STOP PRESS…STOP PRESS…

Major news……Susie-Belle is officially a superb swimming schnauzer. Really, she is, here’s the proof:

Ok, now I know it’s not that clear, but you can just make out her lovely little face next to me there in the river. We had a great week in France but no internet access and there was me with the most exciting Susie-Belle news to share with everyone!

For anyone that knows us, or has been following the blog for a bit knows how I love outdoor swimming, especially in rivers and lakes and my greatest wish for the past few years has been to share my enjoyment with my little schnauzers (I know they’re not the most water-loving breed in the world, but I’ve been living in hope). It is such a big pleasure for me to swim and our summers are spent exploring the various watering holes in France that we have access to – our house is in one of the most river-abundant regions of France – that I’ve been desperate to have a dog that will take the plunge with me and love the experience.

Jasmine our gentle old lady never liked water, she tolerated us putting her in the river in later years but never voluntarily joined us and always swam towards the bank all the time. Renae has a firm aversion to it. But Susie-Belle made my holiday last week by not only tolerating it, but actively joining in, barking her lovely little head off whenever I swam off away from her and calling me back to her so she could swim with me.

She needed a bit of a helping hand getting into the water as the rivers didn’t have easy walk in access…well one did, but she couldn’t quite pluck up enough courage to get out of her depth, but when I picked her up, she was off, doggy paddling away like a complete pro.

Now I know it might seem to some that just because I love swimming, it may be a bit selfish to try and impose this on my schnauzers. But, I know that if I don’t offer them the opportunities to try it out, they will never know what joy they may be missing out on. And for Susie-Belle, there’s even more need in my mind to offer her all that life can offer and it’s then up to her to choose what she wants to enjoy. We won’t force either her or Renae to swim, but we will encourage them and celebrate when they enjoy it, like Susie-Belle clearly did last week.

It was the major highlight of our week and I’ve been so keen to share it, I’ve posted this after driving 600 miles today, rushing indoors, leaving the unpacking till later and got straight on here! Some might say I’m obsessed, Susie-Belle says she now gets it and might just get a tad obsessed herself by the end of the summer.

Now, I’d best go and unpack and leave more photos and news till later…..it’s nice to be back.