Swimmy Shaq 1/17/96

Swimmy Shaq

1/17/96
Copyright © 2001 Ray Hebert


Since Shaq is still a little limpy from his recent front right leg injury I have been taking him swimming on a regular basis. Sort of a low impact work out. His leg is doing fine and I think in a week he will be back to his old self.

Shaq takes after his Dad when it comes to swimming. If you throw a stick for Geronimo he will go to the water wade in. Look at the stick. Paw the water a few times to see if he can’t get the stick to come to him. Then at a last resort he will swim for it. Farty on the other hand dives right in. Choco (a friend in Montana) does even better she will go in the water and stand there and wait. Even swim out a ways a wait. You don’t even have to throw a stick and Choco will go in the water. She is a true Water Lab.

Of course her whole name is Chocolata River Girl.

Now Shaq is a good swimmer after he gets warmed up. But he would rather play on land if he had his choice. So I throw the stick out. He goes in the water. Wades out carefully. Then the feet go out from under him and he starts to do a splashing type of swim. With the front legs more trying to walk on the water. He does this for a few seconds then he gets his stroke together and starts swimming. He goes out gets the stick and starts heading back in. All you can see is this black head swimming along.

After a while one of Shaq’s playmates shows up. A Golden Retriever named Kootcha. Kootcha is a water otter. She swims and swims. I throw the stick. Shaq wades in. Kootcha dives in. Swims out gets the stick. Shaq swims out to meet her. He grabs the stick and tries to take it. But Kootcha knows this trick and hangs on. Here are two dogs with a stick in their mouths swimming back to shore. Very cute. Where is a camera when you need one. They did this for about an hour.

After this Shaq was exhausted. He walked back to the car. All wet. So I had to dry him off. I keep tons of old towels and sheets in the trunk for this occasion. He sits there and lets you rub him down. What a guy. Then he climbs in and with his last burst of energy sprawls out on the back seat and passes out. When I get home I usually have to leave the door to the garage and the car open so he can get out when he wakes up.

That is the story of the Swimmy Shaq.

Cheers to All
Ray & Shaq