I'd like to tell you a story of a pond

The Dog Pond. Some of you may remember seeing such lovely photos as:

Summer time, the water level is low, there's a little bit of beach for the dogs to investigate, those that haven't learned the joys of swimming yet like to have a paddle.

Today the dog pond is two or even three feet higher than in the summer, all that melting snow and ice, the recent rain, it looks like this:

Very full, no beaches! Cato's on a mission to play with Bobbi.

Ooops, overshot the bank and fell in! He's dragging himself out, as usual Fred has to check things out to see if anything needs a little help.

It's not deterred him though, he still wants to play!

but wait! What's that going on behind Bobbi??

Scamp's falling in!! He must have thought it was shallow enough to paddle in. He's never swam before, only paddled, and he's wearing a fleece coat and harness! Oh no! What's going to happen? His head has gone right under (ears float, that's quite interesting...) It's such a deep pond for such a short dog. Are those little legs capable of getting him back to shore? Will his wet coat and harness drag him under and weigh him down? I don't fancy getting in there on a cold morning, that's for sure, but if a rescue is needed, it'll have to be done.

Oh no, panic over. He can swim.

I did have to drag him onto shore, but at least he got back by himself.

And thanks to his fleece coat, he wasn't that badly soaked so didn't get cold on the way back to the van.