Emma goes swimming with new life jacket.

Emma began learning to swim a few weeks ago with the help of Jeffrey Flocker, a physical therapist, see an earlier blog entry for details. Several important lessons came from that experience. Emma knows to swim to the stairs of the pool if she needs out, instead of panic and struggle at the edge, to perhaps drowned. We also learned the importance of the life jacket made just for dogs and cats by Cascade Outfitters. The jacket is adjustable and fits Emma now and will fit her as an adult. The jacket has a handle at the back to provide an additional safety measure.

Emma is still a baby in our minds, and we treat her as if she needs some assistance periodically. Some dogs will dig at the person in the water, while Emma sits quietly in the arms of a trusted family member.