Despite Laika's lack of aquatic adventures in the past few years, until her cancer recurred and she had to have more treatments, she loved everything to do with water (except bathing). When I first started taking her to the park as a pup, she liked more than just the mud puddles. She also loved to frolic in the small, dammed streamed called Hot Dog Damn. It wasn't too deep, but she loved to paddle around where she could. She would be so happy, that I wouldn't be surprised if her tail wasn't also propelling her through the water! Other dogs liked to be in the water, but Laika's insane joy brought smiles to everyone who saw her doing her best impersonation of a sea lion...all the way down to the whiskers and whooping-bark!
Laika would also go swimming with friends sometimes. Elaina brought her to swim in the Allegheny River with Heisa one time. Laika loved it. I saw photos of Laika looking like the Loch Ness Monster, happily paddling amongst the waves. Luckily, she was on a long lead, or I think she might have swam away to downtown! (Today, Laika's ashes were spread near this spot she enjoyed so many years ago.) Nessy (a.k.a. Laika) also made an appearance in a photo taken at the pond near Missy's mom's house in NE PA and texted to a bandmate when we were on tour. We all laughed at the goofy look on Laika's face, her joy of the water fully on display.
The most memorable time I took her swimming was actually in Lake Erie. I had planned to go there with a friend and thought that Laika would like to visit the beach with us. Given her love of swimming and sometimes inability to listen when overstimulated, I thought it might be best to make a long lead to make sure that she did not get lost at sea. In hindsight, this was a very excellent decision. I also brought a floating frisbee and a few old tennis balls to keep Laika occupied. As it turns out, these weren't even really necessary...nature provided the entertainment!
We arrived at the beach pretty early in the day. It was slightly overcast, so there weren't many people there. Laika was pretty excited to be on the beach and she could roam pretty far because of the 20' rope that I fashioned into a lead for her. Her first order of business was to attack the waves. She ran around like a dog possessed, biting the small breaking waves to make sure they knew that she was boss. It was hilarious to watch. I tried throwing the frisbee for her to retrieve, but she could care less. Once in a while, she would chase a tennis ball into the water, but her heart was set on teaching the waves a lesson, until...lifeguard training began.
About 30 minutes into the Laika vs. Lake Erie battle, around two dozen lifeguards gathered on the semi-deserted beach for their morning swim. Laika's attention quickly shifted from the waves to the soon-to-be swimmers. As they entered the water...she couldn't contain her excitement and tried to follow them, jumping into the lake and swimming with all her might to reach them. When the lifeguards stopped about 25 yards out, some of them noticed Laika and started calling her to join them and cheering her on! I was about waist-deep to give her some more length in the lead, but she quickly reached the end of the rope. It was sad that she had to stop, but better off because she wasn't accustomed to the strength of the waves and her paddling was starting to fail. Luckily, I was able to pull her back before the services of the lifeguards were actually needed. She sat patiently on the beach watching them finish their training, wagging her tail as they emerged from the lake. Some of them congratulated Laika on her attempt as she stood proudly wiggling on the beach.
Just when I thought that Laika might be a bit tired, she found a new obsession: a pretty large dead fish floating close to the beach. She spent the better part of the next few hours trying to get to it. Even when we moved further down the beach, it somehow was able to follow us. This allowed Laika to relentlessly try to swim toward it in the surf, all the while eating the waves. Finally, she calmed down and was ready to go home. My friend was impressed with Laika's persistence, though she was never able to get to the fish (thankfully).
As soon as we got near the car, Laika peed a lot. She then fell soundly asleep in the car, but woke-up in a panic about 20 minutes later because she needed to relieve herself. Given the amount that she peed the second time, I would wager that between her swimming and wave-biting, she swallowed about half of the lake! Luckily, the tired, sandy pup was able to sleep (very soundly) through the rest of the trip without having to stop again.
It was an epic day of adventure for Laika, in which she made the most of every opportunity to enjoy the lake. She got to swim to her heart's content, try to become an honorary lifeguard and attempt to eat a dead fish. I am so glad that I was able to bring her to swim and frolic in the water before her illness progressed and she was unable to go. However, as of today, Laika has been reunited with one of her most loved pastimes as a pup. In my mind's eye, I can now see her happily swimming again in the Allegheny River. If you hear reports of a sea lion-ish pitbull haunting the river's "surf," it's just Laika swimming some laps like old times!
Laika "swimming" in her sleep.
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