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If that is the case and you may still need to get your dog into water for a retrieve even though you don't go duck hunting.
Every season my dog has to swim in a deep puddle of water or a river to retrieve a bird so I would be out of luck if he hadn't learned to like the water.
I also use the river I normally cross to get to my car to clean off my dog after he has had his runs in the woodcock coverts.
I simply bring along a short stick and throw it into the clean water and ask my dog to retrieve it.
When he comes out of the water he is nice and clean and I can lease him up for the ride home.
If you pup is hesitant about water you should be very careful when introducing him to the water.
You may be lucky that his breeder has introduced him to small streams when he was about 7 to 8 weeks old which will make your job of teaching him to swim that much easier.
If that is not the case then bear in mind that it will take some time for him to get used to water.
However the sooner you expose him the better off you will be.
It is important that the water is not too cold though.
The water should be at least 60 degrees so that pup does not get too cold.
I suggest you should shortly after you have gotten him home take him for walks in the woods where there are small stream and just cross the water and wait for him to come after you.
As soon as he does praise him and let him explore the woods on the other side of the stream so he can get a chance to smell what might be there before you start back over the stream and have him get his legs and stomach wet again.
I am not talking about swimming depth yet.
I have found that the best way to introduce my puppy to swimming water is to do it slowly.
I keep him on a leash and walk into the water with him at heel and when he shown a hesitation towards the deeper water I turn around and go back towards shore again.
Here it is very important that you find a place where you know the bottom of the pond is solid so you don't show hesitation when you walk into the water.
Here is a situation where treats can be used to great advantage.
Simply hold the treat in front of the pup and as he has ventured further than the last time he turned around give him the treat and let him move back towards the shore again.
Keep doing this until the pup will swim.
My next step is that I will go into the water and keep pup on a leash and then call him to me and while he is moving towards me I walk backwards into deeper water and when pup reaches me I give him a treat and let him swim back to shore.
I repeat this process 3 to 4 times before I call it a day and return in a couple of days' time and do it again.
As pup get familiar with the close range of a normal 6-foot leash I go to a twenty foot leash and walk that far out into the water where I call the pup and again as the pup reaches me he gets a treat.
You don't have to be afraid of your hunting pup not being able to swim.
All hunting pups can swim; the reason for some dogs' hesitation is the unsettling feeling of floating that gets to them.
The more you expose pup to the water the more he will get used to it and start acting like a seal whenever you bring him to water.
I have also found that bringing a dummy with me and use that as a treat in front of pup's nose will make pup go for it and forget that he is floating.
Using a dummy also make it easier for the pup to get his hind quarters up towards the surface while keeping the head at the water's surface.
As time goes on and pup gets used to the water, you can start throwing dummies into the water for your pup to retrieve.
Again use short distances to begin with until pup plunges into the water full of enthusiasm.
The clear purpose of getting your hunting pup acclimated to water is to make him able to retrieve birds from water.
Keep practicing but never make the training sessions longer than absolutely necessary and always finish a session on a good note.
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