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Location: Motherwell, UK
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 17,088
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Jakes latest adventure...
I took jake for a walk to the park today, and went to our usual spot. Jake was happily chasing his ball, which I was throwing into the water (I do that almost every day, he loves the water). Jake doesn’t like the deep bit of water, and is too scared to swim. So when the ball goes into a deep bit, he will wait in the shallow bit for the ball to float downstream towards him. One time I threw the ball, but I threw it too far. It went over to the over side of the river, and got caught in a deep bit where the water swirls round, and so rather than the ball going downstream, it started going upstream which is too deep for jake. he ran after it, but to avoid the deep bit he jumped up the bank of the river at the other side and was leaning down trying to get it (something else he does a lot if the ball goes too far). He is a determined wee b***** sometimes, and was refusing to come back until he had got the ball. But then he got onto a fallen tree, and I was worried he would slip and hurt himself on the branches, so I called him but just stood looking at me as if saying ‘mum, I still cant get it. what will I do?’.
Then, he leaned into the water to get the ball and actually got it in his mouth but then he fell! I tried to encourage him to swim across but he wouldn’t. he was panicking, terrified, and got as close to the bank as he could, so he could stand in the water. He tried jumping out, but because of the fallen tree, he couldn’t get out and was stuck under (only stuck coz he wouldn’t swim, not stuck as in he couldn’t move). I found this old pic which shows where he was stuck (coz its hard to explain), and I have put an arrow to show where it was he was stuck
he was in the wee dark bit next to the arrow which is under the fallen tree
so he was in a difficult spot, and I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to leave him, coz I didn’t want him to think I was going without him which would make him panic more. He is very clingy to him mummy, so that plan was out the window. So I had to call my dad for him to come down (thank goodness I live a minute walk from the park! although it felt like longer today, waiting). When he came down, he stood with jake while I ran to find a way to cross over the water (and I gave my dad jakes lead and my mobile just incase I had to jump into the water). After a 5 minute run, I found an old rickety bridge (the place was used as a water works many years ago but the bridges are still there but very wobbly!). the river is winding, and I could see my dad and hear jake barking (which was unusual as he very rarely barks) but as I approached I saw a woman, and girl standing with two dogs and down the bank, where jake was, was a man. I ran down, and jake was in a total state! The guy said jake had been very upset when he approached, and was barking at him but when I arrived and called his name, he wee face looked so happy and his tail was wagging (such a mummies boy
). We couldn’t get him out though coz of the fallen tree and all these branches lying over it.
so me and the guy had to pull them all away, but had to do it so carefully so that nothing fell on jake. a couple of times he tried to jump up the fallen tree, but would fall back down and would go completely under the water
I was so scared he was going to drown, and I had no way to reach him. I was getting so close to jumping in the water to get him! finally though, we managed to clear a hole under the fallen tree and I grabbed his collar and hauled him out. I have never been so happy to have a soaking wet dog jumping all over me! I was so grateful to the guy for helping me free him, and they all walked me round to get my dad. Poor jake was in the water for about half an hour! He was quiet for a few minutes when we first got him out, but he soon perked up and was back to normal and was playing with the other two dogs! typical jake
we got jake home, dried him off and he got some yummy beef to help him over his ordeal
I know it was my fault, and I will be so careful now not the throw the ball in that park of the river. I don’t want this to happen ever again, I was so scared and probably have a good few grey hairs now! what a walk it was, but I am just so glad we got him back safely! i even met one of jakes friends willow whose owner, when i told him what happened, laughed and said 'i knew he was trouble from the day i met him'