A doggie play date!

(last year Maui didn't want to swim, she didn't want to go into the water)

So we decided to try to take Maui swimming again for the season. Last year she really didn't like it much and didn't want to go into the water. This year we decided she's supposed to be a water dog and dagnabit she's going to do it! So we walked to the pond down by our house on Friday night to give it a try. She was excited to get down to the wooded area because everytime we get there we take her collar off and she gets to go run around alone. We made it over to the pond area and we threw a stick into the pond and WOW there she goes, she jumped right into the pond to go get that stick. She did it OVER and OVER and OVER again until we said no more. She was shivering because she was cold so it was time to go home. She was also HORRIBLE on her leash that day so we decided to get one of those choke collars so if she pulled, she hurt herself. We went to Petsmart and bought one and used it on Saturday and Sunday and it was PERFECT. She now walks a whole lot better and doesn't rip our arms out of our sockets!!! YEAH!

We called our friend Jacob to invite him and Mojo (his yellow lab, Maui's little boyfriend) to go to the pond with us to see if Mojo would follow Maui into the pond. Mojo isn't a swimmer yet and we were hoping that if Maui did, then Mojo would, and HE DID!!!!! We would throw the ducks out and Maui would jump out to get them and Mojo would follow right behind and then swim back with her side by side or trying to mount her in the water and she was swimming.

They were so cute together and quite the pair. They did this over and over and over again until Maui was shaking and they were getting pretty tired. We then walked home and said g'bye to our friends.

So we started talking Sunday morning about getting Maui one of those doggie neoprean vests that keep sogs warm and actually have a little bit of floatation in them so we she gets tired swimming (retreiving all the birds that daddy's going to shoot for her this winter) the vest will help her keep going and keep her warm. We made the drive down to Cabela's in Lacey and picked one up for her. We got home and tried it on her and it was too long so we made some cuts here and there and got it so it fit her well. She didn't like it getting put on her and taken off so many times but she delt with it and finally got it perfect! After it was done we took her back to her swimming hole to try it out! With no hesitation she was off again!!!! And not to mention she looks AMAZINGLY cute in it!

She just looks all grown up and pretty! I'm so proud of her for being such a good dog for us and doing so well swimming. YES, we now have a swimming dog!!! We are STOKED!