#Middlebury
DEAR PAW’S CORNER: Near my house is a fenced park with a pond. When no one else is in the park, I’ll let my black Lab, Kerry, off of his leash to run free for a few minutes. However, he tends to run straight into the pond for a swim and won’t come when I call him (he normally is very obedient). Then he’s muddy and gross. What can I do to teach him to stay away from the water? – Eric S., Kissimmee, Florida
DEAR ERIC: Let me get this straight. You have a black Labrador Retriever, you’re walking him next to a body of water, and you don’t want him to jump into that water?
That’s a really tough order for Kerry to follow. Labs love water. They adore it. Natural bodies of water are their second home. (Baths are not so well-loved, unfortunately.) When you let him off his leash next to a pond, you’ve given him the biggest treat of his day.
So it’s really hard for him when you call him back, and he probably gets very willful. There’s a disconnect happening that is confusing for him: Ultimate happiness by splashing in a pond makes his papa unhappy. He’s not sure what to do.
If you want a dog who’s always obedient and also stays clean, then Kerry has to stay on a leash in this park. If you want a dog who’s happy, give Kerry some water time. Maybe that water has to be somewhere else a little less muddy. Maybe you’ll have to resign yourself to rinsing him off after time in the park. But find a middle ground where both of you are happy.
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