Buttons can swim!

We have been walking next to out local canal since Buttons was first allowed outside.He is always offlead and quite happily trots along watching the ducks and faithfully following Fudge.

Today,I am not sure what happened but I was poop scooping when I heard a splash next to me and Buttons was nowhere to be seen.My heart dropped but within seconds there he was bobbing about and swimming back to us.I thought he had fallen in but an onlooker said he jumped! Luckily he had his harness on and he was easily hauled out again.....

he did look a little like a drowned rat but did not seem phased.Later on in the walk he had a good play in a stream and emerged through the bushes covered in sticky willy! I SO wish I had my camera with me as he was definitely a creature from the black lagoon.

He had a good bath on his return and is now looking very dapper and is smelling sweetly.The question is has he now got the swimming bug and will it become a regular occurrence?

You might have to keep an eye on him, if you regularly walk by a canal get a proper flotation coat for him and teach him access to water is by your permission!

My lot are in the river every day at this time of year,well the ones that like to swim are. In the winter and when the river is running fast I keep them well away from it.
Why a flotation coat SB if the dog can swim? I wouldnt think a canal is fast running or anything.

The canal is more or less still.....I suppose there may be things under the water though that could snag a dog but no different to other bodies of water?

A flotation coat is useful if you have a dog that is not a strong swimmer, if the water is cold, if it has ovetired itself etc etc etc

Having a handle means that a dog is easily removed too.

But then I like to consider H & S where my dogs are concerned, canals have vertical walls, not easy to get out in an emergency. But each to his own.

Clever Buttons
The camera is a must next time.

His harness has a central piece which we used as a handle today.....I was very glad of it to be honest.The stretch of canal where we walk does not really have sides that are a problem.The canal comes to within a couple of inches of the bank and dogs are easily accessed...I was however bothered about his swimming skills as this was the first time he had been in water out of his depth....

I will have a look at the flotation devices though.......

I always try to get them in where it isnt muddy, and at the moment with the drought we have here its not easy, the sides can be oozy mud, not nice so they have got used to going in set places, they love a good swim and I think it does them good.

Darcy doesn't swim but a couple of the dogs I've fostered have loved to swim in the canal. The sides aren't all that steep in most places along the stretch we walk but I only actually 'let' them into the water where there was a bank they could easily get out onto.
I didn't fancy having to try and lug a labrador out!

I've been waiting for this one LOL

The only thing to watch with the Bridgewater Canal is the algae when the weather is really warm. That said - it's a lot cleaner that it used to be and Beau and Fingal never had any issues after swimming there.