I’ve made the most amazing discovery. Actually new-dog Clara has.
Water.
I’ve always LOVED watching the water-dogs at the Albany Bulb, and I always wanted one. Badly. Harriet has short little legs and doesn’t trust them to hold her up in water, and I don’t blame her. Miss Idaho is smaller than the average football, so it behooves her to stay out of the waves, too.
When I first took Clara down to the water’s edge at Point Isabel, she only showed mild interest. She got her paws a little wet and then traipsed away.
But the other day (she’s off-leash now where it’s legal — she knows she’s part of our pack now), she was just paddling her tootsies when a fast, wet Lab roared past her and into the water, after his errant tennis ball. She followed, because she is a goer. Suddenly, she was IN the water, no ground below her feet. She went down. Came up. Froze. Paddled. Then she had it, and boy, did she.
It was like watching a kid learn to speak, but more like the kid didn’t waste time with "mama" and "dada" but went straight to "I wanna ride a bike and later kin we have a bathtub full of ice cream?"
She was SWIMMING. She was leaping, dolphin-like. Weird, really, that she can do that. She would run up and out of the water, and tell me that she had been swimming, and then race back in.
And she is so cute. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more joyous dog. Some pics, and then I’ve gotta run, ’cause I think I head Lala pulling up. She’s got two gigs today (including one at the Fillmore, tonight — wow!) and also, it’s Pride Weekend, which means today is the Dyke March, our national holiday. I’m second in line for a ride on the back of a friend’s motorcycle, so I have high hopes. Sunscreen. Must remember sunscreen. I forget it every year.
Dogs is cute.
Harriet is a brave little toaster on the sidelines.
Sometimes Harriet will show off and go a little farther in:
The new(to-us) wagon already smells like wet dog. But Harriet likes the ride: 
They are soooo cute. Coooool.
I’m sure it’s too late for today’s sunscreen needs, but I recommend the Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Spray SPF Kazillion – I wore it on two all day treks through two theme parks under the Florida broiler, and came home as pale as I left. It doesn’t protect against heatstroke, however. Love the dog pictures – I used to have a golden who had that total joyous abandon around water, it made me happy to watch him.
It’s so funny to see them the first time they go in the water. They pick their front feet up high, like they’re trying to walk out! But after a minute or two it clicks for them and voila — the dog paddle! 🙂 My Sasha dog loved the water, and Jasper does too. You should have seen him jumping off the pier into the lake a few weeks ago.
Good times.
Holy crap, the Fillmore!?! Congratulations Whoreshoes!
And congrats on the joys of a waterdog, such soggy sybaritic happiness! (And such good exercise for them)
Awwwwwwwww…
Happy Gay Day!
Wet dog smelling vehicle = well loved dogs 🙂
Your H20 Baby is so cute!!!
Your H20 Baby is so cute!!!
Aww, that’s a great story! Good for her!
That’s awesome that you have a water dog. My pup will do a little wading if I force him to do it, but no floating whatsoever. And never in water with waves or currents, only peaceful lakes. I got him to float one time by swimming in with him, and after two seconds he panicked and ran back to shore barking. Crazy dog.
Oh, Waterbaby is perfect for Miss Clara! What cute pix. Have fun at the march and really don’t forget the sunscreen this year. Blondes have really fair skin…:)
You are so lucky to have a dog that SWIMS! I, on the other hand, have a dog who waqnts to swim, is quite sure he can swim, who gets into deep water, and…..who sinks like a stone! Do you think it is because we called him Mr. Boufu Butterscotch? That he is trying to drown himself in shame???? Or should we just enroll the poor boy at the Y?
How cool! One of my favorite things to do is to watch dogs play (especially mine)! She won’t go in the water until Mommy goes in (and then only as far as I went in). Silly beast.
Glad I overcame my usual shyness to say hi to you and your new hair color at the Dyke March! Thanks for such a good, queer, knitterly blog!
Water Dog! Most excellent. My first dog was a water lover. Swimming really tires them out. And, a tired dog is a good dog. Isn’t Point Isabell the best? I have never, ever met a mean person there.
I am *loving* all the doggy pics! And yay for Lala at the Fillmore! and for Pride! I hope ya’ll had a kick ass time.
LOVE the doggie pics! Especially the last one with the tounge!! Too funny!