This is one more adventure in the sagas of Kooper the Dim, my 7 year old yellow lab mix rescue.
We had occasion to bring Kooper to the Vet as winter was ending last year. As it was winter, he hadn’t had much of an opportunity to get out and swim [his favorite activity]. The vet did his thing and as an aside he mentioned the Kooper was getting a bit heavy.
So home we went, resolving that both he and I should walk more. A great place to take a walk near us is the Conesus Inlet paths at the South end of Conesus Lake. We were moments into our walk when Kooper spies a big white bird in the water nearby. In his mind; playtime.
Not expecting this I do not have his leash firmly in hand. He in the water with a huge splash, swimming as fast as he can. It is a swan; a big swan. It holds its ground. Kooper is thinking it’s time to play. The swan is thinking, no way.
When Kooper got close, that swan reared back with both wings extended, and all the sudden this new playmate doesn’t look like much fun. Kooper turns tail and makes for the shore as fast as he can, with the swan not far behind. He gets to the reeds at the water’s edge and tries to hide. The swan knowing he has beaten this invader swims back out to deeper water.
That patch of reeds at the water’s edge was nasty, mostly muck, mud and cold water. I am now getting pitiful looks to go rescue him. He is in to his belly; I am in to my knees. He is covered with mud, and I minus a shoe. We have a 10 minute miserable walk back to the car. He smells like an old wet rug.
When we get home, there is no way we can go into the house, so out comes the hose. We both know this will be bad and have resigned ourselves to the outdoor shower in 40 degree weather.
Once we are clean, he heads right for his bed. He is twitching a bit, dreaming about his battle with the swan, I guess. All of the sudden he is scratching furiously. I go to look, and find a tick. Evil little bugs and it has to go. Removing the tick was an adventure in itself, but I finally got the job done.
So at the end of the day, Kooper is still a little fat, a little dim, and a little worse for the wear; but happy, healthy and warm. What more could a dog really ask for.