New English staffy puppy owner with a swimming pool

Hi everyone,
I have put in my deposit for a puppy from sonshine stafford breeder in San Diego but I have a swimming pool at my home. I did some research online and some site say staffy can not swim, while other say they can. Can staffy owners let me know from their personal experience if they can swim and if having a swimming pool is safe for my staffy? If yes, when should I introduce my staffy to the pool? Can I let my staffy around the swimming pool safely? Any suggestion on how? Thank you in advance for input and suggestions.

Hi & Welcome to the Forum from Flo and me

I can safely say that Staffies can swim very well, not sure why other sites would say they can't

A couple of points though, I would never leave a dog alone around the pool unless you have an easy exit like steps so he can get out by his self. Age wise I'm not so sure but would suggest earlier rather than later so that the learning is ingrained but only under close supervision (others may offer a different opinion)

Hi and welcome from me too

Oh yes, they can swim! Like many dogs, you often have to teach them but once they have overcome any inital fear they take to it like a... well... like a staffie to water!

As for the safety question - this is a true story. We had a house in Belgium with a swimming pool, right in the middle of the garden. We had a lab and a retriever at the time, both could swim.

One day, we both went out. The dogs were left in the garden while we were gone, I can't remember how long but not long, and it was a huge garden with a wood at the bottom, loads of places for them to play. I came back to find Rufus in the pool. His ball had fallen in and he'd gone in to get it, then not found the steps to get out again. He was exhausted and I had to plunge my head under to get my arms round him enough to drag him out. If I'd been got just a bit longer I'm certain he would have drowned. I think his panic had stopped him from looking for the steps or something and he was just scrabbling at the same place by the side.

So never leave a dog with an unfenced pool, even if they can swim and evenif there are steps. Let him swim when you are there if you want, but don't leave him unattended at all unless you get the pool safely fenced.

I'm sure staffs can and do swim very well - but I can't forget seeing a video (I thnk on uTube) of a staffy standing on the bottom of the pool and the guy having to dive in to lift it to the surface? It just seemed to sink and then stand there. Very strange - just unnerved me a little

Found it - its actually a post on this forum under the title:-

" I have discovered that staffies DO NOT FLOAT in the pool "

Hi from me & Katy, yes staffies can swim but as Liz says don't leave your pup unattended by the pool!

Bug is great at swimming, but I also had to teach her. I have recently heard an awful story about a French bulldog drowning and read an article which stated that they can't swim without little life jackets. So perhaps people assume all Bull breeds can't swim?

i don't think they are naturally 'designed' to be swimmers
short legs, chunky body, fairly weighty for body size

**my neighbours' brother had three staffy's ..
now two .. as one drowned in a pond near their house
.. i don't know the full story ..** (3rd june '16 .. edited see below )

i've tried to get Lady to swim .. and came to the conclusion she'd benefit from a flotation jacket ..
at least to begin with

as for a swimming pool .. as mentioned above ..
be there to supervise .. 'cause if they can't climb out
then fatigue will take its' toll .. 'n dog will sink ..

maybe make some sort of floating platform ..
that could be easily climbed onto ( by dog ) if needed

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** EDIT to above ..
spoke to neighbour .. evidently it were a 3yr. old french bulldog .. not a staffy
that drowned in the pond .. small pond as well
for some reason it were unable to climb out of the pond

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