Banjo hates water. We live near a river and we often walk down to sit on the rocks, and Banjo freezes up as soon as he realizes where we are. But we take him anyways, knowing that once he is sitting on the rocks, he can relax a little and perhaps even enjoy himself. Plus, it was just one of the most beautiful days we've seen in such a long time! So off to the river we went, but this time, for the first time, with Millie in tow.
Shih tzus hate water. It's part of their DNA or some kind of special shih tzu code that you must hate water, but we figured since Millie's so small, we could just carry her on the rocks and sit down and she would be fine. Not to mention, she had already made her infamous plunge into my parents' fountain, so she had some experience with water other than that in her water bowl or the bath water. We figured her fountain-leap was just a fluke, and she would certainly not like water again, especially moving water in a very unfamiliar place.
We guessed wrong. Millie actually liked the river. I took her out onto a small rock that was at water level, and after a few quick sniffs, she waltzed right on in. It was only up to her tiny little shih tzu knees, but it was enough for her legs and tummy to be fully submerged. She didn't go for a swim, because I wasn't dressed to hop in after her, but we know a life jacket is in her near future if the river is something she continues to enjoy. All in all, a fantastic first trip to the river, and perhaps the first dog I've ever had that actually likes water.
The only downside is the bath Millie had to have afterwards to get rid of the stink of river water and all of the dirt and filth her little wet paws picked up on the walk home. That water, as it turns out, is just not as much fun in Millie's eyes.
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