Meet River: AquaMissions Mascot-in-Training
River visits the AquaMissions students at the CSU swimming pool.
There’s a special dog that you might observe hanging poolside from time-to-time here at AquaMissions…
His name is River. And he’s our Mascot-in-Training.
In fact, he’s a lot of things “in-training.” He’s also training to be both a therapy dog and service dog.
And we think he’d make a great mascot. But more on that later.
First, a little bit about River himself…
River is a registered Vizsla, born March 30, 2025, at his breeder’s home in Cincinnati.
His full registered name (and the breeder name which goes first) is Windswept Acres in the Flow.
River’s breed (Vizsla) is often coined the “velcro dog” because of a Vizsla’s tendency to remain intimately close with its handlers. Originally bred for hunting, these dogs are loyal and affectionate. Good luck ditching them… because they stick to you like your own shadow.
River had his VERY first swim at 7-1/2 weeks old.
Since then, he has been in 3 obedience classes and 5 swimming lessons.
He has learned how to sit, stay, place (go to a raised platform), over (jump an obstacle), lie down, rest (where he lies half on his side), speak (bark), high-5, wave, shake hands, army crawl, and sneeze.
Sneezing is his favorite. (He’s known to pull this out of his “bag of tricks” when he wants a treat.)
River and his owner, Laine Cosby, met AquaMissions founder Lynne Nagy at a small, local beach when River was about 4 months old.
At the time, River was very hesitant to go in the water, and Lynne found this quite endearing, watching this innocent pup navigate the world of water.
With River as the focal point, Lynne and Laine became fast friends.
And River was eventually invited to visit the CSU pool, where he provided a sense of calm to the AquaMissions students who, like River, were getting comfortable with the water and learning to swim.
People often mistakenly think that, when it comes to swimming, dogs just “jump in” and take to the water.
Not true for most dogs.
In fact, dogs are quite a bit like humans. They need a bit of intentional exposure to the water — and time in the water — to become comfortable with it.
Sound familiar? (Our AquaMissions students might find something in common here.)
Like humans, dogs also need continued water exposure to learn to navigate the water with ease.
Swimming wasn’t easy for River at first.
In fact, on one of those early days (in August of last year), River was given the opportunity to try his paws (which are webbed) at dock diving. At one point, River tried to use a kayak as a stepping stone, fell in, and then swam — an incredibly funny moment that showed how quickly fear can turn into confidence.
Over time, River would learn how to minimize his effort and just be safe in the water without struggling. He would learn to swim with much more grace than the early days of frantic doggy paddling.
Which leads us to why River would make such a great mascot…
A mascot is any human, animal, or object used to represent a group or organization. Mascots are often chosen because they symbolize or embody some aspect(s) of what an organization stands for.
The case for River:
Willing to learn? Check.
Embraces introductory water experiences? Check.
Willing to turn fear into confidence? Check.
And best of all, fiercely lovable and loyal? Check.
River is now 15 months old, and he’s just getting started here with AquaMissions…
Laine, his owner, refers to her relationship with him as being more like his “Kahu,” a Hawaiian word that roughly means “beloved guardian.”
Rumors are that Laine speaks dog and would like to relate some of River’s sentiments:
“River believes that swimming is as essential as reading and writing. It’s not only a life skill, it’s a public health issue. He also wants everyone to know that one hour at the pool can change a child’s life for the better, empowering them, teaching them to be safe in the water, and building their confidence.”
Laine hopes that one day River will become the official AquaMissions mascot and that he’ll help humanize the experience and reduce fear.
She believes he can help recruit volunteers and gather community support for life-saving swim lessons and water safety.
“If River can learn to swim and love the water, then every child can learn to be safe in it. His calm presence can help children feel safe and welcome at the pool.”
With gratitude to Laine Cosby, River’s “Kahu,” for contributing to the contents of this article.