Hendrix got his first taste of deep water yesterday. He loved it!
First I took him on his longest car ride ever, and without Roxy, to a
strange house with lots of people and a dog he'd never met. Thankfully
our host dog was super easy going and they got along famously. Also,
thankfully, everyone there loved Hendrix, who got tons of pets and rubs
and scratches and was even allowed to lick ears to his heart's content
(the boy loves cleaning ears, any species).

So the next day I walked him to the water's edge and he could barely
contain himself. I let him go, he dove right into the deep water and
had a nice swim. Then we stuck him on a boat (another first) where he
found his spot out front, with the wind and the spray in his face. He
wouldn't jump off the boat into the water when we were anchored, but he
let my friends lift him on and off and he had an absolute ball, even
though at times he was a little uncertain.

I'm very proud of how well he did with so many new experiences all at
once. He slept like the dead on the ride home last night, and boy was
Roxy happy to see us!

I only have one photo so far as I didn't bring my camera. My friend the
amazing photographer took a bunch of shots, so I may have more later.
Look at this happy boy:
http://www.wtallenphotography.com/ga...ics/dwb021.jpg

Our host canine, a very gracious and fun dog:
http://www.wtallenphotography.com/ga...ics/dwb022.jpg

The Ruff Wear PFD's are perfect, BTW. The boys can even pee while
wearing them, no obstructions to key bits, and they didn't seem to even
notice they had them on to be honest. The handle is KEY, I almost wish
all dogs had them built in.

elegy wrote:

http://www.wtallenphotography.com/ga...ics/dwb021.jpg

gorgeous photo!

Thanks! I can't wait to see the other shots my friend took. He takes
really amazing dog photos (he has 4 of his own).

i keep thinking about getting pfds for my dogs. luce likes to swim but
mushroom sinks like a rock.

If Mushroom hates the water, I don't think the PFD will be a great idea.
But if he likes the water and just can't swim, it should help. At the
very least you can help him with the handle while he figures out how
stay up and move, without getting yourself scratched up (hopefully).
Then maybe he'll love the water? Sadly, Roxy would hate me if I put her
in deep water, or any water... Her feet might get wet!!

Note that dogs never relax while swimming, even with the PFD--no
treading water or just floating for them, not that I have ever seen. It
got to the point where we had to leave them on the boat without us for a
break because they would just swim and swim and then try to climb out on
us while we were floating (they couldn't exactly climb the rock faces we
were climbing, and there weren't really options for them to get in and
out on shore). It really really hurts when they try to use you as a
dock of sorts, by the way. Next trip we're gonna rig a doggy platform
to hook to the boat so they can climb on and off of it on their own,
which should help.

Are you setting up your pool again this summer? We are planning to do
so next week, but Hendrix might just scoff at it now!

"Lynne" wrote in message
m...
snipped
I only have one photo so far as I didn't bring my camera. My friend the
amazing photographer took a bunch of shots, so I may have more later. Look
at this happy boy:
http://www.wtallenphotography.com/ga...ics/dwb021.jpg



Hendrix is a gorgeous dog! Magestic comes to mind in that shot.



Our host canine, a very gracious and fun dog:
http://www.wtallenphotography.com/ga...ics/dwb022.jpg


Now tell me he doesn't have just the cutest ears!


td

tiny dancer wrote:

Hendrix is a gorgeous dog! Magestic comes to mind in that shot.

Ha-ha, thanks! I sure think he's gorgeous, but he's too much of a
goofball to be majestic. It's the fisheye lens, no doubt.

Now tell me he doesn't have just the cutest ears!

That's Diesel. He's a great dog, though he's affectionately referred to
as "everybody's bitch." VERY easy going, perhaps to a fault (apparently
his head gets humped a lot).

Lynne wrote:

elegy wrote:


Note that dogs never relax while swimming, even with the PFD--no
treading water or just floating for them, not that I have ever seen.

I disagree. Scully learned to swim by following my daughter and son
into the local creeks and ponds and is entirely at ease in the water.
When playing fetch with the other dogs she will tread water about 30
feet offshore in order to beat Zane, a much faster swimmer, to the
prize. She will also swim/climb onto various floatation aides - mats,
rings, noodles - and relax.

We've tried her in various child-sized PFDs but she was uncomfortable
with the angle of flotation they imposed. A canine-specific PFD might
have been more comfortable but I've never felt the need to buy her a
life jacket for the circumstances we encounter.