For those of you lucky enough to have met Finnegan, you’ll know that he’s a precocious little pup who is friendly but sometimes wary of new surroundings and people. He’s a great companion and I have always looked forward to the day that he would be a swimmer (as his breed is meant to be).
However, due to his reticence to go in the water past his shoulders he has only ever watched as the other dogs chase a stick or ball in the water.
Until last week.
For some reason, he just decided to start swimming one day. I was at Ambleside Beach with him throwing sticks in the shallow end which he would retrieve. I threw one a little too far and without any coaxing, he just dipped in and swam right out to it. I was so jubilant, I waded in and congratulated him with a big praise. As I was wearing my work pants and shoes at the moment, I think he, and the people around me, might have thought I was a bit strange, but I was happy!
Since then, he has been a regular and enthusiastic swimmer, to the degree that he won’t leave the water’s edge unless he’s good and tired. It’s a great way to exercise him and he really seems to love it.
I even have evidence!