Harlow’s First Swim Lesson

It’s been awhile since I’ve talked about the winter blues, so that seems fitting for a Monday.

A couple of weeks ago Chicago pulled a big old prank on everyone and acted like it was spring for almost an entire week. Patios were set, windows were opened, and people everywhere were walking around town with fat ass grins on their face, myself included. The sun was out for more than an hour, temps hit the high 60s;  it was wonderful.

Until it wasn’t.

Fast forward three weeks later and we’re currently having “normal” March weather (grey for days, no sun, rain and wind every damn day.) It’s the norm for Chicago and yet it feels ten times worse than usual thanks to that little warm stint back in mid February. Saturday is the annual dying of the river, (when it goes from murky green to lime green) for Chicago’s St. Patrick Day celebration and the temp is supposed to be 27. Maybe some snow.

So yes, it’s safe to safe the weather has been getting to me lately. Going days without sunshine simply isn’t good for the soul.

Oh a whim, last Friday Harlow asked me if I would take him to swimming lessons. I was all, “swimming lessons??? For dogs?”

And he was all, “yes! All the dogs are doing it and I don’t want to be left out. Please.”

Harlow’s a good swimmer, some would say great (and by some I mean Chris and I.) But he doesn’t love pools (the steps freak him out) however I didn’t want him to be left out of the playgroup so I agreed to take him to swim class just one time…

And I feel like I discovered the happiest place on earth.

Happy dogs swimming in a pool make me happy. Happier than I knew. I walked out of there last Friday absolutely beaming. Turns out on a cold winter day it’s pretty nice to hang out in an 85 degree dog pool room.

I’ve never swam in an indoor pool in Chicago, and yet I’m about to buy Harlow a membership so he can do it as often as he’d like. This place has heated towels, a warmup room, a dog sauna, it’s pretty hilarious. Before entering the pool Harlow to take a quick shower (why wouldn’t he) and when he’s done with his swim lesson he can go into the locker room to get a nice blow dry if he’d like.

I’m not kidding, this place is ridiculous.

I don’t have more photos because I was too busy squealing with delight every time Harlow swam another lap. Within just five minutes the trainer had Harlow going in and out of the pool like he was Michael Phelps.

The trainer wears a wetsuit and stays in the water the entire time to help the dogs who need it (dream job, right?) he’ll help them float or paddle or in Harlow’s case, master the flip turn. He told me that Harlow is a “beautiful, quiet swimmer, a natural.” And I couldn’t stop smiling like the stage mom that I am.

I used to be on the swim team, (in 4th grade) nbd.

We had so much fun we went back the next day with Chris. Harlow doesn’t fetch, couldn’t care less about tennis balls, and yet for some reason in the pool he becomes the retrieving dog Chris has always hoped he’d be.

It was a big day for everyone.

In conclusion, if you ever find yourself having a bad day, go to a dog pool and all of your troubles will go away. However therapy may be cheaper now that I think about it…

Okay Monday. Let’s do this.

(Chicago people, Harlow and I went to DoggyPaddle in Bucktown. They may still have a Groupon running FYI!)