Is Dog Paddle for Dogs? Donna says YES!

Hey, do you teach dog paddle?

First of all, hay is for horses and dog paddle is for dogs!

So no, we do not teach dog paddle.  Dog paddle is a very inferior style of swimming that some students have learned.  It is a form of swimming where the student lifts their head up out of the water while looking forward.   When a swimmer is in this position, their body will tend to drop to a vertical position, causing the swimmer to tire out quickly.

At WETS we teach the swimmers to swim on their front with their face in the water, and roll onto their back or their side to take a breath.  To swim this way keeps the swimmer in a horizontal position and can easily take a breath.  If they are in trouble and need to take a break, rolling onto their back allows them to breath for as long as they want to calm down.  They are also in a position to call for help.  If they are in this situation while doing dog paddle for any length of time, they will tire much faster, and it is much easier to choke on water, and go into a complete vertical position and slip under the water.

Dog Paddle is for DOGS.

-Donna Morel