I will admit to going into an icy pond to rescue my daughter's beloved golden Skye, many years ago. She was an adolescent and got away from me on leash, ran onto the pond which had punky ice, and went through in the deeper water.

I managed to break through the ice and walked out to her. When I got close enough (not swimming, still walking, but in the deep muck), I put out my arms and she grabbed on. I pulled her into the shallower water, and the both of us headed for home, freezing cold and wet.

We both made it out of that situation, but I recommend always having a cell phone, and calling 911 before you go in the water to save your sweetheart.

Also, of course, call home, and see who gets there first.

Regards,

PJ

PJ,

Thats what I was saying. I just don't know if I could stand there and do "nothing." Even if I knew that rescuers were on the way.

I hope I never have to find out "what I would do"


Vicki

I would agree with that. Particularly river ice though, which is dangerous at any time of a year.

Keeper has gone through ice twice. Lake ice.

I've got a pretty good handle on their whereabouts and keep them on paths most of the time but there's always those few seconds when they're out of sight . . . and that's all it takes.

The first time was about 8 years ago and Keeper loped ahead over a hill in the pasturelands, then, out of site, onto a slough. She broke through the ice in water that was over her head, hanging on to the lip of the ice. Fortunately, she was close to shore and secondly, her leash had looped around her bum . . . allowing me to pull on the leash from relative safety while she used her front paws to lever herself out.

The second time was, as pictured below, close to shore as well. She wasn't in too much danger as I think she was touching bottom but she could have slipped under the ice.







Amusing note about the pictures above is my brother-in-law, who spent some years leading Canada's Arctic Rangers on snowmobiles on sea ice around places like Baffin Island, lives next to the lake and assured me it was safe only a half hour before Keeper fell through!!!

I would never let them go out on river ice and I would never let them free near river ice. That's scary stuff even on the coldest days of the year. But I have to be more careful around lake ice with them.

There's been a few drownings around here on the Bow River in Calgary with owners trying to get to their dogs on the ice.

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca

I thought about you while posting this Rick. Only because I remember either reading about keeper on your website or you telling us about her falling through the ice.

Boy, I bet your brother inlaw felt bad after telling you it was safe!

Vicki

Hahaha, no I don't think he felt bad. Probably amused. He'd been trying to send me out there on his snowmobile, so I'm doubly suspicious!!!

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca

YIKES

The thing is, so I have read, is that in most cases the dogs manage to get out somehow, but often the rescuer doesn't!
Debbie

It's always interesting when we're out walking or driving to see these frozen rivers in the mountains and the animal tracks crossing them.

The wild animals - as opposed to domesticaed ones - seem to know instinctively where its solid and where its not.

If you think about it, they have to cross these rivers all the time, the most dangerous bodies of water given the stream underneath creates invisible weak spots under the snow, and they seem to do so for the most part without incident.

I assume they must use their acute hearing for that.

I'm pretty sure Keeper would have perished in her first incident in the slough without help . . . and would have easily survived the second.

In the first she couldn't touch the bottom and in the second she could.

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca

My daughter's golden was in way over her head and hanging on to the edge of the ice for the sake of her sweet life. She needed a rescue, and the ice was bad. It had been about 4 inches thick the previous week, but warm weather had made it like swiss cheese, and very soft in parts.

I think many dogs would drown without help, especially after they start to get hypothermia.

Regards,

PJ