Dogs dig dipping and diving at water park

Sep. 9—Oaklee Belle stood ready when Tammy Calhoun pitched a toy into the River Country Water Park's sliding pool Sunday.

Even before the toy hit the water, Oaklee Belle, an Australian shepherd, splashed through the water ready to grab it and rush it back to her owner.

"She can do this all day long," Calhoun said. "That's all she will do, the water and chase the toy."

Dogs by the dozen paddled, fetched, slid and did all sorts of wet things during the water park's annual Doggy Dive. It was the last day for people and their pets, to use the water park this year.

"The maintenance guys are draining the Lazy River today, getting all that cleaned up," said Grace Whitaker, City of Muskogee aquatics supervisor. "We still have to put away all of our equipment. We're just doing end-of season clean-up things until next spring."

Oaklee Belle was content doing her fetching thing Sunday.

Calhoun said the Doggy Dive is just a play day for her busy dog.

"She's my service animal," Calhoun said. "She does hand signs. If I drop something, she picks it up, she picks her own toys up and puts them away. She goes to the refrigerator and gets my water. She's been trained not bark, jump or nip. She's been trained not to hurt any animal."

Chewy, a poodle and Bernese mountain dog mix, found all sorts of things to do Sunday. He splashed in the sliding pool and roamed the Lazy River. A favorite activity was sliding down the toad's tongue in the kiddie pool.

"He's a big baby," said Darlisa Johnson, who moved to Muskogee from Bakersfield, California, about a month ago. Johnson said Chewy loved going down playground slides in his hometown.

Tootsie, a border collie and dachshund mix, also loved the toad slide. The pup also showed her swimming skill as she paddled in the deep end. She wore a hotdog bun shaped life vest and stayed under the watchful eye of 5-year-old Jaiden Moore of Fort Gibson. Jaiden and his grandma, Shelly Moore of Muskogee, also brought a pit bull named Ariat.

Not all dogs were into the water. Milli, a toy poodle, skittered away from the waves, preferring to be held by her owner, Melissa Sudderth. The Doggy Dive had other activities, including a canine obstacle course and a trick contest.

"She loves to play, she does all kinds of tricks," Sudderth said.