It's a hot day in San Diego!

[BeachBullyPC]

It reached 99 before noon, which is very unusual for this area.  We are very near the coast, so we're usually near 76 or so but rarely over that.  Today was an exception, so I took Meatball for a swim at my friend's house.  The water was freezing, which was nice, and I couldn't get him out of the water!  He had a blast and is now snoring away!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTUZ8YcwQ_w

[emmabull]

That's amazing that he swims without a life vest. My son's girlfriend is originally for San Diego and has been here a little over a year.  They are visiting her parents on the 11th. Sounds like the weather is great there! Hope she doesn't get homesick for the nice weather!

[KMARINO]

I have been told for 15 months (that is how old Vegas is) that Bullies CAN NOT swim with out a vest, even when I took him to doggie day care they did put on a vest and guess what?? Vegas went in face first!! this is amazing to me. We are currently looking to buy a house and we want a pool but I am afraid because of Vegas to have a pool.

[BeachBullyPC]

I have been told for 15 months (that is how old Vegas is) that Bullies CAN NOT swim with out a vest, even when I took him to doggie day care they did put on a vest and guess what?? Vegas went in face first!! this is amazing to me. We are currently looking to buy a house and we want a pool but I am afraid because of Vegas to have a pool.

I know quite a few Bulldogs that can swim without a vest.  I have vests for both of mine, but when we first get to the pool, I let MB go in without one to cool off his body before the vest goes on. I only put it on because he'll stay in the pool for a very long time and I don't want him to get tired. His grandma, who my friend owns,  swims without one as well.  My PC swims very well with a vest, but can't swim without one.  Just like humans, some dogs will swim and some won't. My friend's golden won't go anywhere near the water and my Meatball will run at full speed and dive to retrieve a ball, it's quite a sight and we're very proud of our boy!  I never thought I'd have such a water-loving Bulldog. He swims, surfs, comes paddleboarding, kayaking, and everything in between!  

And, it has nothing to do with being introduced early on.  We got PC at 8 weeks. While he loves the beach, the water and coming kayaking with me, he's not one to really willingly go into the pool, even with his life jacket. He's content looking on from the pool stairs.  MB came to us at 11 months and has never seen the beach before us.  First day at the beach, he was kind of hesitant. Second day?  Some guy throws a ball for his dog and MB takes off into the waves, and swam out to retrieve it.  That's how we knew we had a swimming Bulldog on our hands and he's been into the water ever since.

[Fenway]

What a great bullie swimmer!! and Fen is super jealous - we also live on the coast and it was still hot in the house today. hopefully is will be cooler tomoorow!

[DaBabaDoo]

Most bullies do need a vest because of their curious build, but there are bullies who can swim just fine.  However, I would say if you ever do have a pool, even if you know he can swim, don't let him out unsupervised.  Sometimes sinking or swimming isn't the problem, if a little water goes down the windpipe and gets into the lungs...problem time.


On a lighter note, so cute seeing a bully swim with or without a vest.  It just seems like such an odd sight, I love it. 

[ksdstny]

We have a pool and I spend alot of time in it. Harlow sits at the edge while I swim laps kissing me when I come up. She's not a water lover n doesn't like to do her business on wet grass. Enter my boy he doesn't like to be far from me n has taken to jumping in the pool after me. He's not swimming yet but I think once he gets the cadence down he'll gooo. When they're at the beach at the river they r both body deep n lovin it. Steeler bites n eats the water n they love to mud wrestle.

They are NEVER out back unsupervised. Either kab or I are out there with them at all times. Rule of the house.

[markc]

Oliver learned to swim by falling off the dock at the family lake cabin in northern Minnesota. We were right there, goofing around with him and Annie, and Oliver took a tumble off the edge - about a foot down to the water, and about three feet deep.  I knelt down, reached into the water to grab him, but he was already swimming his way to the surface!  Eyes wide open even while he was still under, looking a bit surprised, but he popped up like a cork, feet paddling and kicking as if he had been in the water all his life!  He was facing out towards the open water, so I turned him towards shore and in he came.  His instincts must have shut his nose and mouth - he didn't sputter at all.  As soon as he got to shore, he turned around and swam right back out a bit, drinking water as he swam, enjoying every minute of it.

On the other hand, Annie will only wade into the water up to her belly - that's far enough, thank you. When it is hot, I carry her out to about 5 feet deep, and let her swim back to shore.  She doesn't mind it, but it's sure not her favorite.

[BeachBullyPC]

Oliver learned to swim by falling off the dock at the family lake cabin in northern Minnesota. We were right there, goofing around with him and Annie, and Oliver took a tumble off the edge - about a foot down to the water, and about three feet deep.  I knelt down, reached into the water to grab him, but he was already swimming his way to the surface!  Eyes wide open even while he was still under, looking a bit surprised, but he popped up like a cork, feet paddling and kicking as if he had been in the water all his life!  He was facing out towards the open water, so I turned him towards shore and in he came.  His instincts must have shut his nose and mouth - he didn't sputter at all.  As soon as he got to shore, he turned around and swam right back out a bit, drinking water as he swam, enjoying every minute of it.

On the other hand, Annie will only wade into the water up to her belly - that's far enough, thank you. When it is hot, I carry her out to about 5 feet deep, and let her swim back to shore.  She doesn't mind it, but it's sure not her favorite.

That's just like my 2!  PC will let me take him out, and swims back, but he'd rather either stand on the pool step or belly deep, watching all the actions.  Life vest on, of course!

MB will run into any body of water and swim with the big dogs.  We always have a crowd on the beach, because "Bulldogs don't swim!"   If we ever get a house with a pool, it will have an alarmed gate around it, since you can never be too careful. We always joke that a pool is like an invisible fence for PC, he's so careful around it.  But MB goes in any chance he gets and while we are ALWAYS near him around any body of water, if we had our own, I'd be very vigilant to ensure he had no access without us nearby.  It takes less than a minute for a tragedy to occur, no matter how well your dog can swim!

[ksdstny]

maggie i so agree. when my son had his bully "romeo valentino" (rip) i was babysitting him and he was very very close to a perfect looking male bully. very muscular, very stocky and very low to the ground, lol. he promptly walked into the backyard one day, up to the pool and PLUNK....he sank like a stone...no instinck whatsoever. i jumped in clothes n all (shallow thank GOD) and grabbed him by his harness. he didnt sputter so nature must have kicked in but i felt horrible. I was STANDING right there. maybe i looked at a bird.

 i dont have a fence, we have an alarm that goes off when the water is disturbed. it goes on with the filter, stays on and i have to turn if off when we go in. i also have an alarm on the french doors leading out to the patio's and the pool. i think when we stone the back we will opt for a fence.

[BeachBullyPC]

maggie i so agree. when my son had his bully "romeo valentino" (rip) i was babysitting him and he was very very close to a perfect looking male bully. very muscular, very stocky and very low to the ground, lol. he promptly walked into the backyard one day, up to the pool and PLUNK....he sank like a stone...no instinck whatsoever. i jumped in clothes n all (shallow thank GOD) and grabbed him by his harness. he didnt sputter so nature must have kicked in but i felt horrible. I was STANDING right there. maybe i looked at a bird.

 

That's so scary!  I keep a vest on PC when we're near the pool, even though he doesn't actually go past the step.  He can always slip and fall in and at least he won't sink!  We tried taking him in a while ago, just to see if he can swim and while he tried to paddle, he was sinking. I was holding on to him the entire time, so he never actually sank, but he cannot hold his weight in the water. He just can't do it like MB without a life vest.  You really have to watch them like babies!

I also showed both of them where the stairs are, which I think is very important.  The first day, they both panicked, because they tried to get out from an edge and couldn't.  So, I led them to the stairs a couple of times, and they both now always swim back to the steps, no matter where in the pool they are.  My ideal "Bulldog" pool would have platforms at all 4 corners of the pool, where they can step onto and not worry about having to go to the one corner with stairs. 

[hoegaandit]

I think our boy is not a good swimmer but he can swim. When he was little he sank like a stone into a pothole in the river (his brother pulled him out and he wasn't in the least upset) - so I always thought he was one of those sinking bullies - but on another occasion about six months ago he lost his footing when the river was a bit higher than normal and got swept out into a pool in the river which was about three feet deep and he was swimming quite well. Mind you, that was only for a few seconds before I'd jumped into the pool fully clothed (and with cameral in pocket) to haul him out.

It is so right that you have to watch your bullies like a hawk near water. The times I am most cautious is when it has been raining and we are near a river, as even the streams here can flow very strongly when it's been raining hard. (I heard of one dog owner, not a bully, who had to chase hundreds of yards downstream because her dog was being swept downstream - but he was fine after that). The main beach we go is a safe swimming beach, and I wouldn't mind him even going into the surf on a stormy day there. Because he is in the water at the beach and rivers a lot he is quite careful that he doesn't get out of his depth, but it is good to know that if he has to, he is at least a passable swimmer.