Close call with our dog!

[Deleted member 10829]

We had quite the eventful morning with Knox, our 2 year old Lab/Pit mix, that we will never forget! I was working in the office and Stephanie asked me if I had heard a noise. I told her I didn't hear anything and thought nothing about it. Normally, Knox is never let off his cable unless I am with him, but they had not been off of a cable or leash for 10 days due to hunting season, so I wanted to let them roam a little this morning. Stephanie then heard the noise again and went out on the deck to hear one of our other dogs, Day-Z, yelping from the shore so loud she could hear her indoors and 75 yards away. She looked down through the trees and could see Knox's head in the water, he had fallen through the ice over in front of our neighbors.

We both got dressed the best we could and ran to the scene to find Knox about 60 feet out in water up to his neck while he was standing on his back legs. He was able to put his paws on the ice and keep his head above water, but could not get back on the ice. I started to walk a few feet on the ice, and of course, it broke right away as it was only 1" thick, at the most. We grabbed our old paddle boat right by the shore, we had given it to the neighbor kids, and I got in it and tried paddling out to Knox. The paddle in the front kept hitting the ice and would not move or break it, so Stephanie jumped in the water and pushed me out as far as she could. We made it about 2/3rd's of the way out and the ice would not break any more so I jumped in, broke the ice the rest of the way, and brought Knox back to Steph and she got him indoors.

It all happened so fast but our feet and hands were so cold we could not feel them and it was hard to walk back in to the house. I stayed out there and put the paddle boat back in place when I should have just gotten in to the house. My toes and fingers still don't feel quite normal, and this happened at about 11 this morning. We got the dog inside and dried off and he is doing fine. Day-Z can open our unlocked deck door, and in the chaos she must have come in that way leaving the door wide open, so the dogs ran out again and went right over to the same spot sniffing all around the shore. For many years, an otter has lived right under the shore there and I wonder if they didn't see it come out and followed it under the ice? Who knows, but I couldn't believe they went right back over there. Not on the ice though this time!

The attached picture shows where this all took place, and Knox was at the very end of the broken ice. We have a whole new respect for what happens to the human body in cold water, it's amazing and it happens so quickly. We are very lucky it turned out well, it could have been much worse for Knox. We were never in danger really. If you have a dog, give them a big hug and kiss!

 

[xcsp]

Good to hear you, the Mrs. and the dogs are doing fine after that experience!

 

[anonomoose]

Two points:

First anyone with forming ice needs to be sure that the dog does not get on it and break thru....so many die this way each winter, folks need to understand the danger that is present until the ice is at least 3 inches thick. Your dog was real lucky he could touch bottom as he was definitely trapped where he went in. Had he not been able to touch, your dog could have drowned. Folks who live on a river that freezes over and over lose dogs every year this way. My cousin has lost 1/2 dozen dogs this way and will not let the dog out without putting it on a leash. Dogs find ice irresistable to get on but it can and will kill.

The other deals with the owner of this dog. Hypothermia can get you quickly...with all sorts of issues that can result from drawing down your body temp very quickly plunging into cold water can even bring on a heart attack. If this happens again, move quickly to get warm and out of the wet clothing which can continue to cool your body at once. One of the reasons that your legs lost feeling is because when this extreme cold gets sensed by your core body, it begins to shut down circulation of your extremities. You don't have to get totally in the water for this stuff to take hold and have really life threatening issues.

Glad it all turned out ok, but it sounds like your dog has not necessarily learned a lesson yet.

 

[Deleted member 10829]

Thanks xcsp, I appreciate that!

moose,

I did learn a few things, but the 2 things I would do different are not let the dog off his cable to begin with, and not getting inside right away was not smart. You can think ahead of time about all the right things to do, but until you are there in the moment, it does change things. I wasn't panicked, but it was the next thing to it.

 

[bonnevier]

Glad to hear you are ok!

I guess joining a polar club is out the window.

 

[hemi_newman]

Glad you and your family is ok buddy...it was very cold here in the northwoods today, i could not imagine being that water today!

 

[Deleted member 10829]

Thanks guys! Yeah, it had to happen on the coldest day of the year so far. I had 7 this morning. Attached are pic's of 2 of our 3 dogs. Knox is the black male. Notice he is cabled on the outside pic!

 

[Admin]

Scary stuff for sure.

Glad it all had a happy ending and hope you all wake up completely thawed out!

-John

 

[mrsrunningbear]

Holy cow that's some scary stuff!! So glad you all are OK! Hope the hands and toes are good today

 

[Bradzoo]

Wow glad everything turned out ok

 

[Deleted member 10829]

Thanks John! It was a scary 5 minutes or so, that's for sure. We are all thawed out and only my middle finger on my left hand and a couple of toes on my left foot still feels a little numb. Nothing to worry about I don't think.

MrsRB and Bradzoo,

Thanks and hope to ride with you again this year!

 

[LoveMyDobe]

I understand completely about rushing out in the frozen water to rescue your dog. I would do the same, but have to admit our Dobe is pretty smart about things, don't think she would go in, but our setter/retreiver, now that's a different story! "Danny Boy is as dumb as Skye (Dobe) is smart" words from my Hubby's mouth. Glad you are all fine, I think I would trying warming up from the inside with a good ole shot of whiskey, now that your heart rate is back to normal!

 

[Deleted member 10829]

I should have thought of the shot of whiskey! Our dogs are very similar, Day-Z is very smart and Knox, well, he's not much of a thinker. Dumb as a rock I'm afraid, but we love him. We got Day-Z from my son and Knox from my step-son, we only had one dog until about 18 months ago.

 

[lenny]

Mark, Glad it all worked out in the end bud. Thank God A!

 

[Deleted member 10829]

Yep Lenny! It was intense for sure.

 

[lofsfire]

Glad it all worked out well for you, I know its hard to sit a wait but did you think of calling the fire department? I've been in after dogs a few times, plus many other animals.

A number my my medics are dog lovers too, happened to have two of them working one day, 7 or 8 years ago. When we had a dog go in the lake, no one knew how long the dog was in, but she code once we got her out. Transported her to the local vet 5 min before closing time. Last I heard she was doing fine. Surprisingly caught some of flack from the community about this too. (about 50/50) Most the people against it did not like seeing the resources used for "just a dog". Personally, and our department SOG is we rather go in for a dog or another pet with the proper gear than come out for a owner that did not make it.

Again glad everything turned out good!

 

[Deleted member 10829]

As I stood at the shore, it did cross my mind to call the fire department, but I live 15 miles from town and it would have taken a long time for them to arrive. I looked at how far the dog was out and that's what made my decision. Yes, he was out there a ways, but I know the depth there well. Had he been out where the water was over my head, I would have made that call and hoped for the best. I knew I could get to him fairly quick and safely, so I reacted. Thanks lofsfire!

 

[LoveMyDobe]

Glad it all worked out well for you, I know its hard to sit a wait but did you think of calling the fire department? I've been in after dogs a few times, plus many other animals.

A number my my medics are dog lovers too, happened to have two of them working one day, 7 or 8 years ago. When we had a dog go in the lake, no one knew how long the dog was in, but she code once we got her out. Transported her to the local vet 5 min before closing time. Last I heard she was doing fine. Surprisingly caught some of flack from the community about this too. (about 50/50) Most the people against it did not like seeing the resources used for "just a dog". Personally, and our department SOG is we rather go in for a dog or another pet with the proper gear than come out for a owner that did not make it.

Again glad everything turned out good!

I am confused on your comment about "rather go in for a dog than come out with a owner that did not make it?.OUR IR fire dept is going over their SOG's, I am not involved in it, my hubby it on the volunteer dept., but maybe you just worded your comment where I didn't understand. Personally I would go in freezing water for a dog than a human. Humans know better, dogs just do things they shouldn't do.

 

[lofsfire]

I am confused on your comment about "rather go in for a dog than come out with a owner that did not make it?.OUR IR fire dept is going over their SOG's, I am not involved in it, my hubby it on the volunteer dept., but maybe you just worded your comment where I didn't understand. Personally I would go in freezing water for a dog than a human. Humans know better, dogs just do things they shouldn't do.

Not exactly what I said. "is we rather go in for a dog or another pet with the proper gear, than come out for a owner that did not make it." Meaning the owner will go after their pet one way or another, please call us before both of you are stuck in cold water.

You right, humans do know better, but will go out anyways when the ice is thin. In case with pets we have seen owners go in after their pets, only to cause themselves to be trapped too. I have experienced this. Luckily on that call it worked out it was that time of day with lots of guys around to make the call, we were able to send two teams out, one for the dog, one for the owner. But if it was a low staff time of the day the human comes out first, then the animal.

Think about this too, little Susie, finds her pet stuck in a lake, she goes after the pet, ends up stuck too, dad comes and falls in too. Now you have 3 victims, and the pet who has been in the longest is last on the list. For me to send a team of guys out I have to have at least another team on shore ready to go, plus guys on shore manning ropes. If I have a diver available, things change a little.

So far a horse has been our biggest challenge. Had fairly thick ice except where the horse when in at. Trench cut a hole from shore (this was in a small pond) and she walked right out.

 

[LoveMyDobe]

I get in now, thanks 4 the responce, I have some blonde moments. I guess my dog mom instincts kick in on my last post. Yes, humans come first, I would save my Firefighting / Groomer) hubby first. Sorry you had to put in in RED. And by the way, my name is Susie!
Let's just hope we/you/hubby/ are never on a rescue call as this. Again, thank you 4 being a emt/firefighter, you guys ROCK!