_Acolyte_
Well-Known Member
I nearly lost Islay tonight.
I took Islay and Flick both down to the yard as usual and took them for a walk before doing Bob (my horse); some idiot walker had left the gate open at the bottom of the big field, so they scooted through into the next field and were looking for bunnies. Islay was oblivious to me calling her, and Flick just followed Islay like a little shadow! I went down to the next field after them....they still ignored me...then they went over to the river. I watched them running up and down the bank as I walked over, still calling them, then they went round the corner and there was a splash....
I ran over and found Flick on the bank, but no sign of Islay. It was about 5.15pm so nearly dark, and I was looking for a black dog in a black river...... There was a barbed wire fence around the river and my coat got caught on it as I went through it, so I was fighting to get free. I finally got through and managed to catch Flick before she disapeared, I could see Islay in the water doing doggy paddle desperately against the current and whimpering. Just as I was about to go down the 3' vertical bank she was swept around a tree trunk, and managed to get onto a ledge on the edge of the river although still in the water.
I secured Flick on two leads and went down the bank, and had to drag Islay out by her collar. The weight of her pulled me down the bank so I nearly went in too, and she was a complete dead weight, she wouldnt move. We ended up wedged in some tree roots just clear of the water, with her on my lap refusing to move but she was too heavy for me to lift up the bank. In the end I just had to shout at her, and smacked her on her hindquarters, and made her struggle up the bank to the top. I managed to climb up myself, got stuck in the barbed wire fence again getting through, and had to cross two fields again to get back to the car.
I took my sweatshirt off and wrapped her in it as we walked, although she was still looking for bunnies despite the fact she was shaking with cold! I also phoned the vet as I walked to the car, who said that they didnt need to see her unless her behaviour was odd later on this evening.
We got home ASAP with the car heater on full blast, and I put two coats on her as soon as she got back into the house plus turned the heating right up - whereupon she demanded and ate her tea!
She seems to be fine now, although obviously I will keep a really close eye on her tonight. I phoned my mum who was more concerned that I might have fallen into the river - but as I said to her, I could never have lived with myself if Islay had drowned.
Sorry I am blithering on because of the shock or something - alls well that ends well, but please be careful of your dogs and rivers, I seriously have never been so frightened ever in my life before. Thank God she is OK
I took Islay and Flick both down to the yard as usual and took them for a walk before doing Bob (my horse); some idiot walker had left the gate open at the bottom of the big field, so they scooted through into the next field and were looking for bunnies. Islay was oblivious to me calling her, and Flick just followed Islay like a little shadow! I went down to the next field after them....they still ignored me...then they went over to the river. I watched them running up and down the bank as I walked over, still calling them, then they went round the corner and there was a splash....
I ran over and found Flick on the bank, but no sign of Islay. It was about 5.15pm so nearly dark, and I was looking for a black dog in a black river...... There was a barbed wire fence around the river and my coat got caught on it as I went through it, so I was fighting to get free. I finally got through and managed to catch Flick before she disapeared, I could see Islay in the water doing doggy paddle desperately against the current and whimpering. Just as I was about to go down the 3' vertical bank she was swept around a tree trunk, and managed to get onto a ledge on the edge of the river although still in the water.
I secured Flick on two leads and went down the bank, and had to drag Islay out by her collar. The weight of her pulled me down the bank so I nearly went in too, and she was a complete dead weight, she wouldnt move. We ended up wedged in some tree roots just clear of the water, with her on my lap refusing to move but she was too heavy for me to lift up the bank. In the end I just had to shout at her, and smacked her on her hindquarters, and made her struggle up the bank to the top. I managed to climb up myself, got stuck in the barbed wire fence again getting through, and had to cross two fields again to get back to the car.
I took my sweatshirt off and wrapped her in it as we walked, although she was still looking for bunnies despite the fact she was shaking with cold! I also phoned the vet as I walked to the car, who said that they didnt need to see her unless her behaviour was odd later on this evening.
We got home ASAP with the car heater on full blast, and I put two coats on her as soon as she got back into the house plus turned the heating right up - whereupon she demanded and ate her tea!
She seems to be fine now, although obviously I will keep a really close eye on her tonight. I phoned my mum who was more concerned that I might have fallen into the river - but as I said to her, I could never have lived with myself if Islay had drowned.
Sorry I am blithering on because of the shock or something - alls well that ends well, but please be careful of your dogs and rivers, I seriously have never been so frightened ever in my life before. Thank God she is OK
