Swimming Lessons 2

Joe is nearly 10 months old now, and he's taken to swimming. He's fascinated with water but thus far will only really swim in Lake Washington as he can run and hop into the little waves before having to swim. And he's achieved a mean dog-paddle.

Marymoor Park offers 4 different dog coves but he'd have to jump off a rock to actually do any swimming. For months, we've been trying to coax him off the rocks and into the stream but no dice.

He'd clamber around on the rocks, longingly watching other dogs leap into the stream and set out against the current. Whimpering with frustration, he'd dance on the rocks and slide into the drink, claws and neck outstretched.

But finally he tentatively set his nose into the current and set out a few feet after a stick. He turned back towards the shore and saw me n' B. cheering him on - after reassuring himself that he could get out of the water and back in on his own, he was off! He saw probably 21' into the stream which has a current strong enough to drift a fishing boat past relatively quickly.

His delight and dog pride were obvious and visible for about 3 minutes. And then he found a particularly interesting puddle of dog pee and all was forgotten.

(Now that the rains have stopped, I'll bring my camera out again)