Dogs and the sea.

[TheresaW]

As I have probably mentioned a million times by now, we are off to Scotland soon with the dogs. We are staying right by the sea, and I am so looking forward to early morning/late evening walks on the beach.

Luna will be on the long lead at all times, otherwise I’m sure we will see her bum disappear off into the distance, and we will play it by ear with Bo. I have read lately that collies have a tendency to just keep swimming out, anyone know if this is true?

I am aware to make sure they don’t drink too much sea water as it can make them very sick, and obviously not to let them tuck into dead things washed up on shore. What else do we need to be aware of, look out for?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lintel]

- look out for them stealing your ice cream! Been caught by that once... never again!

 

[Clodagh]

I think I have said before that Tawny swims straight out, I throw a ball to the side of her which she then retrieves and brings back. It is terrifying having her on the beach though!
Brandy once ate a dead starfish and threw it up all over the back of the car!
Keep an eye out for palm oil, that gets washed up and is deadly to dogs apparently.
They will love it, ours go mad on the sand.

 

[TheresaW]

We’ve never been to the beach with them before. I’m not sure Luna will even lower herself to get her paws wet, but Bo loves the hose pipe and have caught him up on the side of the pond, so think he will like it.

Luna will roll in anything dead we come across. I have no idea what palm oil looks like though.

Ice cream watch. Will definitely keep my eyes on them for that 🤣

 

[Clodagh]

I think orange chunks? Some has recently been washed up in Norfolk.
Googled it, sort of white chunks.

 

[TheresaW]

Will keep an eye open for it.

Following the cottage page on FB, the dolphins have been around quite a bit lately. Hope they’re still there when we go, although Bo may try herding them 🤣

 

[PapaverFollis]

Don't play too much fetch in either the sand or the sea. Swallowing salt water in one. Swallowing sand and abrading noses off in the other! Dead things are always a joy. I only play fetch to distract from dead things now. Lol.

Palm oil is something watch out for but I'd say a low chance of encountering.

Take fresh water and offer it often because they do drink sea water if they aren't used to it.

The spaniel was swimming in the sea a few weeks ago and a seal came really close and the little darling wouldn't recall cos SWIMMING and I was terrified the seal was going to eat him. I think that's just me though.

 

[KittenInTheTree]

Jellyfish.

 

[TheresaW]

Jellyfish, yes. I’ve often seen them when I’ve been to the beach, thank you.

The cottage we are staying in is right by the beach, but we also have a collapsible water bowl we take out with us on dog days out so will take it to the beach with a bottle of fresh water.

Thank you all.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

My collies loved the sea - - I used to swim with them and they never swum away from me and always came straight back to shore when I did. Purely as an aside - when we lived by the sea and they regularly swam I never once had to de-flea any of them - salt water I guess? I miss my collies so much

 

[AmyMay]

Love the beach, as you know. And walk on them a lot. I’ve never seen a collie just swim straight out, and certainly the one I walk doesn’t.

As Clodah had said though, I throw the ball to the side, rather than straight out.

And of course, not all dogs like the sea 😀

 

[blackcob]

My colleague's border collie once got into herding mode chasing incoming waves up the beach and ended up as a tiny dot in the distance before something broke the spell and he realised he was on his own. Ironic really as she ended up with him due to his complete inability to herd in a working home! Something about the white foam breaking that day just set him off and he went for miles.

Mine like to eat seaweed and lick jellies then barf it up in the tent at 3am.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Beach belly. Picnicking families. Very old dead seals.

My old dog almost swam to the next country and eventually returned with half an angry seagull.
Mum: Shall I call vet?
Me: WHAT? It's got no arse!! (THWUNK)

 

[dogatemysalad]

My Rough collie hates getting her coat wet. The first time we took her to the beach, it nearly blew her brains. She was horrified at the expanse of water and the waves. Our border terrier loves water and was busy paddling. However, as she watched numerous other dogs paddling and swimming, she relaxed and you could see her thought process working out that this was supposed to be fun. She still doesn't see the point in getting wet all over, but she's happy to paddle, which is useful for us because our hikes sometimes involve crossing streams and ditches.

 

[JennBags]

Juno (collie) won't go in the water although Suzie (Westie) likes a little swim. Juno's a little scared of the movement of the waves but loves running on the sand.

 

[DabDab]

Have fun, the cottage sounds idyllic

Neither of my current dogs like the going in the sea, which was a surprise with the Westie since she loves water usually and will quite merrily go for a swim in the severn if we don't keep an eye on her . But still, beach walking is lovely, no matter how prissy my dogs are

 

[meleeka]

I still cringe at the time my Border Collie went for a swim at a local beach which is right next to a castle popular with tourists. There was quite a crowd watching in the TWO HOURS!! it took me to get him out of the water. He’d some back so far and then off he’d go again before I could get hold of him. I was mortified 😆

Thankfully current JRT doesn’t like going in the sea, just rivers. I think she worries about the noise and the waves.

 

[windand rain]

My lab hates the sea loves the beach and is a keen swimmer in fresh water. I dont think she likes the way it moves. I miss living above the beach it was great for schooling the horse and walking the goldies

 

[Stiff Knees]

I don't think our labs have ever tried to eat anything on the beach (if you don't include my fish and chips). They have way too much fun in the sea to think of food. We time our visits to the tide coming in as I worry about them being taken out too far when the tide is going out, in reality this probably doesn't make them any safer but I feel more comfortable this way. Jake likes to pee on old seaweed, Peril loves to jump the waves as they break on the shore and Spot used to stand almost out of her depth and bob up and down. Their coats and paw pads are always so soft after a day on the beach and in the sea. Have a super time, days on the beach with your dogs will make memories that will never be forgotten. 🐾😍🍦

 

[KittenInTheTree]

Our pointy hound has learned to dig for shellfish.

 

[Stiff Knees]

Inspired by this thread we headed off to the beach at Redcar yesterday. Peril had an amazing time, running flat out into the waves until she couldn't jump any higher, Jake was a bit overwhelmed, it is the first time he has been in a crowded area since he went deaf and he was not happy to begin with, we kept him on his lead because he looked a bit apprehensive and I was afraid he'd just run if he lost sight of us. I went in up to my waist with him on the lead and he was soon really enjoying himself and when I brought him out for a breather he dragged me back in. We spent 2 hours on the beach with the dogs loving the water and Jake digging in the sand. Some helpful individual (not) suggested I "let him live a little and let him off his lead". When I said no, we had good reasons for keeping him on his lead they asked "is he vicious?". I rolled my eyes and tried to explain that he was deaf but they'd lost interest by then! We all shared fish and chips and the dogs had a K9 99 while we had a lemon top.

 

[Goldenstar]

One of my long gone labs ate a jellyfish the drama that unfolded was epic .

 

[twiggy2]

Where are you going to be staying?
We went to the west coast this weekend, took three dogs including the collie pup and my young collie bitch. Both the collies came with us for a swim, the lurcher ran about in the break waters, she also notice three young girls sunbathing and dive bombed them with the collie pup in tow.
Before you all shoot me down in flames it been over a year since the lurcher has aimed a comedy sketch at strangers and the girls (luckily) loved it and came over to meet all the dogs.
I don't see why a collie would be any more likely to swim off in a straight line, the only dog I ever had do that was a German hinting terrier, he was 16 weeks old and saw a seagull rising and falling on the waves way out and swam off to investigate, he did come back though and was fine.

 

[TheresaW]

Sounds like you, Twiggy2, and Stiff Knees, had fantastic weekends. I hope we have decent weather when we go.

We are staying in Ardersier. We are so looking forward to it.

 

[windand rain]

lots of lovely beaches that is nearish to where I lived in Hopeman. Hope you see the dolphins we used to watch them in he bay from the living room wndows. Enjoy your holiday

 

[Moobli]

Im lucky to have some gorgeous beaches within half an hour’s drive and my shepherds love the water. We’ve taken Oh’s collies and mine (when I had them) and never had a problem with any of them swimming out too far. Are you staying at Dolphin View Cottage?

 

[TheresaW]

Im lucky to have some gorgeous beaches within half an hour’s drive and my shepherds love the water. We’ve taken Oh’s collies and mine (when I had them) and never had a problem with any of them swimming out too far. Are you staying at Dolphin View Cottage?

Yes we are. Do you know it? It was recommended on a husky group I’m in.

 

[Landcruiser]

Our boy Joe is half border collie, 1/4 greyhound and 1/4 whippet. When he was younger we took him to Woolacombe, where he got in the sea and drank lots and got hideous diarrhea - like it was running out of his bum as he was walking. We had to take him to a local vet - he was fine afterwards, but it taught us a big lesson.
Worse than this though, on another beach, he got in the sea and swam round in circles getting further and further out. My husband was up to his chest, fully clothed, yelling for him. I was tearing up the beach looking for help - I found a lifeguard, who went out on a canoe, and rounded him up before he disappeared around a headland - miles out. I thought we'd lost him. Water makes him loopy. He's 9 now - and never off lead when we are out, especially near the sea!

 

[Stiff Knees]

Our boy Joe is half border collie, 1/4 greyhound and 1/4 whippet. When he was younger we took him to Woolacombe, where he got in the sea and drank lots and got hideous diarrhea - like it was running out of his bum as he was walking. We had to take him to a local vet - he was fine afterwards, but it taught us a big lesson.
Worse than this though, on another beach, he got in the sea and swam round in circles getting further and further out. My husband was up to his chest, fully clothed, yelling for him. I was tearing up the beach looking for help - I found a lifeguard, who went out on a canoe, and rounded him up before he disappeared around a headland - miles out. I thought we'd lost him. Water makes him loopy. He's 9 now - and never off lead when we are out, especially near the sea!

He's like a paddle-steamer! Peril used to swim like this but has now mastered the art and is more stealth boat than paddle-steamer, she barely makes a splash.

 

[Landcruiser]

But then, he was always an odd one!!!