We want to thank the Oak Harbor public indoor swimming pool for the dog swim event on Sunday, Aug. 26.

Casper (white Great Dane puppy) started out playing in the kiddy pool, borrowing everyone’s tennis balls, retrieved a sunken ball from the bottom of the pool and then advanced to swim in the big pool with a favorite ball.

Casper met many of his regular friends and made several new friends who didn’t seem intimidated by his 120 pounds of puppyness, not even the little tiny puppy trying out her doggie-paddle, the elderly dog enjoying his freedom in the big pool or the yellow Lab jumping in with his owners in the deep end.

Buzz the senior Siberian husky touched a toenail to the water in the kiddy pool and shuddered but then later dove into the deep end of the adult pool!

Siam (Akita) was finally convinced it was OK to get his legs wet only after his owner did it first while Coda and Dixie (black Lab mixes) decided swimming pools should be left to the humans who wear funny fur coats.

Duke the black Great Dane puppy tested the waters and confirmed he’s a lap dog, not a water dog.

Annie and Samson are a stunning pair of German shorthair pointers who were finally convinced that the water was OK to play in but it was more fun to bark at their owner while she was in the water with their tennis balls.

Molly the chow mix enjoyed being carried through the water so she could float effortlessly and Monty (Collie mix) tested out the waters with his Pointer buddy.

There were so many dogs there of all sizes and ages: too many to list! The dogs and their owners were incredibly polite, which made for a fun-filled evening ending in a long sound furry sleep.

We all sincerely thank the pool for opening their doors to our furry friends and hope to do it again soon!

What an exciting time and a privilege to be a part of it.

Trina Smith

Oak Harbor