Water genes

Since I posted my report about Darby's recent plunge into recreational swimming, Darby remains someone hesitant about taking a dip. She has shoved off and cruised around once or twice, but more often, she's been content to go onto the steps and just paw at the water. 

This is FINE with us (less water in the house if there's less water on the dog), but it seems clear that more swimming is in her future. Rick Spicer, half of the breeder/caretaker team who helped usher Darby into the world, reports that the other day Darby's sister, Dovie, could scarcely stay out of the pool while visiting another CCI puppy raiser -- including taking one dip at 6:30 a.m.

Also, Darby's mother, Ina, just had her second litter last Wednesday, and Rick says she would periodically take breaks to relieve herself and then "WALK THROUGH the water dish in the kitchen enroute back to the whelping pool?!?"  When he changed the water in the wading pool on his back deck, "guess who just couldn't wait to belly-flop in the pool?!  I didn't have time to take a picture - she jumped in, laid down, got soaking wet, looked up at me, smiled, ran to the back door, shook off & went right back into the whelping pool with her 6 kids - soaking wet, of course, but very, very happy!" 

Here's Darby's mom, Ina, with her five males and one female -- all of whom will get names starting with the letter "P."

No water in this pool yet.  But Ina would be happy if there was.