Very Wet Pumpkin

Posted on July 10, 2015 by Mike

After more than 10 years, I finally got Pumpkin to swim by tossing a favored stick just off shore from a reservoir. She wanted it bad enough to step into deep water and grab it. I saw her front feet paddling back, stick in mouth. Do not tell her I posted this photo, please.

(click image for enlarged view)

62 thoughts on “Very Wet Pumpkin”

geezer94 on July 10, 2015 at 6:11 am said:

What a wonderful photograph … and adventure … puppies of all ages should have such fun …
🙂

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 8:12 am said:
  
  She had great fun, and so did we, watching her. She is a great dog and you are right, just a big puppy.
  
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healingpilgrim on July 10, 2015 at 6:34 am said:

Aww… Sweet Pumpkin! Come on over and I’ll give you a good dry-off. Love the photo.. you ought to hang it on the wall for all to see 😉

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 7:56 am said:
  
  I have a 16×20 of her on the wall that is a picture for the ages. She is my sweet baby. Thank you.
  
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seedbud on July 10, 2015 at 6:49 am said:

OH! Pumpkin!

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 7:54 am said:
  
  Indeed 😉
  
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DailyMusings on July 10, 2015 at 6:50 am said:

Pumpkin is the sweetest- I am not sure she is happy or not happy about being so wet ! Must have been a surprise to her!

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 7:54 am said:
  
  I’m not sure either. It is a look I have never seen on her before.
  
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lauramacky on July 10, 2015 at 8:26 am said:

Yay for Pumpkin!

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 8:30 am said:
  
  It is very much like she did not want to do it but did so only to shut me up about it. Pumpkin my love.
  
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  - lauramacky on July 10, 2015 at 8:40 am said:
    
    awwww….too sweet!
    
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Marilyn Armstrong on July 10, 2015 at 8:49 am said:

A golden who isn’t fixated with water? What’s the doggy world coming to? I promise, I will not snitch on her.

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 11:56 am said:
  
  Yes, in that regard she is odd. She loves to walk in water and heads directly for it, but she is shy to swim. Most unnatural.
  
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smackedpentax on July 10, 2015 at 9:15 am said:

Ha…she doesn’t seem too happy Mike 🙂

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 11:55 am said:
  
  That is the way she looks, unhappy, but I suspect she was just exhausted. I’ll ask her to find out for sure. How your knees doing?
  
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  - smackedpentax on July 10, 2015 at 1:50 pm said:
    
    Well it has been a month today since the op…still hurts a lot and can’t walk more than about 150 yards – but I feel they are on the mend. Physio reckons it will take another 2 – 3 months before I am back to ‘normal’…just in time for autumn 🙂
    
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  - Mike on July 10, 2015 at 2:04 pm said:
    
    I’m sure Physio is right and you had serious surgery. You have to tough this one out James and resist the urge to do too much, too soon.
    Autumn will make for a sweet return.
    
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  - smackedpentax on July 10, 2015 at 2:06 pm said:
    
    You are right Mike – I have always been tough as old boots but this has floored me. Still – it won’t be too long before I am on the moors – and drinking Guinness 🙂
    
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  - Mike on July 10, 2015 at 2:11 pm said:
    
    My friend, getting older flat out sucks. Things waiting in the shadows.
    Work hard at rehab. You are already off the floor, now kick some ass.
    
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  - smackedpentax on July 10, 2015 at 2:12 pm said:
    
    You are on buddy 🙂
    
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Sue on July 10, 2015 at 9:49 am said:

Oh, cruelty to Pumpkin……I hope you won’t play that trick on her again, Mike 😦

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 11:53 am said:
  
  Cruel that I posted this ridiculous picture, or tricked her to swim? Both, perhaps? Yes, poor poor Pumpkin, having to live with me who hardly loves her at all.
  
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  - Sue on July 10, 2015 at 12:05 pm said:
    
    That I do NOT believe :)0
    
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jhoudephotography on July 10, 2015 at 10:51 am said:

Good for her! My dog doesn’t really like water either.

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 11:51 am said:
  
  She likes to walk in it but has been squeamish about swimming. Now I expect she will never swim again.
  
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Sue Slaght on July 10, 2015 at 12:12 pm said:

The secret is safe with me. Why do you suppose after all these years she went for it?

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 12:30 pm said:
  
  I think she did not intend to swim at all, and found that last step required to grab the stick put her in deeper water than she expected, and her instinct finally kicked in. The old sink or swim.
  We have talked about it, and she forgave me after 5 minutes of pouting. I had to promise I would not do that again.
  
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  - Sue Slaght on July 10, 2015 at 12:47 pm said:
    
    Yes she doesn’t look particularly pleased in the photo I must admit. 🙂
    
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Ogee on July 10, 2015 at 1:40 pm said:

I’ve been missing this girl! Can’t get my Bella in the water for anything…not even her Daddy. What kind of Retrievers are these anyway?!

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 2:07 pm said:
  
  And I thought it was just Pumpkin;)
  I feel like a better parent now. Thanks.
  
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A // W // F on July 10, 2015 at 1:51 pm said:

This made me laugh. My pup Sophie is similarly water-averse, & I can guarantee she’d be wearing a similar expression in this circumstance. 🙂

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 2:00 pm said:
  
  That’s funny. I think that really this is Pumpkin’s everyday sweet face that just looks less content wrapped in that odd coat.
  
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Dina on July 10, 2015 at 2:24 pm said:

My lips are sealed! Lovely Pumpkin, hmmm … will she give it a second try, I wonder? 😉

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 5:03 pm said:
  
  Pumpkin I think will not swim again. She is no pup, and at 10 1/2 will probably just continue to walk in water and lick it. She just never took to it, sweet girl that she is.
  
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natuurfreak on July 10, 2015 at 4:05 pm said:

Lovely portret of Pumpkin

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 4:56 pm said:
  
  Thanks Marylou.
  
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Lisa on July 10, 2015 at 4:58 pm said:

Ahh Pumpkin, you are beautiful even when wet!! Sending you pooch hugs from Bear!! Have a wonderful weekend with your papa and mama

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- Mike on July 10, 2015 at 5:00 pm said:
  
  And when wet, Pumpkin smells a bit like a ….wait for it…..wet dog.
  
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Littlesundog on July 11, 2015 at 8:44 am said:

She’s a perfect 10, Mike. Bo Derek doesn’t have a thing on Pumpkin! Those ringlets totally ROCK!! 🙂

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- Mike on July 11, 2015 at 10:00 am said:
  
  It is such an odd and somewhat incongruent photo. Bo Derek in 10……nice imagery. Thank you.
  
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Tiny on July 11, 2015 at 11:32 am said:

She’s so cute! Maybe mulling over her first deep water adventure…she might want more now 🙂

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- Mike on July 11, 2015 at 12:48 pm said:
  
  My guess is that Pumpkin will continue to be a shallow water walker. Thanks Tiny.
  
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Boomdeeadda on July 11, 2015 at 7:29 pm said:

Yay Pumpkin xo ❤ that would have been so nice and refreshing. Maybe daddy should come for a swim out to your favourite stick too?

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- Mike on July 11, 2015 at 7:37 pm said:
  
  That will not happen. At least not in a freezing mountain reservoir. Or any place else, for that matter. But I agree, yay Pumpkin!
  
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  - Boomdeeadda on July 11, 2015 at 7:47 pm said:
    
    Awwww, no pictures with you and Pumpkin together both sharing the stick? That would be nice framed on your wifes nightstand 😀
    
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  - Mike on July 11, 2015 at 7:49 pm said:
    
    She has me in the same bed. Talk about nice!
    
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  - Boomdeeadda on July 11, 2015 at 10:35 pm said:
    
    LOL, I guess I’ll take your word for it. 😀
    
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denis1950 on July 11, 2015 at 9:44 pm said:

I don’t think she’s happy Mike but maybe it will grow on her given time and rewards?

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- Mike on July 11, 2015 at 9:49 pm said:
  
  If she was unhappy it was because she was wet and cold and probably exhausted. I think she will not swim again, but we’ll continue to give her the option.
  
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Pat on July 13, 2015 at 5:47 pm said:

Oh, sweet Pumpkin! She doesn’t look too happy with you.

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- Mike on July 13, 2015 at 8:39 pm said:
  
  Not sure how she looks…..maybe wet and embarrassed.
  
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Maisy on July 26, 2015 at 9:51 pm said:

That’s a cutie you got there!

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- Mike on July 26, 2015 at 9:51 pm said:
  
  Even cuter when she is not soaked.
  
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ocdphotoguy on August 7, 2015 at 11:35 am said:

Sublime; one should be proud!

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- Mike on August 7, 2015 at 2:05 pm said:
  
  As in she should be proud? Agreed, and I’m not sure what she is feeling in this picture. Humiliation is certainly a possibility.
  
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  - ocdphotoguy on August 7, 2015 at 3:42 pm said:
    
    Awesome she got in the water; some are reluctant to go in; she lived a moment of dog’dom! As if not every second of her being, : )
    
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Photobooth Journal on September 18, 2015 at 5:09 pm said:

How did I miss this Pumpkin pic? I did a lot of oohing and ahhing over the photo and Snowy came in with a suspicious air as if to say, “Who the hell are you being smoochy with ????”

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- Mike on September 18, 2015 at 5:50 pm said:
  
  And as I started to read this Pumpkin came in to lick my hand. She is onto us.
  
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  - Photobooth Journal on September 18, 2015 at 7:49 pm said:
    
    Psychic they are!
    
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ramblingratz on April 30, 2016 at 6:15 pm said:

I can smell wet dog from here – wonderful! 🙂

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- Mike on April 30, 2016 at 6:16 pm said:
  
  85 lbs of wet dog. Thank you.
  
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  - ramblingratz on April 30, 2016 at 6:28 pm said:
    
    🙂
    
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