Last year when we went to Talacre Beach, Miss Hannah was exceptionally sick as it was the first time she’d seen the sea and she drank a load before we could stop her to give her fresh water carried with us. Until that sickness bit she had thoroughly enjoyed herself splashing around in the ocean.
This year when she noticed that I was headed towards the water she stepped in front of me so I had to stop, and she started walking back inland again.
As soon as she started walking inland I carried on walking to the ocean trying to get her to come with me. It appeared she was, but she came running in front of me again so that I couldn’t walk, and when I stopped she tried to get me inland…
I put the lead on her as she was quite panicky and she started pulling inland.
This went on a while while Robin and Mr Darcy carried on down to paddle. I could see them in the distance, but trying to get Miss Hannah to move just was not working. So I stood right in the middle of the beach… with Mr Darcy and Robin having fun down by the water’s edge…. And, behind me, Miss Hannah just sitting there waiting for us to go back.
I felt exceptionally sorry for her she was so worried, crying if I started walking …. Remember this is the dog who LIVES in water.
So today is the last day of my holiday, and I’m torn as to whether got to go back to the beach and try again, and upset her possibly…. Or to just go back into the countryside and let her play in the stream as normal. The whole point of coming here is because I love the sea so much… But her feelings are as important as ours, so I have a feeling I will not be paddling this holiday.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️👍❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Ms Hannah can relearn to love the ocean.
When she sees Mr Darcy & everyone having fun with no ill outcome, she can learn a new association.
Two steps forward & get rewarded 🙂
My rescue black lab arrived age 2 terrified of water! Labs are water dogs!
I took her hiking along streams & along lakes. She barely took a drink. She was around other dogs having fun in the water. I didn’t push her, I would call her to join me when I was in the water. She found her own time & one day, all on her own, she walked into the lake to lie in shallow water just like her dog friend was doing. She easily goes into shallow water on her own now 🙂
She’s coming back with me in September. I’ll help her through this xx