Water retriever??

My cousin David wrote me with a number of suggestions about how to get my dogs, both supposedly water retrievers, into the swimming pool.  I had already tried them, including jumping clumsily into the water myself.  Neither dog seemed very impressed by that.  They both had canine expressions that could easily be interpreted as "My God, is she going to drown??  What a wacko!"

And yet, my eleven-year-old standard poodle got into the water three times day before yesterday.  I had to point him back to the stairs each time, but he seemed really excited at having done it.

My Spinone, however, he of the webbed toes, would only go in up to his belly even with four little girls in the pool trying to coax him in.  And this dog LOVES little kids to distraction.  I am going to the store later to find some kind of totally irresistible goodie that will both lure him into the water and serve as a reward as he makes progress.  Just don't know what kind of goodie yet...

Here is White Lightnin' in person.  Don't be fooled by that hound-like appearance and laid-back demeanor.  You know all those movies that portray bloodhouds lounging determindly around the front porch while local yokels play the banjo?  That is a lie.  Bloodhounds need tons of exercise so you'd better be a runner or an escaped criminal, 'cause those dogs need to GO.

Well, same for the Spinone.  They may not be fast, but once they get started, there are no brakes.  And they weigh a lot, so step aside if one is rushing up to you for a slurp.  Otherwise you may suffer permanent knee damage.