dawg dayz of waat?

Here she is again our... 145# Pound puppy, Abby Norma. She had her first swimming lesson the other day....Today B.B. & i went looking for a Better spot. A more Abby friendly, gently sloped, Beachy spot. She is Such a Good sport.  She's got webbed feet so we thought swimming might come natural... but she does not know what to do but try to hang on to us and Float. We have a harness to hang on to and encourage her to follow us a little closer, but she's a very heavy pup... all skin, big bones and muscle so we also support her from underneath.

Looks like we will be investing in a flotation devise. Not that we're planning on boating with her but just in case she decides to go on a little adventure ahead of us, it's best to keep our Big girl safe.

The problem with the last spot that was recommended to us is that it is a boat launch that was kinda slick going in and once you got to a certain spot it dropped off  a little deeper than "Abbs" is tall ... So, No more just taking other peoples word for what they think is a Good spot for "Fifi" to drown... We found the perfect place...just down river a little. 

Teaching pups to swim is one of my favorite things to do. When they trust you and want to get in the water with you it's like taking them on a "Trust walk' only somehow we've already earned their trust and the whole goal is to kinda help them pace themselves and take it slow.

      This "Trust walk/swim" has benefitted me most, i think. Since losing time and place with this crazy illness; "Environmental Injury"; it seems i've forgotten much of what i know of myself: Things learned, experience gained, competencies once sure of.  Self confidence is absent & there's so much i am unsure of, where my abilities are concerned. Having this trust offered is a heartfelt gift i could not have imagined any sweeter. 

Since we adopted "Abb's" from the Pound when she was 3months old she's been very trusting of us... but she has issues with strangers. Specially if they smell of Alcohol.. She's almost full grown now and has only growled at a couple of people who reeked of booze...and stupidly tried to be too friendly Way too soon, as those who are  inebriated sometimes will do. It's a safe bet she was mistreated by someone who had a drinking habit. Or maybe she's just tuned in to whatever evil that lurks in their unguarded state of mind.

Pets are good at reading people. Our black cat CocoMoco has growled like a dog at people walking by on several occasions...loud enough for them to hear and Really Freak them out! There's one guy who now goes across the street when passing our house, even though CocoMoco is behind a locked screen door! Perhaps the sight of a growling cat and a large Dog sitting in the doorway is a tad intimidating.

i think they're outrageously cute.
(take a look at the 1st post=)