Throughout my life I have had dogs, and with them I have enjoyed many moments and activities, such as going to a pool or a lake, where they greatly enjoy swimming, jumping and cooling off in the water. However, a few days ago I met a friend's dog who has terror of water, Instead of jumping at her when we throw an object at her, she becomes hysterical, barking and shaking.
It is important to note that just as human beings may or may not like water, the same thing happens to dogs, it is not an imperative law that all dogs run to the shore of a lake and want to swim, but not It is normal for the animal to get scared even when we want to put them to bathe. It is for this reason that, if the same thing happens to your dog as my friend's pet, you should follow some guidelines to make your pet lose fear of water and start enjoying this element.
First of all, I recommend that when your dog is relaxed and calm, you sit next to him with a bowl of water. Pet him while you speak calmly, and put your hand in the water, letting your dog smell it while you try to wet it gently. This should be repeated a few times, also trying to repeat the procedure every day, and at the end give it a treat.
The next step will be to moisten a cloth or sponge and drain the water on top of the animal. According to the reaction of your dog, you can increase the amount of water that you spill on him. When you start to notice that the dog is not scared by the water, you can start throwing more water on it and even making sounds with it and playing with your dog.
When you decide take him to a lake Look for the quietest places, and accompany your little animal to come closer to the shore. When he does, give him a treat, and show him another reward to get him much closer. For nothing, try to force or push him since this will only make your dog stop trusting you and become more fearful.