I know this subject has been touched on over and over since I joined this website, but now I guess I am looking at it now in a different light

Oobie was lucky enough to come with me to our shack at xmas time and enjoy some good frolicking in the water and explorations in the creek (photos still to come), she was then lucky enough to go there again with me, DF and two friends.

Her actions around water are interesting as she doesn't have a beach to go to hear, she goes on the odd occasion when we visit my parents and then at the shack which we are lucky to get to once a year (and of course she has her kiddy pool in the back yard).

We took her down to the beach, as usual she chased the waves (she thinks she makes them retreat and runs when they come back in again ), she jumped a few - and got a little cocky and went out further, only to be suprised and reverse immediately (the sand dips down suddenly and the water came up to her belly). She showed all signs of being cautious and careful, until she randomly just started running into the water and going too deep (for her peace of mind) and then having to jump up and down to bounce her way out of it (she doesn't seem to want to try swimming).
The water is quite rough down there (where she was was okay), but if there was an under current or a rip, she could get taken out easily if she doesn't swim - so we will keep her on a long leash down there from now on.

After witnessing her do that, we decided to take more carful note of her behaviour and restricted her access to the water, making sure she only went 'wading' as such. She seemed to fly from one extreme (total caution) to another (complete lack of care)!!

What do you think changed her mind??

Another water incident was - taking her up the far end of the beach for a bbq, I was on our four wheeler with our friend on the back, DF was walking - other friend was already at the spot readying everything for us. Oobie had ran behind the bike most of the way. Rounding the corner we thought it would be a good oppurtunity to get her ahead of us by telling her to 'go find....' our friend.
The issue was we were right next to a little river there, and we were on one side of it, said friend was on the opposite. It was about fifteen metres wide and not at all deep (maybe knee high)....thinking she would follow the path around the water.. we rode on, only to look out and see her bunny hopping all the way through the river She would have made it all the way across except she realised it was touching her belly - meaning it was too deep and reversed. I swear, it was the most hilarious thing I had ever seen - a truly kodak moment had only we been prepared!!
Rather than doing the two obvious things (going around or running straight through) she bounded like bambii :shrug:

She even found a 'stick' so to speak (okay it was a TREE ) in the river and went out to bring it back in, only to find she had to go out quite a bit further (though she did this fairly uninhibitedly - right word?) until the water was up to her chin and still couldn't reach it... She ended rearing up on her hind legs like a bucking horse and woo wooed at it (I guess in hope that it would move closer to her)....

Over all its been an interestingly educational, tiring but relaxing couple of days for us -

Oobie hasn't stopped putting herself to bed in her crate all day - she only comes out to pee and to play with the hose when DF washed the cars. The poor mites in there now - she doesn't even have energy to come to the lounge and hop in her bed in here :bigtears:

And last but not least......

I am now the proud owner of a boxer who poops in the water....whens the next poopers anonymous meeting

:throwup: :throwup:

Its great when they love water , my two think its christmas at the beach .... but i have to keep them on leash .. cos mikles forgets her good manners as does Sir Mont ..they become deaf when neear water , we are taking them to the farm dam later tofay if it cools down enough .. should be fun a nice muddy frog laden dam

That sounds like a whole lotta fun - mud, water, boxers and frogs - what a combo !

I can't wait till summer to take Boomer to the beach! We don't get waves, as it's a big lake...(Lake Okanagan). Boomer came from Vancouver Island, so I'm hoping he has some sea legs in his blood! He wasn't interested in the pool last year, but he was only 10 weeks old then. He was introduced to a BIG mud puddle, and loved it...so I'm thinking this summer will be soooo much fun.

Loved your story! Made my morning read so very enjoyable!

:bigsmile:

Kelly used to love the water and was quite sensible, she got to play quite a bit in the river with some other boxers so ws taught quite well by them.
Zach had to be taught to swim every summer, he'd get in and when the water got too high (belly) he'd just tuck his bum under and look pathetic until he got used to it. Once used to it he was fine but we learned to keep him on a long lead after one incident with a boat, he just loved boats (must have been out in one in a former life before we got him), well one day we took him to a beach that edges the harbour, he was with Kelly and it was very quiet so we decided to let him off to see if he'd stay with her, well he was doing fine until... he saw a boat! on the other side of the harbour going out to sea! Decided to try and catch it as they must have left him behind! so off he went, bounding along in the water after the boat with hubs in hot pursuit
Monty has only just had a little experience and always on a lead, Polly has yet to be introduced, although last week she did have a play around a pond, just got very muddy (little grub)!

Because of his knee I haven't been able to take Rafe back to his little beach again but I hope we get there before the summer finishes. Rafe was hesitant about going in the water too far at first - plus digging in the sand was too much fun - but eventually he got right into it and went as far as his lead would let him which wasn't too far out - he wasn't exactly swimming but more bouncing and walking lol

Oobie!! You dirty, dirty girl! Miss Pixie seems to think that you're fabulous for carrying on her tradition, but I know your momma is quite embarrassed to have the "kid" that poops in the pool! You'd better clean up your act right quick or your mother may leave you there!

What a cutie! Sounds like she had a blast!

Oh Lel!

Sounds like Oobie had a blast! I don't know what it is about water. Charm wanted absolutely nothing to do with the kiddie pool I bought for their yard. But last spring I had her out on her lunge line and she was checking out the geese that always come to nest on our pond. Well she had to try to catch said geese! Now they started out on the near edge of the pond and when Charm got too close they just hopped in and swam off. Charm skidded to a stop and pawed at the water's edge, pacing back and forth - whining- not willing to go in after them. Quite upset now that the geese had escaped her - or had they??? She now notices they have swum to the opposite shore and she can run around to that side. She tears off! (It should be noted here that her lead line is 75 feet long). Now I'm not overly concerned about either the geese nor Charm at this point. The geese will just hop back in and swim to another shore and Charm has already shown she doesn't like the water. WRONG!!! Oh the geese do hop in and swim off as Charm nears them for the second time but Charm doesn't even hesitate at the waters edge. She sees the geese and leaps into the pond after them. I don't know if she thought she could land on them or if she just didn't care. She missed the geese completely, landed a good 10 feet out into the pond, and sunk like a rock!!! I was terrified! I'm running now to that side, reeling her lead in like a fishing line, she finally surfaces, eyes closed, paddling her little paws for all she's worth to the last place she knew I was. I call her to me which is now the spot from which she dove in and she swims/gets reeled in and surprisingly is none the worse for wear. I however I'm about 10 years shorter for this earth. I don't know if she'll go swimming again or not. I'm not sure if EITHER of us are brave enough to try it!

Carla

What an awesome and quite terrifying story Carla !! I can't believe Charmie thought she could just fly out there and catch the geese..Oobie once thought she could fly and took a dive off our patio which was a good metre and half high maybe all our little babies who seem to have a wisp of 'poppins' in them need to always take thier umbrella to keep them safe !!!