I first met dogs Shelby and Bella at their home on the pond in Winter Park. When we met, they were of course excited as dogs always are to meet new people – tail wagging, lots of sniffing, etc. Add to that, they had just returned home from the pet store where Mom takes them to pick out treats and goodies. They were energetic and ready to play! We played a few games of tug-of-war, a few rounds of toss the tennis ball (Mom even had a tennis ball tosser because these pups LOVED the thrill of the chase!) and as they settled down, we took a few photos of them just relaxing with Mom in the backyard. Our next stop was Fleet Peeples Park in Winter Park, where Mom told me they love to hang out, swim, and sometimes even dive off the dock! When we arrived at the park, it was as if they were in their home away from home. They took off exploring their favorite trees, likely looking for any familiar doggy face to romp around with. Shelby was a bit more reserved and didn’t stray too far from Mom, but as we approached the water, there was no holding back! They jumped in and began to swim. The day was a bit overcast and it had rained even earlier that day, but gloomy weather did not stop these two. In and out of the water, dripping wet, shaking everywhere – clearly enjoying themselves with no regard to my camera equipment!
We made our way over to the dock and Mom tossed the ball as I waited on the shore. Time after time, they ran to end of the dock and off they jumped! I’ve seen dogs who love the water before but nothing like these two. They had no fear, jumping in, waiting for one another as they dove. It was really great to see the connection these two shared in and out of the water. What a joyful morning we had!