DIY: SEA-ENNA'S NEW RE-BOARDING LADDER

As you know we have a Golden Retriever named Sea-Enna, that loves to swim.  The first two summer, we thought we had a dud of a "water dog", as she was afraid of the water and nothing we would do could get her into the water with us.  Her third summer, when she was just over two years, she suddenly discovered swimming and took to it like an otter.  She loves to go down to the beach and run in and out of the water.  She also loves to go in the water off of the back of the boat. 

Now, off of the boat has turned into a bit of a problem, as one of us always has to be on the swim platform to lift her back out of the water when she swims back.  So to solve this problem and to let her go in and out of the water at her leisure, we devised a re-boarding ladder for her that attaches to the back of the swim platform.  Now, this has developed into another problem.  Being a typical Golden Retriever, she automatically has an aversion to anything new in her world.  (If you bring a new cardboard box into the living room, they will avoid the living room for days until they are sure that something isn't going to jump out of there and scare them. )

So, the first time we put it in the water, she just barked at it and wouldn't go near it,the whole time she was swimming.  The second time we put it in the water she avoided it again.  We did manage to get her to walk up it, a couple of times with a lot of pulling and tugging and coaxing, cajoling and luring.  We now know that the ladder does work and it holds her weight.  And because we don't want to force her and make her hate the ladder we have decided on another tactic.  So now, after water testing and a few adjustments to the styro foam etc.  The ladder is ready for use, whenever we can convince her to use it.   

So, the last couple of days we have laid it down on the dock, and blocked the dock somewhat so that she has to walk on it, if she wants to come off of the boat with us.  She also has to walk on it, if she wants to come back on board the boat with us.  Hopefully, she will get so used to that thing, that she will not even think about it after a while.  We will also keep taking it out with us when we go swimming and try to gently convince her to use it. 

 

That's the plan anyways.  We will keep you posted.