The Puppy is no longer a puppy. However, I think most would agree that all dogs, no matter their age, are puppies for ever and all are ‘Good Boys’ no matter their gender.
The Puppy, when she first arrived, had very little life experience so did not know how to explore the word around her and find fun and interest in nature. This didn’t last long. With lots of walks in the countryside, The Puppy quickly learned that her previous life, although nice, was not as exciting as the one she now lived.
I have always had dogs that enjoy swimming, so to have a Labrador that did not know how to was strange. The Puppy was constantly encouraged to go into water to drink, to play, and wash herself from mud. But she was always nervous to go too deep. In those first few months it was also too cold for humans to go in with her, so she would have to figure it out herself, with a lot of encouragement from her pack.
Until one day…
Coming across a dog-walker with a big, handsome red Labrador, The Puppy was immediately interested. Perhaps he would play with her?!
She ran over “Hey, hey, hey, hey! Play with me! Be my friend! Play with me! Let’s goooooo!”
He wasn’t interested. He had only one concern, the stick in his walkers hand. She thew it into the deep water and he leaped from the river bank, diving in after the stick.
The Puppy was stunned. “How did he do that?!”
We encouraged The Puppy to follow by going down the gentle slope.
“How is he doing that! I want to follow. I want to play. I want the stick!”
The other dog bounded past her, stick in mouth, returning it to his walker for another go. The stick flew. He leaped in.
The Puppy hesitated in the shallows until excitement overtook. “I’m coming!!!” Paddling frantically she chased after the other dog. He collected his stick and turned around to come back. “Excuse me Puppy, coming through.”
“I can swim too! Looklooklooklook! I’m swimming!” The Puppy half climbed onto the other dogs back in her excitement which he ignored with poise. The Puppy followed him out of the water offering to help with carrying the stick.
“I can do it! I can carry the stick!”
Turning away the dog returned the stick for another throw. The dog leaped in. The Puppy followed, via the gentle slope, and frantically tried to keep up.
The continued for some time, until the dog had had enough and left to continue his walk.
“I can swim! I can swim! I can swim!”
“Yes, Puppy, you just learned how to swim!” I praised. It wasn’t elegant or coordinated, but she had just learned the basics of Doggy Paddle.
“Again!”
“Uh… no. You need a rest. That was your first time swimming. You’re not strong enough for more yet.”
“OK. I can swim! I can swim! I can swim!…” The Puppy ran off, enjoying the rest of her walk.
It was so exciting to witness The Puppy learning a new skill and to see her thrive off the experience. However, this could not have prepared us for the kind of swimmer she would become and the daring dives she would do.