Lab swimming issues

I have a black lab pup that is about 18 weeks. I took him dove hunting yesterday just to get him out. He jumped in a pond and I notice he is not using his back legs at all and really just splashing getting nowhere really. I see where this problem is not that uncommon, but my other lab never did this. Any advice or ways to get this corrected.

Give him plenty of opportunity to get in the water and it will take care of itself.

Don't let him go in water so deep his butt drops. Theoretically, you want the water deep enough that requires him to swim, but if his butt drops, his back feet hit bottom. Do retrieves in shallow water, and slowly go deeper and deeper.

I think dogs that do this get in deep water too fast.

He'll learn. How did you do the first time you tried to swim? I have a Shorthair pup that I thought would drown the first time she jumped in my tank. Now she's the fastest swimmer I have.

Thanks for the replies. The first time he swam he actually got in my parents pool and I thought he was going to drown in 3ft of water. He got back in and on the third time he worked it out. Now he was back to doing it again yesterday. Haven't had him in the water a lot. I'll get him in some shallow water.

Payne, some dogs will try to walk on their hind legs instead of swim. That leads to a head high flailing. Once they learn to get their head down and out front they get it together. Sounds like he likes the water so let him work it out at his pace. If he is retrieving good and likes birds, a frozen teal can work wonders, but I wouldn't sweat it. Don't force it and he will get it.

I have a 4 yr old lab that is a great swimming dog, she couldn't swim a lick till last year. Your dog will come around

Give him a lot of water time make it fun no pressure just lots of water he'll figure it out

+1 to what the others said. I took my lab to a shallow water spillway where it gradually went to chest depth and gradually threw the bumper to where she had to finally get her chest wet but legs still on the ground. It took a couple of days of that for her to "get it." If she hesitates to go in I have heard people say that you getting in the water with the puppy helps. Good luck. On a side note how did the puppy do with the gun shots?

Thanks for the responses here. I've got a buddy with the perfect pond to get him in. Gunshots do not bother the dog at all. Biggest problem right now is keeping him from tearing up my patio furniture. I just got to make more time for him. With kids in sports, work, etc. It is just hard sometimes.