Puppy Swimming Lesson 1

Now, I would have guessed that swimming, especially the 'dog paddle' would come naturally, instinctively to dogs.

Unless my dog is unusually odd, I guess that's not the case.

As he learned to swim, he'd set out into the water, his front legs stiff as boards, stretched in front of him. As he'd get excited, his rigid legs chopped through the water creating quite a commotion of water in his face. Then he bit at the water, chomping away and proceeding to swim frantically, in a tight circle, snapping at the water madly.

Only after he tired did he notice I was calling to him, well, after laughing at him for a while.

Lake Washington is now snow melt, and so very cold, but that does not much deter Joe, who truly can hardly bear not to be in the water, despite having no idea what to do with it.

He gallumps about, splashes and churns and then bounds onto the shore to quiver, tongue hanging out, smiling and shivering.