swimming & off-lead ?'s

["Lyn L. Nelson" <lnelson@mail.portup.com>]

Hi everyone,

I have a few questions and am hoping you experienced ones can help shed some
light, please.

Monza and I went to a lake this past Saturday and I let him swim off leash -
a first.  He kept bringing sticks on shore for me and would come when I
said, "COME MONZA" or "PUPPY, PUPPY, PUPPY!"

On Sunday we went to the same lake and things didn't go exactly as I
expected them.  First off, it wasn't just me with him but Craig, a friend of
mine, was also with us.  When Monza hit the water he just kept swimming.  I
started to get a little anxious when he wouldn't come back with my commands.
Craig's telling me that he's fine & to cool it, which went over like a lead
balloon.

Monza swam about 10 times longer - at least - than he ever has.  He then
started to swim to the opposite side of the lake!  I almost lost it and
demanded that Craig help me get him into shore NOW.  We both started
throwing sticks, and he started to come closer to shore.  He'd grab the
stick and swim past us about 15 feet off shore.  Finally we were able to get
him close and then we started running away from the lake.  He, of course,
chased after us.  Thank goodness!

So, like what's the deal?  This was the first time he didn't come for me.
Was it because Craig - who's always been more lenient with him was along?
Was it because the setting was familiar to him now?  Was it because I'm
allowing him to do this too early in life?  Is he experiencing an early
adolescence with selective hearing?  I've never had a dog that swam.  I
don't know if he'll know enough to get out before getting tired.  Will he?

He also has this thing about tugging on lead.  I'm trying my damnedest to
either stop or walk the opposite direction when he tugs.  He's fine when he
walks on the stick, but put him on a lead and it's a constant battle.
Mostly he's smelling and tugging like he's on a mission.

This past weekend was also the first time that I've walked in the woods with
him off-lead.  He wouldn't stay near me, but would run about 50 feet ahead,
stop and look back at me.  He would stay if I showed him the hand signal and
voice command....but, when I got about 3 feet from him he'd start off again.
Too early for off-lead stuff?  I don't have a fenced in place anywhere to go
& practice with him so it's either on lead while at home or these couple of
occasions off-lead in the woods.  Maybe I need to do it more often and he'll
start catching on?

Lyn