Story of the Sinking Frenchie?

[Olive2005]

Olive, now six months old, is afraid of nothing. Her loving other dogs and anyone that's willing make eye contact with her (as she dance an wiggles her whole body in the realization that they might come with in 20 feet of her, i.e. the "look at me dance") isn’t a problem, but her willingness to jump in the ocean no matter how deep the water is has been troublesome. We walk on the beach everyday and even though it's isolated, a great place for her to play and she's great off her leash, I have to keep her leashed to pull her out of water that's over her head. She's insane! :eek: Everything I've read says Frenchies can't swim. Olive is a "sinker" from what I've seen; yet time after time she'll dive in, come up spitting out seawater and want to turn around and do it again. Does any one else have a French that thinks their really a mermaid in disguise?

[phoebesmom]

I would definitely keep her on a long leash until she is older and you are happy that she isn't going to go diving into the water.

When Phoebe was around a year old I had an awful experience with her. We were walking next to a river that was flowing quite fast at the time, and out of the blue she took off and dived in!! I scrambled down the bank, dived in fully clothed (winter clothes) smashed my knee on a rock, but from somewhere got the strength to swim to her (she was floating downstream) and after what seemed like an age (just a minute or two) I got her and we made for the shore! I was laughing and crying as we climbed up the bank and had to walk for about 20 minutes still to the car - water from head to squishy shoe! She has ALWAYS had a fascination with water, and now at 4 years old she loves nothing better than to wade in shallow water in the summer and seems to know her limit. However, when we walk next to a strong flowing river I always put her on the leash.

I think that a life jacket would be a great idea, and I have one on order for Phoebe for the summer.

[Olive2005]

I'm certainly going to invest in a life vest; I'm just trying to hold out for the weather to warm up and her size to stabilize. Then I can take her Kayaking! As much at she loves the water I'm hoping she like paddling trips. I'm glad to hear she not the only French that just plows into water with out a care in the world.

[Olive2005]

I notice that you live in Okinawa, how wonderful for you, my partner spent time there years ago and just loved the place, the fishing and the people.
Lilydog

I moved in August from Tokyo where I lived for four years. I absolutely love it here! The weather is beautiful, the ocean is breath taking, the air is clean, and the sunsets are incredible. You've heard right about the fishing and the people. Fishing is great year round and the Okinawan and Japanese people are some of the nicest I've ever met. I couldn't be happier!