Wet Henry

They encouraged me pretty hard to go for a swim yesterday.  And I really was hot.  HOT hot hot.  And both of them were splashing around and swimming. Telling me how cool it was.  How much I'd like it.  

Apparently they both took swimming lessons when they were pups.  Well, I heard her say she even taught swimming lessons.  Little humans aren't born knowing how to swim.  But they kept saying that I didn't need swimming lessons at all. That I could swim instinctively.  Dog paddle.  That my feet are even webbed to make it easier. My kind of dog is apparently especially designed to be good swimmers . . . so we can go out and retrieve ducks.  

They assured me that they would be right beside me.  That they wouldn't let anything bad happen to me.  But: there weren't any ducks at all out there yesterday.  I wasn't falling for that!

Still, they wouldn't stop with the "Swimmy swimmy swimmy, Henry".  So finally,  just to oblige them,  I did go down almost to the bottom of the beach stairs.  A couple times. The last step was covered with water, the tide was pretty high, but I could see it under there.  And the bay was calm: not a whole lotta waves.  No idea where the shore goes, really, when the tide is high . . . but I guess it's still there too.  

They splashed a bit of water on my back.  And on my head.  To cool me off.  I could taste it: salty!!  

And finally after a LOT of talk about "swimmy" . . . "So nice to go swimmy, Henry!"  . . . I did put just my front feet on the bottom step. Got 'em all wet.  And it did feel nice.  Cool.  So yeah: I did wag my tail a little, ya know.  Mostly just to make them feel good. I'm kind like that! 

And then next thing I knew, I was swimming!!   

Now I'm not saying that they pulled me in.  Not exactly. But I'm not sure I actually jumped in either . . . 

It just took me a couple paddling strokes with all four feet, kinda like running slowly, with my big buoyant tail floating nicely on the top of the water: and there I was,  on those good solid red rocks.  And then I swam back to the bottom step.  

Me!!  Henry!!  Swimming!!  Oh, what a fuss they made over me!  Like I mean, it's just natural you know.  For a golden retriever.  So I did it a couple more times, since it seemed to mean so much to them.  But only close to the shore.  I wasn't going out swimming any deeper, with her in her funny bathing suit! (Why doesn't the woman just get a proper golden furry skin, suitable for all occasions?? Even a small tail would be a big improvement too . . . but does she listen to my tactful suggestions? Uh, no. She does not.)  

No no no, do NOT make any suggestions to me about swimming any deeper.  Don't even think about pulling on my leash!!  Not now, not ever!  When I'm ready I'll let you know!!  

Zoomed up the beach stairs. Shook all over, spraying water everywhere!!  Rolled on the green green grass . . . smells so good, feels so nice!!

 And then up the stairs to the deck . . .and right into their room.  And up on their bed!!  Well, sure I made the bed all wet!!  That was the point, right?  I made ME much dryer!! SHE has a great big watermellen towel to dry off . . . nobody had a towel for me!!  

And how much trouble was it, anyhow, for her to take off the bedspread and throw it in the washing machine? After I was so kind as to demonstrate my terrific swimming skills, for their benefit and pleasure?  

(Down at the bottom, that's a picture of me all dry from the other day when I'd absolutely refused to swim at all. But I don't like to be unreasonable and I had been thinking about it . . . figuring maybe I would give it a try.  

And: it wasn't so bad!!  Maybe next time I'll let her take a picture of me actually in the water -- but yesterday I just kept her too busy to get a "wet dog" shot.  There's only that picture at the top of the blog, taken after I'd jumped off the bed.  The bedspread did get my leg feathers and plumy tail pretty much fluffed up again -- only my spikey wet head providing the evidence that yup, I can swim!!