Todd Howard BigBulldogs.com: Hi, I have always been told and read on every Bulldog website that Bulldogs cannot swim. However I live here in Southern California and my neighbor has a nice pool and 2 Bulldogs that are great swimmers. Why does everyone say they can’t swim when its not true?
The better question to ask. Is it safe for me to allow my Bulldog to swim? I have experienced many Bulldogs that love to swim and do a great job…..However I do not advise it. Why? Because Bulldogs do not have a good respiratory system and are cardio challenged.
Every summer I receive phone calls from wonderful loving people who lost their Bulldog in a drowning accident that should not have happened. All it takes is for the temperature and humidity to be higher than normal and Bully to be a little more tired than normal and tragedy can strike.
BigBulldogs.com advice for people who teach their Bulldogs to swim.
1. Don’t teach them to swim in the first place….. but if you must.
2. Ensure that your pool is secured by a fence when you are absent.
3. Get Bully a life jacket and make him wear it.
4. Make sure that he knows where the steps are so that he has a chance to get out should he accidentally fall in.
5. Do not use a soft pool cover. If Bully falls in, he will have no chance because the cover will swallow him up preventing him from swimming.
6. Purchase a lifejacket that doubles as a harness and let that be his uniform of the day every day. Then if the worst happens, he is safe.
All in all, I don’t think its a good idea to teach Bully to swim in the first place. I so hate to get those phone calls.