Last Updated on October 16, 2022 by Guillermina
When the question, “can huskies swim?” comes up among dog owners, especially those who do not own huskies. The chorused answer is a resounding no, and the reason they give is that the primary purpose of Huskies is to pull sleds in the snow. Hence, they do not like to swim or do not like water.
Well, in this article, we will debunk that assumption considering that it is utterly false. So make sure to read till the end, so you don’t have to make any more wrong assumptions about this fine breed, and also, you will be able to answer the question properly: Can Huskies Swim?
To answer the question, Huskies can indeed swim and also learn to enjoy it. However, it solely depends on how they are introduced to the water. They can either learn to love swimming or hate the entire experience and never want to participate again.
How Good Can Huskies Swim?
While a school of thought believes that Huskies do not like swimming, another school of thought believes that Huskies are natural swimmers or can naturally swim.
If you belong to the latter, I’m sorry to tell you that is very far from the truth because Huskies are not natural swimmers. This is because they were never bred for the purpose of swimming. Instead, they were bred to pull sleds with no reason to swim.
Therefore, most huskies you might come in contact with may simply hate water, and they do so for reasons such as we mentioned earlier: bad first impression, genetics, discomfort, or they probably just hate to get wet.
However, whatever the reason for this Husky hating water, it can always be changed if they are introduced to the environment in a proper way. And once they are able to get comfortable with the water, they become the best at it.
Especially with their very strong athletic selves and their love for exercise, it is only fitting for them to be perfect swimmers. But becoming excellent swimmers requires that you encourage them to enjoy swimming.
If you wish your Husky to swim, then as the owner, you will be expected to make sure it gets used to the water as early as possible. Make sure at every point in time, it is enjoying the presence of water around it. Whether by bathes or simply getting across a stream or river.
To make the water introduction process easy, you might need to get a paddling pool. And before you make that face, you don’t need to have kids to have a paddling pool. Make sure the water in the pool is shallow. And if you have to, get in and measure it till it is past your ankles.
Once they see you are in the water yourself, they are confident that it is safe, and they’ll definitely be excited about a bit of playtime. Also, make sure not to use extremely cold water.
For Huskies that don’t initially like water, this serves as baby steps. And soon, you’ll have your Huskies swimming with you in your large pool. Even when you are at the beach, they’ll be the first to run to the water.
Do Huskies Like Cold Water?
Speaking of not using super cold water, with the knowledge that these dogs come from very cold climates, getting wet can have very bad consequences on the Huskies, and so cold water shouldn’t be an option for these dogs.
Regardless of if the weather is warm or cold, the likelihood of them splashing around in warm water is very strong. And that is another thing you will need to keep in mind when teaching your Husky to swim.
Make sure that it isn’t on a cold day or with cold water. Don’t put huskies in ice pools. Remember, the plan is to make them enjoy swimming and not hate it. If you are dunking your Huskies in ice pools, then it means you have to be in a very hot environment. But other than that, you’ll have to prepare for a doctor’s visit to treat hypothermia.
Is Swimming Good For Huskies?
As much as you want the answer to ” Can Huskies Swim?”, you’d also want to know if it is entirely good for your husky. Now just the same way you are told to take your dogs on walks and set out time to play with them to help build their system, swimming is also very good for Huskies.
Physical Exercise
The first reason is that it serves as a form of physical exercise and can be a very good workout for your dog, mainly because there are no forms of tearing joints or muscles.
It serves as an easy way to burn calories and can even be more effective compared to walks done for the same amount of time.
Keeps Them Engaged
Huskies are the kind of dogs that would quickly get depressed or sad if they aren’t attended to for an extended period of time. However, swimming can serve as the perfect distraction where they are able to not just have fun but also get mentally stimulated.
Just like swimming helps humans ease off, it has the same effect on Huskies. This gives another reason why your answer to the question, “Can Huskies Swim?” should be Yes! Want a happy dog? Getting them to swim is a helpful tip.
Cools Body Temperature
As we have already established in the beginning, Huskies are built to function in cold climates. Hence if you live in a warm area, it could have a significant effect on such a furry dog as the Siberian Husky.
Nonetheless, as short as a 30 minutes session is, when spent in the water, it will solve that problem and put the dog at ease. And that isn’t all. The swimming session is also beneficial to keep their skin healthy and improve their general health.
Conclusion On “Can Huskies Swim?”
And so, it is that simple. While Huskies may not initially love the water, their interests can change if you are able to patiently and properly teach them that it is just water.
Be responsible enough to make sure you do not leave huskies in ice pools or extremely cold water, and with that, you have nothing to fear. You can read on some interesting facts about Huskies here.
We would love to know your experience with your Husky getting introduced to swimming in the comments below.
