Dr. Gary Weitzman Answers Your Pet Questions
http://wamuanimalhouse.org/shows/2011-01-29/dr-gary-weitzman-answers-your-pet-questions-0
A caller wonders if she needs to provide swimming lessons for her Newfoundland dog. One woman asks why her Lhasa Apso goes crazy when she sees reflected light. And a cat by the name of Indie is over-grooming himself while his owner is away at work.
Guests
Dr. Gary Weitzman
executive director of the Washington Animal Rescue League
Comments
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re: Lhapsa Apso who is afraid of reflective light. I have seen both dogs and cats widly entertained by (go bonkers over) chasing a flashlight or pointer light bounced around in front of them. While other dogs see but ignore. Maybe the owner can see if her dog tolerates or even enjoys chasing a flashlight beamed on the floor or wall. If not feeling threatened, maybe the dog can learn to make a connection between the two types of light and eliminate her fear of the reflected light? Or maybe the Lhapso isn't so much afraid as driven crazy by the bouncing light and wants to catch it!
I really like the suggestion of letting the Newfy's first few times swimming occur while attached to a long leash.
I was wondering, however, if this would be safer if done with the pup in a harness. Newfy's (even puppies) don't come in small sizes. They start big and just go up from there. If by chance you needed to use the leash to pull him back (which is a possibility, otherwise there would be no need for the leash), pulling all that weight via a collar seems like a bad idea. Especially if the dog is facing the wrong way, you'd be pulling him back with all the force exerted on it's trachea.
If he were in a harness he would be pulled from under his trunk, which seems like a much better option.