat that your Beagle can easily grip to prevent it from sliding around. The water level should be at a low height.

Then, support your Beagle as you raise the water level so it can get used to paddling and floating on water. Once your Beagle gets comfortable with this experience, you can introduce it to a small pool or calm pond.

Make sure to use plenty of treats and praise to make swimming a positive activity. Any bit of encouragement will help your Beagle to enjoy swimming in the water. If your Beagle has a particularly difficult time staying afloat, you can try using a dog life jacket or another flotation device to help it swim.

You can also try to find a dog that’s already a good swimmer. This dog can help your Beagle want to play in the water and build up its confidence in swimming.

Conclusion

Beagles are fun and energetic dogs that like going on adventures with their humans. Many will be natural swimmers and enjoy being in the water. However, it’s not abnormal for a Beagle not to be so fond of water. So, don’t worry if your Beagle isn’t a natural swimmer. You can always try to teach it to swim.

If you want your Beagle to learn to swim, start with small and manageable steps. If your Beagle ever displays any discomfort or looks overwhelmed, take a few steps back to let it learn to feel more comfortable and confident in the water. With some time and patience, your Beagle can learn to swim and enjoy going on more outings with you.

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Featured Image Credit: Somo_Photography, Pixabay