The Swimmingest Dog I Know

I know lots of dogs that like to swim, but I think very few show as much pleasure in it as our friend Sadie B. We went to Crofton Lake last Thursday, and as usual Sadie spent all her time chasing sticks in the cool water.  The sun was bright, the water full of reflections, and the lake as beautiful as ever:

In terms of photography, this first photo of Sadie B is my favourite,  taken just as she swam past the concrete pillar of the little dock:

But in terms of her expression of pure bliss and happiness, I like these ones a lot too!

Eddie mostly stood around looking handsome,

 But some coaxing from Gail (and some treats tossed into the water) did encourage him to wade in a bit:

However, as you'll see in an upcoming post, he is a very quick learner when food is involved!

In other news, Eddie visited the vet today for some routine care, and we discovered something unexpected - he has a fairly serious heart murmur which was not there at his last appointment in March.  The vet estimates it as a Grade 4 (on a scale of 6), and it would account for why he has been tiring rather quickly on some of our routine morning and evening walks lately (though that could just as easily have been the heat).

The vet would like him to have an EKG and xrays, to determine the full extent and exact location of the problem. I may seek out a second opinion, however, as it wouldn't be the first time I've known vets to diagnose a heart murmur which isn't found on a subsequent visit. And, of course, one also has to ask if the findings would have any effect on treatment, or if the expensive tests are simply to satisfy curiosity and pay for the vet's next vacation. Back to google for more information!

Stay tuned - lots more stories and photos in the next few days - still catching up on the backlog!