I got home about 7.30 this morning and found Jessie deep asleep on the bed ;-) once she woke up, we went for a walk and then I went to bed for a couple hours. I had the back door open, so Jessie could go in and out as she pleased but I think she spend most time under the bes sleeping.
I woke up at 1pm and was sill tired but thought I better get up. After some lunch, I took Jessie back to Water Gate Park. Like yesterday she enjoyed her time but this time he didn't end up as muddy as yesterday. For the last hour we played fetch near the lake and I tried to convince her to go in the water to swim. As much as she loves water, she will not swim, she goes up to her belly and that's it. I was keeo trowing the ball in and she ran in the water and waited for the current to bring it closer so she would not need to swim. She was also barking a lot at the ball (as if telling him to come back). Eventually she did swim 4 or 5 times for a little bit to get the ball and I was so proud of my little girl. When it's a bit warmer I will go in the water with her to see if that encourages her. Unfortunately I have no pics from the walk, as I left my camera at home but I have this one of her laying next to me now that we are home. She is exhausted :-)
2 comments:
Wesha is the same. She goes in until she starts losing her footing... then she immediately turns. If I throw her something in the water and it is too far away for her, she starts whimpering. I hope she will start enjoying swimming when she sees me swimming this summer.
I have found that with dogs who are less confident in the water, if you take a human partner and both of you get in the water with the dog, the dog will want to be with you and you should be able to coax them in eventually. Then, if that miracle happens, if the two humans will sort of call the dog back and forth between them in a spot where the dog will need to swim, but can get footing occasionally, that this is a good water confidence building exercise. Lots of short swims between shallow areas with good footing quickly builds confidence. Of course lots of praise and happy talk.
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