Do Cavapoos Like to Swim? -

As a cross between the Poodle – a water dog – and the King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, the Cavapoo generally has the capacity to make an excellent swimmer.

This is especially true if they are introduced to the water early in their life, but Cavapoos can still learn to swim if they are introduced to the water late in their life. But do these waterproof fluffballs enjoy swimming? Do Cavapoos like to swim? Let’s find out:

Do Cavapoos Like to Get Wet?

With the perfect combination of the Poodle’s warm and insulating coat mixed with the KC Cavalier’s small lapdog size and buoyant shape, easily 9 out of ten Cavapoos absolutely adore splashing around in the water, bobbling along on the surface with aplomb and enthusiasm.

You may find that a smaller Cavapoo dislikes the rocky, unpredictable, and noisy ocean. This is quite common.

Or you might discover that your Cavapoo hates water in all it’s forms, sometimes even rain. This isn’t unusual either. But most Cavoodles tend to at least tolerate the fun of spending a small amount of time splashing around in a shallow paddling pool.

Are Cavapoos Good at Swimming?

Well, since they have the streamlined, current-bearing chest of their Cavalier and Poodle heritage along with the warming, insulating double coat that the Poodle breed gave them, a Cavapoo should be pretty good at staying afloat in bodies of water with a current – up to a point – and should be naturally comfortably insulated for quite a while, from the magnificent coat they inherited.

The only thing to worry about is, even a fully grown Cavapoo belongs to a small size breed.

Therefore, though a streamlined, comfortable Cavapoo may seem capable and look like they are doing well, the small Cavapoo could suddenly become exhausted and might get into difficulty in water that is deep for them.

How Can I Introduce my Cavapoo to the Water?

So, maybe you’ve bathed your Cavapoo a couple of times and you now feel that your Cavapoo is old enough and capable enough to start spending prolonged periods of time in deep outdoor water.

But perhaps your Cavapoo has no interest in the loud, cold, and erratically-moving force that is the ocean or a lake or river.

Maybe your pooch stands at the shore and barks worriedly when you go into the water, dipping a paw in occasionally, but ultimately retreating, dashing back to a dryer place as the water surges forward.

Well, fortunately, it’s easy to start getting the otter-like Cavapoo confident in the water, ready to spend longer and longer periods of time having fun splashing around or just chilling out.

If you take your Cavapoo for walks at the beach or by a river, try bringing a toy or stick along next time. Then, walk very close to or in the water yourself.

Throw the stick or toy into the water for your Cavapoo to retrieve, sticking to just the most shallow part of the water right by you for the entirety of the first walk, but later moving on to throwing your chosen object right into the deeper parts of the water, where your pooch will have to begin to paddle a bit to retrieve the object.

Introducing your Cavapoo to the water gradually in this way will help them to get used to the way the water feels and behaves, as well as aiding them in figuring out the motion of swimming, and even how to grab an object that has gone under the water.

There are actually dog toys developed especially for this. They are called bumpers. Bumpers are durable, colorful, and lightweight toys that float very well.

There are many different variations of bumpers, all very different from each other. They are available in a range of bright quirky designs and colors, always able to be easily spotted bobbing along on the surface of the waves by your Cavapoo, and always comfortable for them to take in their mouth.

When Should I Introduce my Cavapoo to the Water?

Well, there are no real standardized guidelines for this. Some Cavapoos introduce themselves to the water almost immediately as a puppy, while others are more apprehensive, perhaps put off by the sheer noise or force of the currents.

If your young Cavapoo is beginning to dabble in the water to any extent by themselves, this is great! Keep an eye on them to make sure that they are safe, but let them continue to explore the water in their own way at their own rate.

But what about a Cavapoo who has no interest in the water, or who even fears it? Well, as we laid out before, playing fetch at the shore of the water is a brilliant way to subtly get your Cavapoo more used to entering the water.

However, if this isn’t working and your Cavapoo has another game or toy that they prefer, feel free to use this in the water, as long as you think it will hold up well. Playing with a Frisbee works well, as long as it does not fly out too far. Or you could even throw a softer toy in, as long as it will float.

If your Cavapoo likes to play tug of war, you could even drag them into the water by starting a game of tug of war on the shore with them then slowly going backwards into deeper and deeper water.

What Kind of Games Can my Cavapoo and I Play in the Water?

As we previously mentioned, playing fetch by the shore is a great game to play for your Cavapoo’s first introduction to the water. But what about later on?

What about when they’re swimming around like a pro, sprinkling water left and right with their tail as they go? You may need to keep their attention to prevent them from going on out to sea. They may start to get pretty fast in the water.

We mentioned Frisbee earlier – without a doubt, this is one of the best games to play in the ocean with any dog, since there are zero obstacles around for the flying disc to bump into or get stuck in. Plus, a Frisbee can easily pick up the wind and carry for quite a distance, really testing your Cavapoo’s stamina.

But considering how exhausting the game is, it is better to keep Frisbee until your Cavapoo is a very proficient swimmer, and even then, stick to playing Frisbee in areas that you are familiar with and find safety.

Playing fetch in deep water is also lots of fun. Any durable toy that floats is suitable for this. Make sure you choose a toy with bright colors, to be easily seen just underwater.

What Types of Toys Can a Cavapoo Play Within the Water?

Any brightly colored toy is suitable for the water. Avoid ropes that might get tangled in seaweed and cause danger. Test that the toy will float easily, and go for a simple shape that can be easily gripped.

Is Water Healthy for my Cavapoo?

Clean bodies of water are generally alright for any dog, but most of the same things that are dangerous to humans, like jellyfish, sharks, or pollution are also equally as hazardous to your Cavapoo, if not more hazardous.

If you hear news about any of these hazards, both you and your pooch should avoid the water completely.

But one major Cavapoo-specific danger is the high likelihood of water getting into the canals of their long, low-hanging ears.

This can cause infection, so be sure to wipe out your Cavapoo’s floppy ears thoroughly as soon as they are done swimming. If you swim together frequently, you could even consider investing in a pair of canine silicone earplugs that will protect your Cavapoo much more effectively.

The last concern is hyponatremia, a condition that occurs when a dog accidently ingests a very large amount of water, usually while playing. It is very rare.

Owners sometimes use dog life vests for their Cavapoo, especially when staying in the water for an extended period of time. This is the best way to prevent hyponatremia and drowning and has the added benefit of keeping your Cavapoo comfortably warm.

If you like this then read our Complete Cavapoo Guide: Must Read Facts here.

For more about Cavapoos see my other articles below

By Michelle McDaid