Everyone loves a big splash when a retriever dives into the water. The leap and extension, the momentary hover above the water, and the water spray blast as they pound the surf with their chest. It’s not always the big dogs leaving the biggest wake. Quite often it’s the retriever with the biggest heart.
Naturally, offspring from proven Hunt Test or Field Trial stock have a leg up in the desire department. As the old saying goes, ‘good apples don’t fall far from the tree.” Some pups are slower to mature and do just fine in the long run. Occasionally, there’s a wallflower who just never gets comfortable running full bore across the tundra and doing a horizontal cannonball into icy, cold water.
Developing a puppy’s natural desire to retrieve is paramount. Introduction to water retrieves can wait until they are crazy about retrieving on terra firma. That’s not to say pups cannot play around the water’s edge with mom and litter mates. When you feel your pup is ready for the water, go slow and be very observant. Praise, encourage and have fun. You are in the process of developing a positive lifetime attitude toward water with one little splash after another.
Speaking of little splashes…… This blog post is my first leap into the world of blogging. I don’t know if I”ll make as big a splash as my Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Angel has done in short time period. There is a YouTube video clip of her first swim taken when she was four months old at Pin Oak Kennels in Bonham, TX. She returned to the same grounds 12 months later and passed her fourth AKC Master Hunt test! So my writing has some big paws to fill in order to keep up with her. Time to emulate her by charging blindly full speed ahead, give from the heart, make a leap of faith, and dive in! Splash
@ 2015 EPPeake Retrievers