Ruby, I may have mentioned, makes like Chicago abattoir meat hooks are being thunked into her spine when I bathe her, or even simply rinse her feet of the 8 pounds each of mud and gunk they can collect on even the driest of days.
So it was with some trepidation -- despite an episode twice recently where she was happily submerging most of her head in a mud hole created by a leaky sprinkler system in a park -- that we FINALLY took her to Lake Ontario to test her receptiveness to water. I also know of a Portie that hates the water; won't go near the lake no how, no way.
Ruby gave a bit of a start when a wee wave washed over her front feet -- surprised I suppose that the water was coming to her -- but then in she went and in she went even to fetch and return a stick a few times before as is usual in land locked dog parks, we ceased to exist -- certainly as someone to be obeyed.
She did not actually swim, never going that deep, but worry wort daddy wasn't ready for that yet anyway :)
The Cherry Street off leash park, which includes the lake, is wonderbar. Ruby was soon wrestling with dogs (her favourite of all things) both on sand and in the water.
A bath afterward at home means there is only about 3 pounds of fine sand everywhere. I'm thinking whatever force results in sand clinging to long haired dogs so tenaciously might work for NASA in keeping Shuttle tiles stuck where they're supposed to be.
Photos by Who Who Is Now Landed -- oh wait, there are no photos since F'n blogger doesn't work. Again, I ask: does anyone know if one is able to migrate one's files out of blogger?
