Seagoing Chouette

River Rat · 07-11-2008, 08:49 PM

Well, not exactly sea - more like a very large lake. Last summer when Chou was a mere pup I used to plop her on my raft and push her around in the water but I didn't think she'd go for it this year as an adult. However, today I was in the water and she joined me, and when we got a bit too deep for her comfort she happily clambered onto my raft. I wonder how many other dogs do that?

She is such fun! Naturally, she is the official Lake Character. Other people are now bringing their dogs occasionally but let's face it, you can't compete with a doodle.....

Leslie

blueteal · 07-11-2008, 08:53 PM

Nice going Chouette!!!!!!!!
I love to swim with my Mom..........
My human sister has a big floatie thing that I used to
go on but now I am too big for it..........

Woof woof

Denver

River Rat · 07-11-2008, 09:00 PM

I tried her earlier this season on a canvas raft, but she seemed afraid of it so I figured she was just too big for rafts this year. I am tickled that she's not, because it's fun to tow her around and she seems to love it. You can imagine how much the kids enjoy her, too!

Maybe if your human sister got a bigger raft? But Chouette's only a little over 50 lbs., so it probably wouldn't work for you. I bet one of those inflatable boats with the oars would, although I think the oars might be a bit hard for you to handle.

Leslie & Chouette

**MaxandMe** · 07-11-2008, 09:03 PM

NEAT PIC !!! and Peanut floats on rafts too

River Rat · 07-11-2008, 09:36 PM

How cool, Annmarie! I am still getting used to the huge repertoire of behaviors with these wonderful critters. Our Great Danes were much less versatile, for sure!

Any pics of Peanut afloat?

Leslie

Maureen · 07-11-2008, 10:21 PM

My daughter needs to see this post!! She loves the water and also thinks she wants a Great Dane (someday) ...so naturally Doodles have it all over Danes!

What a fun girl Chouette is.....I'm glad you share her with all the others on your lake.

OLIVER DOODLE · 07-11-2008, 10:27 PM

I don't know if Ollie would go for that or not. We'll have to give it a try this summer. He's fianlly starting to like the water ...... alot, and the mudd too

my Boo · 07-12-2008, 09:17 AM

That's too cute! I bet she's saying "Faster, Ma! Push it faster!"

River Rat · 07-12-2008, 09:25 AM

Chouette arrived last year on June 18th, as a ten-week-old, so we could tote her around and do pretty much whatever we wanted with her. She wasn't keen on the raft but I would push her over to an anchored float out in the water where the kids played and dove, and she liked that.

This year the first time I tried a raft she was very uneasy about it and it didn't work. So I took her leash off and we let her explore the water at her own pace. When she saw my granddaughter, whom she loves, going in she followed her, and soon she was splashing around and leaping through the water like an old salt. Then yesterday I was in the water with the raft, and after gd, Chou and I had gotten out a bit too deep for Chou she was very happy to resort to the raft and now loves it. I think it's a question of not rushing them but giving them an incentive to come into the water.

Leslie

DebBrown · 07-12-2008, 01:38 PM

Great picture, Leslie! I'm surprised that doodle nails do not puncture one of those.

Deb

River Rat · 07-12-2008, 01:45 PM

I'm surprised, too. The canvas raft would have been a better bet than this one, but it sprang a leak as soon as we blew it up out of the box, and even the patch that DH put on it didn't really do the trick. So we got this, which is like one I had for years and which was finally ruined by some out-of-control kids at the sailing club; they jumped on it.

Chou's claws are pretty short, and the plastic's pretty thick, but yeah, we'll see how long this one lasts.

Leslie

Calimom · 07-12-2008, 03:41 PM

Ahoy there Chouette! That looks like fun. Cali hasn't had the chance to swim yet. Some day....

Maddjaxx · 07-13-2008, 01:56 PM

Looks like Chouette has taken to water quite nicely. Great Shot. Marley, to date has yet to get into waterways, beside his pool. We are gonna be exposing him to a lake next weekend, when we visit a friend who live on a smaller private lake. Hope it goes as well as Chouette's trip into the water.

River Rat · 07-13-2008, 03:53 PM

If you take it easy and make it look like fun - not hard, 'cuz it is! - you should have a blast with Marley next weekend.

Leslie

07-11-2008, 08:49 PM	#1 (permalink)
River Rat Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 983	Seagoing Chouette Well, not exactly sea - more like a very large lake. Last summer when Chou was a mere pup I used to plop her on my raft and push her around in the water but I didn't think she'd go for it this year as an adult. However, today I was in the water and she joined me, and when we got a bit too deep for her comfort she happily clambered onto my raft. I wonder how many other dogs do that? She is such fun! Naturally, she is the official Lake Character. Other people are now bringing their dogs occasionally but let's face it, you can't compete with a doodle..... Leslie __________________ \Portraits http://www.leslieficcaglia.org \ \Wild and Scenic http://mauriceriver.igc.org/ \

07-11-2008, 09:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
River Rat Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 983	I tried her earlier this season on a canvas raft, but she seemed afraid of it so I figured she was just too big for rafts this year. I am tickled that she's not, because it's fun to tow her around and she seems to love it. You can imagine how much the kids enjoy her, too! Maybe if your human sister got a bigger raft? But Chouette's only a little over 50 lbs., so it probably wouldn't work for you. I bet one of those inflatable boats with the oars would, although I think the oars might be a bit hard for you to handle. Leslie & Chouette __________________ \Portraits http://www.leslieficcaglia.org \ \Wild and Scenic http://mauriceriver.igc.org/ \

07-11-2008, 09:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
MaxandMe Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Upstate, NY Posts: 15,103	NEAT PIC !!! and Peanut floats on rafts too __________________ *Annmarie, Max,& Peanut* "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Anatole France uncondtional love: what a dog always does for us and humans strive to do but can we?

07-11-2008, 09:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
River Rat Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 983	How cool, Annmarie! I am still getting used to the huge repertoire of behaviors with these wonderful critters. Our Great Danes were much less versatile, for sure! Any pics of Peanut afloat? Leslie __________________ \Portraits http://www.leslieficcaglia.org \ \Wild and Scenic http://mauriceriver.igc.org/ \

07-11-2008, 10:21 PM	#6 (permalink)
Maureen Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,810	My daughter needs to see this post!! She loves the water and also thinks she wants a Great Dane (someday) ...so naturally Doodles have it all over Danes! What a fun girl Chouette is.....I'm glad you share her with all the others on your lake. __________________ ~Maureen LabradoodleRanch@aol.com www.LabradoodleRanch.com

07-11-2008, 08:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
blueteal Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 8,334	Nice going Chouette!!!!!!!! I love to swim with my Mom.......... My human sister has a big floatie thing that I used to go on but now I am too big for it.......... Woof woof Denver

07-11-2008, 10:27 PM	#7 (permalink)
OLIVER DOODLE Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: CALGARY, ALBERTA Posts: 429	I don't know if Ollie would go for that or not. We'll have to give it a try this summer. He's fianlly starting to like the water ...... alot, and the mudd too __________________ Loving my doodle, Kimberley "Dogs are not are whole life, but they make our lives whole." ~~~Roger Caras~~~

07-12-2008, 09:17 AM	#8 (permalink)
my Boo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 968	That's too cute! I bet she's saying "Faster, Ma! Push it faster!" __________________ Sharon, Boo, and Baby Cricket

07-12-2008, 09:25 AM	#9 (permalink)
River Rat Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 983	Chouette arrived last year on June 18th, as a ten-week-old, so we could tote her around and do pretty much whatever we wanted with her. She wasn't keen on the raft but I would push her over to an anchored float out in the water where the kids played and dove, and she liked that. This year the first time I tried a raft she was very uneasy about it and it didn't work. So I took her leash off and we let her explore the water at her own pace. When she saw my granddaughter, whom she loves, going in she followed her, and soon she was splashing around and leaping through the water like an old salt. Then yesterday I was in the water with the raft, and after gd, Chou and I had gotten out a bit too deep for Chou she was very happy to resort to the raft and now loves it. I think it's a question of not rushing them but giving them an incentive to come into the water. Leslie __________________ \Portraits http://www.leslieficcaglia.org \ \Wild and Scenic http://mauriceriver.igc.org/ \

07-12-2008, 01:38 PM	#10 (permalink)
DebBrown Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Oak Park, IL Posts: 1,690	Great picture, Leslie! I'm surprised that doodle nails do not puncture one of those. Deb __________________ Deb, Wayne and Charlie

07-12-2008, 01:45 PM	#11 (permalink)
River Rat Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 983	I'm surprised, too. The canvas raft would have been a better bet than this one, but it sprang a leak as soon as we blew it up out of the box, and even the patch that DH put on it didn't really do the trick. So we got this, which is like one I had for years and which was finally ruined by some out-of-control kids at the sailing club; they jumped on it. Chou's claws are pretty short, and the plastic's pretty thick, but yeah, we'll see how long this one lasts. Leslie __________________ \Portraits http://www.leslieficcaglia.org \ \Wild and Scenic http://mauriceriver.igc.org/ \

07-12-2008, 03:41 PM	#12 (permalink)
Calimom Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: The Woodlands, TX Posts: 2,408	Ahoy there Chouette! That looks like fun. Cali hasn't had the chance to swim yet. Some day.... __________________ Meg and Cali

07-13-2008, 01:56 PM	#13 (permalink)
Maddjaxx Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,083	Looks like Chouette has taken to water quite nicely. Great Shot. Marley, to date has yet to get into waterways, beside his pool. We are gonna be exposing him to a lake next weekend, when we visit a friend who live on a smaller private lake. Hope it goes as well as Chouette's trip into the water. __________________ Greg "I used to look at my dog and think, 'If you were a little smarter you could tell me what you were thinking,' and he'd look at me like he was saying, 'If you were a little smarter, I wouldn't have to.'" - Fred Jungclaus

07-13-2008, 03:53 PM	#14 (permalink)
River Rat Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 983	If you take it easy and make it look like fun - not hard, 'cuz it is! - you should have a blast with Marley next weekend. Leslie __________________ \Portraits http://www.leslieficcaglia.org \ \Wild and Scenic http://mauriceriver.igc.org/ \

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