Save the Water

Once in a while,  very kind friends of our humans who understand the importance of fish retrievers like us keeping up our swimming skills, invite us to play in their holes in the ground with water.

I have spent the last 2½ years trying to teach Tobermory to swim properly.  He did some research on the writing box and discovered something that small human puppies do which they call “doggy paddle.”  I have repeatedly explained to him that they don’t have webbed paws and a tail to use as a rudder.  This is why they look so ungainly when trying to emulate our swimming prowess and he really should not try to copy their technique.

Finally, I have persuaded him to use his natural tools.  Now Tobermory keeps his paws under the water instead of using them to splash in the mistaken belief that this provides forward motion.  He also uses his tail for steering which is what it was intended for, other than clearing those stupid little tables that humans like to put in front of sofas.

 

Now, if I could just make him understand that diving is also supposed to be elegant.   I’m all in favor of Tobermory doing his own research to find out new ways of doing things, but I wish he would take a little guidance from me.  He has now discovered the “bomb dive.”  Whilst I understand how much fun it is, we are in a drought and he needs to learn a streamlined dive to keep the water in its proper place.

Talisker