Goose Swims!

Yesterday was a huge milestone for Goose. I love dogs that love to swim and am so glad that Billy is a water lover. I was really hoping that Goose would love water too. I just think it is the cutest thing to see dogs leap fearlessly into the water. So I have been trying to ease Goose into liking water. I bought him a kiddie pool (then my brother ruined it, so I bought him another) and he did seem like like wading in it. I also put him on the top step of a friends pool, and he was fine with that until he tried to walk and fell into the pool. That actually happened again at another friends pool, I thought he would have learned but he didn't. So after that he seemed a little nervous to walk too much in the kiddie pool. I think he thought it might just drop off like the big pools did. I started to get a little worried that he would not be a swimmer when I found out that his 12 day older half brother was already loving water and swimming.

Anyway, so yesterday was a big breakthrough. My friend and I took Billy, Goose, and her Pit Bull, Layla, to a park that had a river that was about 20 yards wide. it was pretty shallow in most areas but we found a relatively deep area, where Billy might not be able to touch the bottom, and Goose would definitely not be able to. When we first got there Billy and Layla sprinted into the water and Goose chased after them, but just paced and whined on the edge. We decided to cross the river so that the dogs wouldn't accidentally run into the road so I carried Goose across. When we got to the other side I put Goose down and he continued to whine and pace and then ALL OF A SUDDEN he took a flying leap of courage and plunged into the water. It was the cutest thing I have ever seen!! After that he had no fear and fetched toys and balls out of the water for the rest of the trip. He would even put his head under to get toys in true Border Collie fashion. I was so happy it was just the most adorable thing ever. His recall was and has been really good. Better then the big dogs, not that its hard to have a better recall then Billy. I say GOOOO in a high pitched voice and he comes sprinting at me. Speaking of recalls, at one point toward the end of the outing, Billy discovered something that I think was some type of rodent burrow, and he was relentlessly trying to get to it. He was completely ignoring everything that was going on and digging furiously in the river bank. After that we had to leave because we had lost Billy (mentally). Layla seemed really concerned and we thought it may have been because Billy was so tuned out and she and he are usually such good buddies. Overall, GREAT TRIP! (BESIDE THE FACT THAT I GOT BIT BY A LEECH!!!!!!!!!!!)

Best friends showing Goose how it's done

He's smiling!

He doesn't like littering...

Trying to keep up with Layla!

He's starting to do anything for a ball!

fast baby Border Collie

Cute Butts

Handsome boy!

Being a freak searching for rodents

Crazy doggy who I love! He's got rodents on the brain

More pics:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2040773&id=1438045831&op=6#!/album.php?aid=2111021&id=28805854

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjRxCnu5LS4