wrote in message
...
On Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:36:14 -0700 (PDT), "~^ beancounter ~^"
wrote:

I have never seen a lab w/a life vest on.......

I saw Ken's answer, and in small, shallow inland water, it might seem
unnecessary, but on bluewater, at a large marina and other areas, it can
be dangerous for _any_ dog not to be in a floatation device.

the infamous "pamlico jim" roberts used to train his hunting labs for
field trials, and they were wonders to see. we were hunting ducks on the
long shoal river with his very best, named "smoke", on a bad ass winter
morning, when jim knocked out a scaup from a passing flight. the bird
wasn't hurt very badly, and began swimming away from shore at a good pace.
he sent smoke after him, and the two began one helluva dance, moving in and
out of the water, further and further away from us. smoke wouldn't respond
to pj's whistle and calls.
they finally became dots on the water, hundreds of yards away; jim,
without a word, broke into a run across the marsh, headed for our boat. he
jumped in, and took off to rescue the dog. the effort was happily
successful, but no amount of scolding kept that determined lab from his
goal. allowed to continue, he would, no doubt, have drowned in pursuit of
that damned bluebill.
and, being forty's dog, i am certain the pup in question is just as hard
headed as ol' smoke, and could use a little help, from time to time.

yfitons
wayno