Water Ridgeback!

Tell the dog by the tail

I went to the beach with the Hounds today armed with camera, long lens and a wish to make the most of the opportunity as apart from being windy (great - few people!) it was a beautiful blue-skied day, possibly one of the last hot ones I'll be able to enjoy this summer. I'm off to the Baltics for a week and I don't know if the grey skies will be back again when I return.

Swimming with the ball

We visited the little lagoon, which continues to shrink but remains very clean. The old ball was there so I was throwing it for Marduk and it would sometimes fall into the water. It landed beyond his depth and as usual he ventured back and forth, excited and willing it closer but not daring to step off and lose his pawhold on the bank. He was submerged to his neck by this stage - then suddenly he just reached out a little too far and was swimming!! I couldn't believe it! After so many months of leaping around but never taking the plunge it took a few seconds for him to register what had happened and then he just kept swimming towards the ball!

Ridgebacks don't generally like water and though Marduk has enjoyed splashing around since the warm weather arrived he's resolutely balked at swimming. Not any more! :-D

See other photos with the Marduk's first real swim! tag; I'll be adding more as and when.