So I’m on a dream sit that has just turned into a nightmare.
Took the two dogs for a new to me walk recommended by the Home Owner. Cross the railway line, cross the bridge to the river and take the route along the canal. You’ll need to cross the lock at Paddock Lock which will take you to a super waterside bistro and cafe.. Now that’s enough to motivate anyone!
We get there and rest. Dog’s get a refreshing drink.. lucky pups!
On the return we are crossing the lock gates.. the Prudent Poodle Pickles waits till I assist him to negotiate the small gap. Dreadnought Dylan the French Bulldog leaps the gap without a second thought.. As I lift the poodle over the gap, I hear a large kerplumpff! Behind me… it can only be Dylan I contemplate as I turn around to face the reality. Dylan has dropped like a stone! As I wait for ages for him to surface I spot two wide eyes coming into view like a sluggish alligator sliding to the surface.. I grab an ear and pull .. this reveals the all important harness loop which I grab swiftly to hoist Dylan to dry land. He’s shocked and spluttering.. He shakes himself dry, no worse for the experience..
Funny how life saving qualification came to the surface in this crisis..
I can confirm French Bulldogs are not natural swimmers, the flattened face doesn’t help at all.
Dylan has totally bonded with me in a matter of days but this experience has made that bond even stronger! Hopefully Puppy Dylan has made a mental note of treating water with more cautious respect.
What a horrible experience for Dylan! Good that Baywatch was there!
That reminds me of a sit that could have ended badly, too. I was out walking a dog on his favorite loop by the lake, in the freezing cold winter. We’d done this same walk for weeks without any problems. But then, one day, a hare suddenly came out of the woods and hopped right onto the ice-covered lake. And what happened? I couldn’t react quickly enough — the dog had been walking a bit behind me, and he darted after it. He only went as far as where the water hadn’t frozen, but still — the water was clearly freezing cold.
I called him back, and he came… only to turn around again and swim right back out. I called him again, and this time he came out — but then he collapsed on the ground, shivering uncontrollably. I have never in my life heard such intense teeth chattering, and those eyes… they looked at me with the sudden realization: “Oh no, I’ve messed up.”
It got worse by the minute. I didn’t hesitate. I pulled off my fleece jumper over my head and started rubbing the dog dry with it, as vigorously as I could. He had long fur, so the fleece got soaking wet very quickly. I took off my fleece undershirt as well and kept rubbing him until his breathing normalized and the shivering stopped.
There I was, in just my bra, soaking wet in sub-zero temperatures, with only a thin windbreaker left to wear. At least I had that. But I will never forget the gratitude and the deep bond that formed in that moment. We’re still incredibly close to this day.
That’s such a wonderful story! Hope you got a 10 star review! I would have jumped in for Dylan.. but luckily it wasn’t necessary!
He’s like an accident prone toddler, love him!
Maybe not the typical reaction but I’m suddenly very very angry about how people overbreed dogs to the point where they can’t swim.