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'

Oh wow that must have been terrifying! Glad he's okay! Might be prudent now that its warming up to take him someplace safe where you can get in the water with him and teach him to swim. A doggy life jacket can help in the teaching phases, will keep him safe while he figures out what to do. Also if you have a friend with a dog that DOES swim, take them together. Dogs learn a lot from each other. (My dog was taught to swim by one of her doggy pals). Just a thought. I just know how hard it is to control where the ball ends up (and I have a dog that won't give up her tennis ball for anything either)

thanks, im planning on taking him to the beach soon but i dont drive so will need to either get someone to run us there or get the train coz i will be able to go in the water with him. he can swim, and he has done it a few times but after about 5 seconds he starts to panic and gets out of the deep bits as fast as possible. he has got one doggy friend who swims, but while she swims, jake just runs along side her in the shallow bit

Oh what a scary day for all of you

For some reason I am seeing the male dogs dont seem happy to swim

I did get Ben to swim the other day at the beach, there was a wee river I was waiding across and it got deeper than I expected, Ben is such a mummies boy he followed me, he was so close behind me his wee paws were scratching my legs, but he swam!!
Mia on the other hand loves swimming!! But she also loves running and so she ran and bounced thru the river

God your heart must have been in your mouth watching poor Jake stuck under that tree like that! Well done for taking stock of the situation and ringing for help. I wouldn't have thought twice about it and I'd have leaped in myself, but you hear of so many people drowing trying to rescue their dogs don't you, so that wouldn't have been a good idea, but I know I would have done that, I go in headless chicken mode, I don't do "calm and rational"!!

Thank goodness you managed to yank him out and all is well, your nerves must be shattered.

I remember one of ours getting into a fast running stream and she was paddling like crazy right in the middle of it, and the banks were so steep and muddy she had no hope of getting out (wasn't my idea, she had escaped from the stablefield at Hickstead showground when I was setting up my catering units ) Thankfully though, when I went to drive across the bridge to go onto the showground to find her, I realised there was water underneath and I knew how she always honed in on water, so we found her! Anyhoo, I climbed down the bank, Dave grabbed the back of my jeans as I leaned right over, and I grabbed her, just like you did, by her collar and Dave yanked the pair of us out!

Put it down to experience, hard as it seems, I always think when something like this happens, it makes you think and it actually stops something even worse happening in the future!!!

Glad all is well now, but what a scare.

That must have been very scary for you & Jake but at least it all ended well.

My 2 labs both love the water but Barney, the male, sees the sea, rivers, streams & puddles as nothing more than a cooling off place to splash around & have a bit of a play. He doesn't do serious swimming (except at hydrotherapy where he has no choice) but has been known to paddle quite a long way for a floating gravy bone.

On the other hand Wilma (female) will swim for ages in pursuit of a tennis ball & whilst she's a very good & strong swimmer, I'm also careful where I throw the ball. She would jump any water to get a ball without a thought as to how deep, how fast-flowing & how she can get out again! So far, we've not had any trouble, touch wood. She comes in very useful when my friend's dog's ball goes in deep water though, as she has been known to retrieve 2 balls at once.

It certainly was scary, my heart was pounding and I was close to tears (I think the only reason I didn’t cry was coz I knew I had to think clearly to get him out).

Aw, poor ben jake is a mummies boy too lol. my old boy sam, loved to swim and one day he just jumped in the river (he was a rescue so no idea if he had be taught or not) and took us by complete surprise… after that, we couldn’t go near water without him jumping in

It was truly horrible, and even after I got home my heart was still racing and I was shaking (probably due to all the adrenaline). I was so tempted to jump in, especially seeing his wee face looking so desperate and miserable, but decided to leave that until the situation was desperate. If he couldn’t stand in the water, and was just panicking then I would have been in there like a shot, but coz he could still stand in it I knew I had a wee bit more time.

Oh that must have been terrible when your girl got stuck. I would have totally freaked if jake was stuck and I didn’t know where… I hate when he goes out of sight and always call him back so I can keep an eye on what he is doing but it was good you got her back safely.

Thanks, it was terrifying lol. barney sounds just like jake he loves the water but wont swim. It would be great if he was like Wilma though im definitely taking him to the beach soon and can go in the water with him.

[QUOTE=lozzibear;1973334]It certainly was scary, my heart was pounding and I was close to tears (I think the only reason I didn’t cry was coz I knew I had to think clearly to get him out).

Aw, poor ben jake is a mummies boy too lol. my old boy sam, loved to swim and one day he just jumped in the river (he was a rescue so no idea if he had be taught or not) and took us by complete surprise… after that, we couldn’t go near water without him jumping in



It was truly horrible, and even after I got home my heart was still racing and I was shaking (probably due to all the adrenaline). I was so tempted to jump in, especially seeing his wee face looking so desperate and miserable, but decided to leave that until the situation was desperate. If he couldn’t stand in the water, and was just panicking then I would have been in there like a shot, but coz he could still stand in it I knew I had a wee bit more time.

Oh that must have been terrible when your girl got stuck. I would have totally freaked if jake was stuck and I didn’t know where… I hate when he goes out of sight and always call him back so I can keep an eye on what he is doing but it was good you got her back safely.



Thanks, it was terrifying lol. barney sounds just like jake he loves the water but wont swim. It would be great if he was like Wilma though im definitely taking him to the beach soon and can go in the water with him.[/QUOTE]

I've also swum with my dogs in the sea but I had to wait till later in the year when it warmed up a bit! Word of warning ~ watch he doesn't rake you with his claws! I came out of the sea covered in red welts where the dogs accidentally whacked me as they were swimming round me!

I wonder if it would boost Jake's confidence in the water to take him to a hydrotherapy pool for a few sessions? If you choose the right one, the hydrotherapist is in the water the whole time, feeling the dog's leg movements & giving a lot of encouragement & confidence to the dog. Apart from the health benefits, both my dogs love it & find it just as strenuous as an hour's walk.

Poor you Jake. Sounds like he forgot about it quicker than you did, bless him. Couldn't imagine how panicked you were feeling. Just glad it all turned out nice for you both.