CityView Magazine

46 August 2023 DOG PADDLING e ain't nothing but a hound dog." With that said, my brother-in-law Keith had made it clear what our new dog's name would be. Elvis. He was indeed a hound dog, of some lineage that we were never quite sure of. He was strong but clumsy and eventually over weight. But he was a good boy in ever y sense of the phrase — lov ing, needy and always ready for a scratch behind the ears. And Elvis loved the water. He'd dive full throttle into the catfish pond and paddle out to retrieve a stick. When he brought it back to land, he'd give it up aer a little tussle, knowing that it was going right back into the water for him to fetch again. With a f ulsome shakedown, he would cast of f the excess pond water. Anyone in the way would smell like catfish too. Elvis is not alone among his canine pals in his love for water. ey don't call it "dog days" for nothing. In the heat of summertime, many pooches love a dip in the ocean, a splash in the pool or a run through the sprinkler. We asked readers to send us photos of their dogs taking a romp through water. We appreciate your response. Here are some of the best images of our dog-paddling pals at play. 'Piper loves a tennis ball ,' says Margaret Larson. 'She loves them even more when they're tossed in a cool pool on a hot day. If you don't throw it in for her, she'll simply walk over, drop it on the sidewalk and "accidentally" knock it into the pool . She's gone from paddling out from the pool steps to full-on dives. The videos are hysterical .' FEATURE Family pets take the plunge to escape the summertime heat. BY BOBBY PARKER "

• Cover