Keeping Cool Across the Road

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I've been taking the dogs for walks Across the Road every evening. A big part of that for them is getting in the water. And I don't even mind getting splashed with dirty water since it's been (as the weather people are fond of saying) in triple digits. Rusty showed photos in his blog of Ginny's new toy that floats. That's an improvement over me having to fish the old toy out of the bottom of the canal. However, it doesn't mean that I still don't have to do some fishing.IMG_5006 I think that at first it was a mistake, but now Ginny purposely drops the Toy on the side of the cement canal.IMG_5008 I guess she has learned that someone will fetch the Toy if she doesn't. She has also learned that although she can swim against the current in this canal it's a lot of work and it is hard to get out with the steep angle of the concrete.  I have learned two methods--if it is close enough to the side I can usually just reach it with the leash looped into a lasso. My newest method is to scoop it out before it goes under one of the "bridges" (2 x 12 planks). My best idea is to teach her to NOT drop the toy in the cement canal. We're working on that.IMG_5074In this ditch it doesn't really matter. Usually there is no water here, but this week they are irrigating the tomatoes and this is the tail-water. This is at the beginning of the walk so Ginny got in the water right away. She was surprised with the Toy disappeared through that hole in the tarp.IMG_5078She really couldn't figure out where it went.IMG_5081I brought her around to the other side but when she looked in the right place the Toy was in the vortex of water.IMG_5083It's hard to get a dog to look where you are pointing. Ginny never did see the Toy and guess who fished it out. IMG_5014 This is the canal where it is acceptable to drop the Toy in the water because Ginny will bring it out.

IMG_5015 I throw it and Ginny fetches.

IMG_5017 Two wet dogs. By the way, Maggie is with us all the time but she doesn't get in the water very much--only up to her chest. She is usually hoping to find ground squirrels or other varmints.