Farmer H has told me for weeks now, months even, that Puppy Jack swims in the fake fish pond. I have no reason to believe that he's making it up. There's plenty of circumstantial evidence. Jack sometimes has a green tint to his white coat. A fishy smell about him. And just the other day, when I made a garage loop during my driveway walk, Puppy Jack jumped over the side of the concrete retaining wall, chased the tan-striped cat, Simba, without barking or biting, and returned all wet. Let the record show that the fish pond was in the direction he was chasing the cat.
Even though I believe Jack has taken a dip or 20 in the fake fish pond, I can't catch him in action. I kind of want to see that. As in an, "Oh, that is SO cute!" kind of way. But Jack is either lucky or as sly as a fox. I can't put an eyeball on this behavior. Until yesterday.
I came home from town, and walking out the people door of the garage to distribute hugs and cat kibble, saw Jack nudge his way through the wooden lattice that goes across the bottom of the porch. That way he can get to the back yard without running all the way around the garage. Then I heard a SPLASH!
OOH! This was like trying to spend the night in the woods and see Bigfoot! To stay up all night on Christmas Eve and catch Santa. I hurried up the porch steps and strode toward the railing.
THERE WAS JACK, SWIMMING IN THE FAKE FISH POND!
The cuteness took my breath away momentarily. Then I grabbed my phone out of my purse to document the occasion. It's not like the National Enquirer would buy my photo of swimming Jack, like they would a picture of Bigfoot or a picture of Santa. I simply wanted it for myself. And for my loyal readers.
It would be easier to snap a photograph of the Roadrunner (BEEP BEEP!) during a battle of wits with Wile E. Coyote than it was to get a picture of Puppy Jack, hyper as a ferret on crack, taking a dip in the fish pond. Here it is, though:
I swear that's Jack! See the extra-long tail? See the spot on his rumpus? That's HIM! The water is still all stirred up from his effort to hoist himself out of that ersatz swimming pool. Darn the lag in button-pushing and picture-taking!
Jack ran around to the other end, and proceeded to bark and bite at the thin trickle of water. He might have found a frog. Or he might just be a canine idiot. In any case, he disguised his face pretty well. He came up with a mouthful of weeds, shook them like he was attempting to snuff the life out of them, and buried his head again to repeat that act.
I saw Jack swimming in the fish pond yesterday. Really.
Awwwwwwwe, that's warms my heart! He is full of mischief, a little scoundrel. Makes me think of Oscar and his strong will. My Cujo is definitely not full of adventure. He hides behind my legs if presented with a new place or person. Toni Louise, on the other hand is enjoying her new position as the alpha of her pack!
ReplyDeleteHopefully he'll comprehend that soon the weather will be too cool to do any more swimming.
ReplyDeleteKathy,
ReplyDeleteHe is INDEED full of mischief! Toni Louise's doppelganger, my Sweet Sweet Juno, sometimes finds it necessary to teach Puppy Jack some manners. She doesn't use white gloves and a table setting. She uses her teeth.
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Sioux,
He's so stubborn, he might be breaking through the ice with his Superman leap. That's how he gets in. A long-belly flop.
You may have the canine version of Michael Phelps!!
ReplyDeletefishducky,
ReplyDeleteI'd better tell Farmer H to start building a shed to hold the medals.