THE STIFFMEISTER 14,553 Posted August 29, 2019 Report Share Posted August 29, 2019 The weather down here has been tropical lately , red hot scorching mornings , with the kids off school and me being on my summer recess I’ve been laying in until the kids wake up . I usually wake up a little earlier and take my Labrador out in the woods nearby for a trot around and mess in a few bushes etc. We normally take him to the seaside a few tines a month to let him tear around with the kids having a laugh splashing in and out however the other day , I hadn’t trained so I chucked my wetsuit in the boot and the dog as an afterthought . Red hot day , boiling , I suited up in the shingle and brought him in the water with me . Erik swam out with me about 100m off the shore around a bouy and back in again. Quick shake in and out again catching dummies etc. When I got out and made our way home , I reckon we’d been there nearly 4 hours , with nearly 3 of that swimming. As an aside we bumped into a guy I work with with his dog as well which is a springer and he was doing exactly the same as me . So the point of this . I reckon that my lab swam something like a mile with me according to my watch. That’s a f***ing hell of an achievement in my eyes for an 8 year old lab . Whe. I say swimming I mean litterally side by side as I crawled . The power of a dog such as a Labrador is severely underestimated in my eyes . I’ve seen labs fowling before in the Sol way when it’s been rough as f**k and they’ve worked well. I live quite an active life and I think from now on I’ll definitely keep a water happy dog to keep me company. Ideally id like something from Erik as he’s a cracking dog to have around and a pal to everyone he meets . Was just wondering if anyone else takes their dog to the water or does anything with their dog outside of the normal work remit ? 5 Quote Link to post
Born Hunter 17,622 Posted August 29, 2019 Report Share Posted August 29, 2019 Funny enough I was thinking of taking my cocker next time I'm in the water snorkelling/diving/spear fishing. I want to get a gopro and f**k about with that and thought some underwater footage on a nice sunny day of the dog swimming and jumping in etc would be fun. 2 1 Quote Link to post
THE STIFFMEISTER 14,553 Posted August 29, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2019 I was trying to get misses to take some pics of us swimming out there but she was busy with the kids and drained her phone battery looking at things “we definitely need” on scpock 1 Quote Link to post
C.green 3,203 Posted August 29, 2019 Report Share Posted August 29, 2019 Its nice if a dog bring things off water n that. But hate a dog that you cant keep out of it. 1 Quote Link to post
Phil Lloyd 10,736 Posted August 30, 2019 Report Share Posted August 30, 2019 Heartwarming and most erudite post, Stiffmeister... I live on an island (of sorts) so rather than damage the dog's feet and wrists, by allowing them to race about on the sun-baked plough and set-aside. I encourage them to swim, to their heart's content. I've always felt that water-work is beneficial, to any working dog's physicality. They can really go for it, especially when pursuing a floatable Kong, or canvas dummy. The effort required, to stay in the water; swimming, for any appreciable length of time, seems to satisfy their Summertime, pent -up energy. 4 Quote Link to post
robertb123 372 Posted August 30, 2019 Report Share Posted August 30, 2019 On 29/08/2019 at 16:28, W. Katchum said: Some a my tribe havin a play, there’s a stupid plummer in there somewhere swimming along side me lad That looks a lovely spot, hope your lads realize how lucky they are i'd be tempted to have a dip in there too! Here's our version we call it the river, though people only swim in it if they fall in! The dog loves it though! 2 1 Quote Link to post
robertb123 372 Posted August 30, 2019 Report Share Posted August 30, 2019 1 hour ago, Phil Lloyd said: Heartwarming and most erudite post, Stiffmeister... I live on an island (of sorts) so rather than damage the dog's feet and wrists, by allowing them to race about on the sun-baked plough and set-aside. I encourage them to swim, to their heart's content. I've always felt that water-work is beneficial, to any working dog's physicality. They can really go for it, especially when pursuing a floatable Kong, or canvas dummy. The effort required, to stay in the water; swimming, for any appreciable length of time, seems to satisfy their Summertime, pent -up energy. Couldn't agree more, my dog hurt her leg at the beginning of summer, what with that and arthiritis starting in her shoulder, nearly all her exercise at the moment comes from swimming, luckily she'd stay in the water for hours if she could. Great picture by the way! 1 Quote Link to post
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