A lifejacket or not ?

      I had been using a life jacket on Olive since we started training this summer.  Last few years my friends have been using life jackets on their young dogs.  We thought those dogs are swimming more level (floating hind end) even after stopped using jackets.  I saw Olive's hind end was sinking (she was still willing to swim), so I hoped the jacket helps her to float better and to be a more efficient swimmer.
     She (on her lifejacket ) had been very willing to swim out to people and also a boat, but did not do well when I told her to do the same things without her jacket.  She is a very social girl, so I could not believe she didn't even go out to a person she knows well.  She looked she didn't know how to get close to the boat, too.  I didn't know taking off her jacket totally could change her attitude in water.  After a few failures, we went back to basics, but still without her jacket.  Going to a person in wading depth, going to touch the boat in wading depth, lots of treats, etc.  We ended her session once she got more comfortable and could perform basics.
     The lesson from this experience was it is not always a good idea to use a lifejacket.  I think it is better she swims without her jacket for a while to gain more confident in water.  Then I will use the jacket when I want her to focus on learning than on swimming (I still believe it is good to use it especially for WRDX training). 

Already September

It's already September and our water training season is close to end.  But remember, we can still train our dogs on land !
Olive-learning "pull" with a tire

This was her first time to see a tire.  At previous trainings in water, she could tow and beach a boat, but not 100% time.  She dropped her bumper sometimes when she hit her wading depth and did not beach the boat.  I don't want to depend on my luck at tests, so I teach all my dogs the "pull" command even they are natural pullers.

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