Dog Day Scare!
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| Thu, 08-02-2007 - 9:40pm |
Hi everybody!
I just survived a real scare, involving our beloved mutt "puppy" age eight years young, my walking companion.
I walked her down to the lake tonight after a blistering 94 degree day here in Boston. The lake air was cool and there were other dogs swimming. My girl loves to swim and I thought it would be so refreshing for her...
She swam happily with the other dogs until ... she spotted some ducks far, far off in the lake. She went after them and they would hop farther and farther away. Soon, I became alarmed and called to her to come back. She ignored me and soon seemed out of earshot. There were other folks at the lake, some families, and they were sharing this experience with me as I became increasingly worried. Dusk was here. She had soon been swimming in the distance for over THIRTY minutes. She left a wake in the water like a jet stream in the sky, lit up in the reflection of the sunset on the water, as she moved around. But she was too far away to be seen.
Some folks spotted people on boats near the dock on the other side of the lake. They suggested I try to get their attention....
Here comes the "fitness part": in my New Balance walking shoes and terry skirt from the Eddie Bauer outlet I RAN as fast as I could all the way around the lake (ladies, I have not run in over ten years). I ran the whole way and got there as a young couple was pulling their kayaks out of the water. It was dark and no dog could be seen.
They quickly returned to the water, prepared to find her. I ran again (now on adrenaline) back to the other side, where other people were looking and where I thought she would return. She had been out for almost an hour.
I heard voices from across the water: "We've got her!!" I saw the kayakers approach from the dark water, with my dog limp and stretched across the lap of the man. I can't tell you how relieved I was, not just for the dog, but my whole family who all just adore this lovable mutt.
I thanked everyone from the bottom of my heart (I told the kayakers; "This dog is loved by a lot of people and I hope you feel good about this for a long time")and scooted back home, my dog soaked from the lake and me soaked from sweat on this hot, "dog day of summer."
No more swimming on the lake,
Marianne


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What a scary ordeal that swimming adventure was. I'm so glad to hear that your "puppy" is OK.
Susan
I am so glad your family member is okay!
Hi everybody ... doggie is doing great today. Apparently she had been swimming in zig zags the whole time! She looked completely limp on the kayak as she came ashore and I was worried about her condition, but I think it was more a factor of that being the only way to carry her -- stretched out on the hard kayak shell in front of the paddler, with two legs over each side (if you can picture that). She looked weak and compliant (at least she didn't fight the rescue!).
But she trotted home with me no worse for wear and was alert and ok all night and today.
Thank God!
It would have been a major trauma in my young son's life if the dog had been lost and I averted a tragedy through the help of several strangers. God bless them!
Marianne
cl-Deb
cl-Deb
That is exactly what I keep thinking about, J-Deb. There were at least eight other dogs out there swimming in the lake on that hot night. None of them swam off like crazy after ducks! They all stayed close to shore.
This adorable mutt must have some strange "swim after ducks 'til I die" gene.
Marianne
Ha Ha!! Yes, I went "running!!"
Playing tennis with my SO this morning got me thinking. (Yes, he seems to be athletic at whatever he does; I have to remember this is one of the things that attracts me to him!)
But he puts eight balls in his pockets and just fires them at me, one after another, until they are gone.
I realized this morning that I need to pause every third rally or so because ... I just don't have that kind of aerobic endurance. I need to catch my breath. I don't run like he does.
Food for thought for me.
Marianne
PS. I need to add that I am a 38DD and I have always had trouble, even with good sports bras, with running because of the discomfort "up there."
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