Summer at the Lake

     Its summertime and time for our dogs to enjoy a swim in the lake, after all, our 'four-leggers' love to swim, right? Well most, but not all. I personally have owned three dogs that didn't even want to get their feet wet, much less their whole body in a very wet lake.
     My dog Tammy was terrified of going in the lake. Dad would sit on the dock with Tammy on his lap. With an eye on the water below, Tammy quivered as she anticipated what was to come. As I stood by and cried, Dad set her in the deep water, assuring me she would get use to it and like it. Guess what, she never did.
     Next came my dog, Missy. Each summer, at the cabin, we couldn't keep her out of the lake. I remember one evening Mom and Dad were out fishing across the lake and Missy jumped in and started swimming to their boat. She had made it halfway across the lake before Dad heard my shouts. We learned from that experience, if anyone went out in the boat, Missy needed to be in the cabin.
     Willie was next. He didn't have the opportunity, as my two previous dogs, to frequent a lake. However, when given the opportunity it was obvious he didn't care for the concept of swimming, but he wasn't afraid to wade out to his chest in a lake.
     Our dog, George, was a miniature dachshund and our current dog, Whitney, is a poodle. Totally different breeds, but when it comes to getting wet you'd swear they were one in the same. It's a battle to get Whitney outside if she even senses the ground may be wet. Ditto for George. If Whitney sees the tiniest of puddles, she will walk 10 feet around it. Ditto for George. So did George or does Whitney go into a lake? Not a chance.
     At the other extreme is neighbor dog, Tucker. Tucker and his family live on a lake, so you can bet that on any given day you'll find Tucker in the water. If you have time to spend on the dock or in the swing, Tucker can amuse you for hours with his 'fishing'. He is all business as he 'fishes' and tolerates no distractions. Back and forth he swims as he intently watches the fish below, often leaping at them, but ever careful to keep his head above water.
     I have always hoped that as Whitney watches Tucker 'fish', she would get curious and join him. But as you realize by now that would require her to get her feet wet.
     And that's unacceptable to this 'girlie girl'.

     So long, I'll see you soon!