The Water Dawg!

[manumuskin]

http://www.youtube.com/user/manumuskin#p/u

I just uploaded eight short vids to youtube that show my dog actually teaching herself to swim.Start at the bottom with "Sophus Gits Wet" and proceed upward.Sophie has been leery of the water since we got her in may.She was born in feburary.She would not voluntarily go over her head for a long time though she always loved to wade.Whenever I carried her out over her head and dropped her she would let her rear end sink and wildly thrash the water with her front legs till she made land.Lately she has been venturing out a few feet over her head but then spinning around and thrashing back.Today she has leapt forward in her pursuit of the yearned for "Water Dawg" name. She made daddy proud!

 

[MuckSavage]

One of my Labs, "Buckshot" used to act the same way. Eventually, I drug him into deep water where I held under his belly to keep him afloat. This taught him to keep his back end afloat. Now that he's 13, I bought him a pfd. Kinda looks like a cape. He doesn't have to worlk as hard to stay afloat. Good to see the young lady swimming!

 

[manumuskin]

One of my Labs, "Buckshot" used to act the same way. Eventually, I drug him into deep water where I held under his belly to keep him afloat. This taught him to keep his back end afloat. Now that he's 13, I bought him a pfd. Kinda looks like a cape. He doesn't have to worlk as hard to stay afloat. Good to see the young lady swimming!

Hey Muck
I like your lyrical rendition of Jr's song.
I had no idea how to teach a dog to swim but it looks as if she figgered it out for herself.I couldn't teach Whipoorbill to swami and he speaks good english,better n mine as a matter of fact.

 

[RednekF350]

Beautiful dog Al.
There are nothing like dogs for woods companions. I couldn't be without one.

Keep trying on the swimming. The best thing I found is to keep taking them out with other swimming dogs. She will want keep up and take part.
My sons lab Hank is part fish and he got Murphy his swimming certs in a hurry.

 

[pinelandpaddler]

A black beauty she be!

 

[manumuskin]

Thanks Gabe,she is purty
Scott
We had her top the batstp river several times this summer with her sister that swims and she would not follow her in over her head for nothing.I carried her out over her head and then dropped her in the water and she would immediately thrash her way to shore.Effective but not very pretty.I have had near water numerous times since then and it's always the same,go out mybe six feet into deep water,turn around and thrash back but today it looked like something clicked.Maybe the waters cooled down and she can think now.I know from being on the swim team in high school that if they keep the pool temp to warm it really slows you down and wears you out and makes it hard to think.Of course water too cold can do the same in a different way.In any case no duck is safe from the water dawg now

 

[whippoorbill]

All hail the Panorama Kid's dog!

 

[MuckSavage]

Once she's comfortable, she'll be doing this (as demonstrated by Chase, my 2 year old).....

 

[manumuskin]

is that a life jacket?So cool.I'd like to have my dog swim out to my sand bar with me but it's a 200 yard swim and I don't know if she can do that.Also I know swimming dogs tend to shred flesh when they catch up to you,had a shepherd rake me up real good once when I ran out of steam and he caught me.

 

[MuckSavage]

is that a life jacket?So cool.I'd like to have my dog swim out to my sand bar with me but it's a 200 yard swim and I don't know if she can do that.Also I know swimming dogs tend to shred flesh when they catch up to you,had a shepherd rake me up real good once when I ran out of steam and he caught me.

yep, it's a life jacket. (dfd)...doggie flotaion device. Believe me. It adds alot of conficence to a dog. Yeah, dogs tend to rip at you once they catch up. My guys are pretty much done with their pfd's for the season. If you want to borrow one for sophie to try out, I'll be back in town on Monday....I can swing by the Millville area to drop it off.

 

[Teegate]

Great video's Al. She's doing well.

Guy

 

[manumuskin]

I'll get her a doggie pfd next summer and we'll hit the water together.where do you get them?

 

[RednekF350]

I'll get her a doggie pfd next summer and we'll hit the water together.where do you get them?

This is the one we have for Hank. They are indestructible and they keep they dog warm on ice water days.

It also protects their gut when leaping into waters with unknown submerged hazards. Hunting labs like Hank hit the water very aggressively.

It is not really a total pfd but the neoprene aids in floatation and once she starts to swim better it will be all she needs.

http://www.mackspw.com/Item--i-AVE031S

Here he is modeling it.

 

[manumuskin]

Thanks Scott! can I buy these at local stores or do I need to look somehwere like Cabelas or Gander Mountain?

 

[RednekF350]

Thanks Scott! can I buy these at local stores or do I need to look somehwere like Cabelas or Gander Mountain?

We use Mack's (in the link I pasted above) or Gun Dog Supply
http://www.gundogsupply.com/avery-buck-brush-boaters-neoprene-dog-vest.html

 

[manumuskin]

oh hell,i missed the link

 

[manumuskin]

the pic in the link of the yellow lab looks just like sophies sister

 

[ecampbell]

Al, here is my splash dog Bella taken at 9 months old this summer. She will dive for hours. She is an avid Wharton hiker. We were on Hampton Road last month at Deep Run when she got this distant look, turned, ran across the road and jumped from 6 feet high into the foam at the downstream culvert of Deep Run. It was over her head and fortunately she did not jump onto a stump. Mommy was mad, another bath!

 

[Gibby]

Was there any water left in the pool after that?

 

[manumuskin]

My dog does not differentiate between a marsh at high tide and one at low tide.I do not mind her diving into the marsh at high tide because the water washes off most of the mud but just because you dove in there two hours ago does not mean it's okay now that there is no water.Sh dove into a tidal flat and proceeded to run 100 ft through it.I don't know how but she made it.Your right,Mommy was MAD!