Out of my depths

[JudyN]

Literally out of my depths, that is - swimming in the sea

OH, my mum and I met up with NaomiH and family plus Sparky in their holiday cottage close to the beach. We all went down to the beach, and I went in the sea for the first time since we've had Jasper. Or the first time over my knees, at any rate.

Jasper got really agitated and worked up, barking and pacing. He went into the see deeper than he's been before - almost up to his shoulders - but only because he was so anxious. I got out far sooner than I wanted to and OH went in, but he was the same with OH.

What do you reckon is going on in his head? As he can't swim, does he simply think it's dangerous and fears for our safety? I've also noticed he's not been happy when he's seen other dogs go into deep water before but I've wondered if that's because he can't get to them. I don't think J was just upset because he couldn't get to us, it seemed something more than if, say, we were on the other side of the fence.

Could it stem from the time he jumped into deep water and I had to rescue him?

[Nettle]

Very likely really frightened for you, and because if you die or disappear, he has nobody to protect him.

[JudyN]

I wonder why he sees it as dangerous? He knows that people can do many things he can't, like open and shut gates, doors and food containers, so he must think of the water - once it's above, say, knee height - as inherently dangerous. He doesn't know I can't breathe underwater.

Something else I should have accustomed him to when he was a pup

[Nettle]

Could it stem from the time he jumped into deep water and I had to rescue him?



One traumatic experience can last a lifetime. With us as well.



I don't like to see dogs in deep water or the sea. It can so easily go wrong - and often has. An exhausted Labrador was picked out of the sea in the SE only a couple of weeks ago. Yes I know I'm over-cautious

[JudyN]

One traumatic experience can last a lifetime. With us as well

It just shows the importance of careful socialisation, doesn't it? - one dive into deep water affects him permanently, one scary incident at his first go at lurcher racing has (I think) made him collar-shy for life, one emergency stop in the car led to a car phobia which comes and goes... Yet people often think they have to do the equivalent of throwing them in at the deep end.

It must be easy for a dog to get caught in a current if they're on a beach that shelves sharply into the sea, and they're even less able to spot the dangers than many humans are. On balance, it's a good thing that J is so cautious of water. Though it's a pain in hot weather when he really needs and wants to cool off but that would mean stepping down into 6" depth and he seems to think it might be 6 fathoms