South Lake Tahoe

Kafka does not swim. He likes to wade in the water up to chest height, and that's it. We've used the Cesar Millan method of having him be in the company of other canine swimmers while we offer enticing treats and toys to get him to take the plunge into deeper waters. But we don't own a pool, and over here the weather does not encourage pool ownership. So we depend on visits to the Albany Bulb, Point Pinole and Point Isabel, where the transition into swimmable waters is sudden. Go in a couple of feet and boom, if you're a dog you have to swim. Not good for risk-averse Schnauzies!

So we were really looking forward to spending a couple of end-of-summer days with Kafka in South Lake Tahoe. There's a brand-new dog beach right in town, in Reagan Beach. There is the expanse and warmer waters of the two Echo Lakes. And there is, of course, Kiva Beach.

Before we even hit town, we decided to go for a water taxi crossing the Echo Lakes. Only one problem: Kafka has never been on a boat of any size. Since he is sometimes suspicious of never-seen-before machinery, vehicles and procedures, we leashed him to me. I gave him a tour of the pier beforehand. Once he was sure boats were not living beings, I secured his leash to my waist and stepped into the ten-person boat, for the ten-minute trip across gorgeous manganese blue waters. We sat him on the floor between our legs. At first we was more interested in the motor's hum, but once he discovered the boat displaced water, he climbed onto the bench to get a taste. Not wanting to encourage this newfound feeling of freedom to experiment, I sat him down but let him look between our shoulders.

The lower Echo Lake waters were pristine and warm, albeit full of over-equipped day hikers. I stepped in with him leashed, being careful never to pull him into deeper waters beyond his comfort level. I had brought a long rope because I was afraid of letting K off leash in Desolation Wilderness. So I used it to encourage him to venture into the lake waters without feeling so restricted. He was curious about the fish under the pier but never ventured deeper. Neither Canada geese in the distance, nor the sight of a golden retriever and a labrador frolicking with abandon near the pier coaxed him to float.

Once in town, we took him to the Bijou off-leash dog park, with separate areas for small and big dogs. The big dog area welcomes all dogs. The small dog area only welcomes small dogs. Feeling relieved no aggressive little dog would attack my Kafka, I sent him to this park with Sarah and my mom while I recovered from a high altitude headache. The big dog area's ground, they reported, was covered in bark and had bag stations, but there were no more than a few pines, a fire hydrant, and a water station. The small dog area had a water station, green grass, cement pathways, and deciduous trees. Damn! Kafka did well at the big dog area, but from time to time would gaze longingly at the small dog park. Who wouldn't?

Early next day, and before the arrival of labs and golden retrievers, we tried the new Regan beach area for dogs. The dog part of Regan beach is flat and muddy and the water available to dogs is cordoned-off, too small for medium to big dogs, and way too shallow for a water dog to swim in. I guess if you live in the city of South Lake Tahoe without a car, and your dog needs a dip it will do nicely. K enjoyed the flat muddy sand by running at top speed across the whole expanse in what seemed like seconds. There are bushes full of wildlife to either side of this beach, and we promptly beat it after we realize Kafka's interest was not the water but the many birds in it.

We made it to Kiva Beach after lunch, and after finding out that Fallen Leaf Lake is not dog-friendly unless you own waterfront property. After all of this, Kiva Beach seemed like heaven. A view to die for, clean orange sand, lots of shade and clean lake water that was not too deep or too shallow for a nervous canine teenager. But the beach was pretty populated with all types of dogs at the time we arrived, and we kept Kafka on leash most of the time. I ventured with him into the cool waters but again, he did not want to go deeper than his chest, not even while I offered him tasty chicken leftovers. And by now you know that this schnauzer is not a retriever. So we tied him to a long rope, and let him explore and relax, meaning that he barked at anyone near me while I painted, and that he tried to snatch away the toys that poor retrievers dared to bring ashore.

Our "teach Kafka to swim" adventure concluded the following morning at Kiva Beach. We arrived early and set him loose because there were no small dogs around. He made the most of this freedom getting in the water by himself, farther than he had ever been! All because he had seen a family of ducks swimming by that he of course could not reach by wading. After that, he retrieved big sticks from the water that Sarah and my mom tossed for him, and we discovered That this time he was much more comfortable going deeper. We were happy for him, and as we watched him sleep on the back seat during the long drive back, we knew it would take more hours of gentle coaxing before he lost his fear of swimming, but that there is a chance he'll learn.