Meet Bella, the kneeboarding miniature Goldendoodle

Prior Lake American

While Lower Prior Lake has a friendly duck, Upper Prior Lake now has a water skiing dog — well, a kneeboarding dog, technically.

The dog, a one-and-a-half-year-old miniature Goldendoodle named Bella, recently learned to water ski from her owner, Prior Lake resident Mike Thibault.

Thibault and his two daughters are part of the Shockwaves Water Ski team, formerly known as the Shakopee and Prior Lake Water Ski Association. Thibault’s youngest daughter, Rachel, learned how to water ski when she was 3 years old.

“We are some very avid water skiers,” Thibault said.

The next logical step was to teach the dog. Thibault said he had successfully taught “dozens of people” to water ski, so figured he could teach Bella.

“(Bella) has been out on the boat with us many, many times,” Thibault said. “We always talked about doing it, about getting her out there skiing and ... we finally decided to give it a go.”

On Aug. 12, Bella got in the water on a kneeboard with Thibault’s daughter. On Aug. 13, Bella water skied on a kneeboard with Rachel skiing next to her.

“She mastered it her first time, so she was able to get out there and get halfway around Upper Prior,” Thibault said. “She even endured some very large waves ... she instantly laid down on the board and rode out the waves.”

Thibault took her out a few more times before approaching the Shockwaves Water Ski team show director. The group puts on free water ski shows each Thursday throughout the summer at Quarry Lake in Shakopee that sees a couple hundred audience members each week.

The current theme is “Big Top,” a circus-styled show. It seemed natural to include Bella. The show director approved and on Aug. 16, Bella appeared in her first water ski show.

“We put her on the kneeboard and the boat driver took off,” Thibault said. “The crowd loved it. They were louder than anything else we do.”

Bella will make an appearance with the Shockwave Water Ski team shows later this summer — Aug. 23 at 7 p.m. and Aug. 30 at 7 p.m.

Thibault said this won’t be the end of Bella’s water skiing skills. He said he’s hoping to get her on actual water skis as opposed to a kneeboard.

“I’m quite certain she’ll continue with it and who knows? We might get some other creative stunts out there,” Thibault said.