Dock Dogs
I know and you know that all Whippets think that they will melt if they get wet, but every now and
then there is the occasional dog that likes to swim.  Painter is just such a dog.  I think it's
because he was born at Karen Clement's house in July and she has a swimming pool in her
back yard so all her puppies get to go in the pool in the hot weather.  But whatever the reason,
Painter does like to swim.  Pat Taylor has been working with him this spring and he has been
showing some nice progress.  He's gone from running down the boat ramp to fetch his blue
fuzzy Wubba to jumping off the end of the dock, and now with the addition of a non-slip carpet at
dock's end, he's LAUNCHING himself off the end of the dock at a run.  Not up to full speed yet,
but I have no doubt that will come.

If that wasn't good enough, I've taken Aren to two practices and he's gotten in deep enough that
he's had to swim.  Avery & Marseille have only been in chest deep so far, but they've only
practiced once each.  I have hopes of having a dock dog of my own one of these days!

Update:

I took Aren to meet Painter & Pat for some practice in the evening of July 8th.  I got there first,
so spent about 5 minutes throwing the Wubba around the baseball field to get Aren excited
about chasing it.  When Pat arrived we took both boys down to the boat ramp.  I tossed Aren's
Wubba a little way out just so he'd get his feet wet to start with.  Then Pat threw Painter's Wubba
all the way out to the end of the boat ramp & of course Painter went in immediately after it.  
Much to our surprise, Aren ran along the side of the ramp and JUMPED IN trying to take the toy
away from Painter.  It seems that was just the enticement that Aren needed to get him to jump.  
By the end of the hour Aren was jumping off the side of the boat ramp pretty regularly.  Looks
like I've got myself my very own Dock Dog!!!  
There are two organizations offering titles for dogs jumping into water:

Dock Dogs Organization

UKC in association with Ultimate Air Dogs

Short video of one Golden Retriever jumping
Painter at Dock Dogs practice on June 6, 2009
Aren's son, Painter, jumping at Dock Dogs practice on 7/18/09
To see informal pictures
(taken by me) at the
Delmarva Dock Dogs club
practice on Saturday,
August 8, 2009
Click here
Aren jumping at practice on 8/8/09
We were awarded the "Most
Improved Team" award for 2009
by the Delmarva Dock Dog Club!
(click here)