Learning to put your nose under water

We had a busy dog weekend; with the 4th being all about getting Tilley through the day and yesterday was about finding a pool. I searched online forever for the elusive kiddie pool. My poodles love to retrieve out of a pool. I had a pool for my children when they were small which quickly was donated to the dogs once they outgrew it. Now each year I try to get them one. Last year the summer passed us by and I had forgot to get a pool with being in the new house.

So on Saturday I sent my daughter out to get one at Target; no such luck. I searched online to find somewhere that had them when I realized that it is not something you would order online. I hopped in the car and was off to Toys-r-us. There were only a couple left when i got there so grabbed one immediately, paid and was off. A whopping 7.99 for a bunch of fun for the dogs. The pool is the plastic kind that you can stack; not the inflatable type. On the way out 3 people asked me where I got the pool; so I got there just ahead of the rush for a pool.

I got home, filled up the pool and then searched. I was searching for a toy that can withstand being in the water, chewed on and left in the sun. I looked at the store but there was nothing for dogs; hmmmm could have been that it wasn't a dog store. Anyway I rooted through the dogs toy basket when I found their Old Navy rubber bones; PERFECT! This is exactly what I had been looking for; they sink, they are tough and I don't care if the dogs chew them. So I'm off to Old Navy today in hopes of getting more so that they have more to pull out of the pool before I have to throw them back in again.

Tilley is a master at submerging her head under water; she can go completely under to get what she is after. Luke stops at his ears; but with the pool being a kiddie pool depth isn't an issue. To be honest the pool is probably more fun for me; I love to sit and watch the dogs splash around in the water. I should say poodles; Jessie is not a fan of the pool although I did put her in yesterday. She just stands there with a "I don't want to be in here?" face on. And will only stay in there as long as she has to.

I remember when the kids were little and each year I would get a pool for the dogs as well; the grass. The pool was on the grass, the grass was in the pool. Luckily in this new house we have a huge concrete patio so I will try to put it as far away from the grass as I can. Although Tilley likes to pile her stash of toys on the grass; she always has. But maybe if it is far enough away she'll find another spot. Maybe I'll try putting a towel by the pool for her to use for her stash. Grass and pools don't mix well and when they do its just plain gross after a very short time.