Geordie can swim!

So much for the theory that you can't teach an old dog new tricks.  Today for the first time Geordie actually swam out in the lake after a stick. This is huge news--as we've been trying to let him know that he has the ability to swim for over ten years!

Geordie loves to retrieve sticks and from the time he was a puppy he'd wade into the water up to his chest but wouldn't go any further.  We've tried everything, from luring him into deep water with treats to throwing him off a dock.  He's even fallen off logs and sand banks into the water and has dog paddled his way back to shore with no problem. But he was too scared to realize that he could do what was needed.

Often he would wade back and forth in the chest-deep water waiting for the stick he wanted to drift in. Sometimes it even worked. But today, for the first time, Geordie walked out into the water and allowed his feet to float up.  He swam for about six feet out to get the stick and then turned around and swam back to where his feet touched the ground.  He is so pleased with himself. And we are so proud of our boy dog.

I'm not sure why he actually made the leap this afternoon, except that it was a really big stick and the water is really warm.  In any case, we took him back down to the lake at dinner time to reinforce his learning.

This photo is of Geordie pretend swimmng in Guymas, Mexico.  Here he's not in any depth of water; but today he was actually swimming out past his depth.  Hooray for Geordie.

By the way, he's still on his flexi leash when he swims because of his issues, but I find if I pull it out so its loose he's more relaxed in the water.  Amazing what we'll do for our dogs.