Thinking back..

[saxonaxe]

Seeing Stoat's post about being saved by his dog made me remember when the situation was reversed. Walking down the local marsh with my Lab/Collie cross years ago, he did the usual and dived into one of the field drains/ditches. They're about 8 feet wide at the bottom with 45 degree sloping sides, so wider at the top. Thin ice, no problem, he just swam in it but when I called him he seemed to have trouble getting to the sloping bank. Suddenly I realised something was wrong and he was in trouble.

I laid my gun down and thought about trying to get down the sloping muddy side to grab him but knew if I slipped I'd be in with him, so I started digging footholds in the bank with my knife while he thrashed about in the churned up muddy water. After what seemed ages I managed to get down almost to water level and grabbed first a front paw then his collar and heaved..
To my amazement as I dragged him out I saw a green plastic milk crate caught on both his back feet. Somehow his feet had got trapped, no doubt as he kicked close to the bottom of the drain. No wonder he was struggling to swim!

I untangled his feet and we both got up the bank. No injuries, both a bit cold and very muddy but a scary few moments because of a stray milk crate..

[Silverback]

Good post....

Out search training with Dodge at my local land, it was October with snow on the ground..As ever he managed to locate the body with ease, as he was returning to indicate it was then I noticed in the snow behind him a trail of bright red....

Thanks to some numpty he had a 3 ins incision in his hind leg pouring blood, most likely from a can or broken glass...First action was to apply a handful of campact ish snow to the wound and apply direct pressure, then dressed it with a pressure bandage and off to the vet.

He had severed 3 tendons and an artery....and I had been ssevered from £500 by the vet.....its difficult to get insurance for our dogs as they are classed as workng dogs although they work for free.

Anyway to cut a long story short 6 weeks off the call out list with 3 weeks on lead exercise only...not the best for a working collie

[freedom]

Good post....

Out search training with Dodge at my local land, it was October with snow on the ground..As ever he managed to locate the body with ease, as he was returning to indicate it was then I noticed in the snow behind him a trail of bright red....

Thanks to some numpty he had a 3 ins incision in his hind leg pouring blood, most likely from a can or broken glass...First action was to apply a handful of campact ish snow to the wound and apply direct pressure, then dressed it with a pressure bandage and off to the vet.

He had severed 3 tendons and an artery....and I had been ssevered from £500 by the vet.....its difficult to get insurance for our dogs as they are classed as workng dogs although they work for free.

Anyway to cut a long story short 6 weeks off the call out list with 3 weeks on lead exercise only...not the best for a working collie

Unbelieve that you cannot insure your dog something seems very wrong when it comes to a highly trained animal which saves peoples lives. Give him a pat and stroke from me pal

[magnet]

Yesterday my terrier went straight over the side into the river. The banks are made up of those gabions(big wire mesh crates packed with stone) so its a sheer dropof about 5ft to water level, when I got to her she was swimming in circles unable to get out.
Thankfully there was a a small ledge half way down and I was able to get onto that grab her and haul her out soaked but on this occasion none the worse for her dip.
It got me thinking mind, if that had been a child it could well of been serious.............Magnet

[MikeWilkinson]

My two hounds are forever hurling themselves into the canal. 9 times out of ten they can use the ledge, two/three feet below the surface. But every now and again I have to haul them out by the collar. Usually where the bank has been repaired with metal retaining walls and the ledge has been removed. Wouldn't mind but they never bring back the duck that they went in there for in the first place.

[MadZ]

pulled a Neapolitan mastiff from the Thames awhile back after the old boy said his dog would be fine, after seeing the dog go under for longer than i cared for i had to go get it, interesting experience to say the least.

[Silverback]

Interestingly enough...70% of all folks who go into water to rescue pooch drown....only 1% of dogs drown that go into water

[MadZ]

i like being the underdog but uh with them odds i'll think twice next time, cheers for the heads up.

[Silverback]

i like being the underdog but uh with them odds i'll think twice next time, cheers for the heads up.

The power of water should never be underestimated.



....and he is a trained rescuer !

Team with that that 75% of the UK population are effectively none swimmers and the effect of cold water on the human body its no wonder the odds arent very good...actually the effects of rapid immersion in cold water on the human body makes for interesting reading, that an just how little water it takes to drown.

The lengths that folks will go to to rescue dogs are well documented too

[MadZ]

75% non swimmers, wow thats a fair few people, from wet cave experiences i know even with all the gear, cold water can play havoc with the body and the mind to, but thats more of extended periods in cold water rather than rapid immersion, i'll have a scout around the net to find out more.

they say a dogs a mans best friend and its true, i would have done anything to save me dogs if the situation ever arose, fortunately it never did, sadly they have all past now.

cheers

Madz