When we got Ritzy she was so little and fell in the pool so we taught her to go out in the pool. She knows where the stairs are and will swim all over the pool and come back to the stairs. She now runs and jumps in and swims to the stairs. She has no fear. We have to watch her closely but she understands the command "Swim Swim... go back. It was all in working with her. This year our other two Yorkies have joined in. They love it,