Dogs love to dive and splash in a water park

Sept. 9 — Oaklee Belle was ready when Tammy Calhoun threw a toy into the slide pool at River Country Waterpark on Sunday.

Before the toy even hit the water, Oaklee Belle, an Australian Shepherd, waded into the water, ready to grab it and bring it back to its owner.

“She can do that all day,” Calhoun said. “That’s all she does, water and chasing the toy.”

Dozens of dogs splashed, retrieved, 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.

“Maintenance guys are draining the Lazy River today and cleaning all that stuff up,” said Grace Whitaker, aquatics manager for the City of Muskogee. “We still have to put all our equipment away. We’re just doing the end of season cleanup until next spring.”

Oaklee Belle was happy to do her thing on Sunday.

Calhoun said the Doggy Dive was just a play day for his busy dog.

“She’s my service animal,” Calhoun said. “She waves. If I drop something, she picks it up, she picks up her own toys and puts them away. She goes to the refrigerator and gets my water. She’s been trained not to bark, jump or bite. She’s been trained not to hurt animals.”

Chewy, a poodle and Bernese mountain dog mix, found all sorts of things to do Sunday. He splashed around in the slide pool and strolled through the lazy river. One of his favorite activities was sliding down the toad’s tongue in the wading pool.

“He’s a big baby,” said Darlisa Johnson, who moved to Muskogee from Bakersfield, Calif., about a month ago. Johnson said Chewy loved riding the slides in her hometown.

Tootsie, a border collie-dachshund mix, also loved the toad slide. The pup also showed off her swimming skills by paddling in the deep end. She wore a hot dog bun life jacket and stayed under the watchful eye of Jaiden Moore, 5, of Fort Gibson. Jaiden and his grandmother, Shelly Moore, of Muskogee, also brought along a pit bull named Ariat.

Not all the dogs were in the water. Milli, a toy poodle, escaped from the waves, preferring to be held by her owner, Melissa Sudderth. The Doggy Dive offered other activities, including a dog obstacle course and a trick contest.

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